91998E2812

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2812/98

by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission

(17 September 1998)

Subject: Evaluation of the packaging directive (94/62/EC)

Three years after the entry into force of the packaging directive 94/62/EC(1), would the Commission please indicate:

- how overall demand for packaging has evolved in the period 1990-1997?

- how overall packaging recycling (material recycling) has evolved in the period 1990-1997?

- how high the technically feasible and economically viable packaging-recycling ratio was in 1997?

- how the market share of beverages in reusable packaging (< 21) evolved in the period 1990-1997?

- in which Member States are there incinerators ( >500t/a) in which packaging waste is burned (annual capacity per plant) and how many of them are there?

- in which of these plants is the average calorific value higher than 13 MJ?

- in which of these plants is a minimum of 33 % of the calorific value of the incinerated waste supplied for commercial use to outside users?

- which of the incinerator plants use:

- dust filters (textile or electro filters)

- flue gas scrubbers

- advanced facilities (catalytic converters, deNOX equipment, second filters, absorbers)?

- which of these plants meet the requirements of Directive 89/369/EEC(2)?

- whether Directive 94/62/EC harmonised the requirements for market access within the EU?

- how many different recycling schemes for sales packaging of different types were in force within the 15 Member States in 1998?

- how many different fee schemes therefore have to be recognised?

- how many CEN-standards have been finalised after 31/2 years of work for Mandate 2000?

- when the standards will be available for use under the packaging directive?

- what its opinion is of the CEN draft standards in the light of Directive 94/62/EC?

- what the actual status and/or use is of biodegradable plastic packaging in the EU?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(28 October 1998)

The Commission regrets that it does not have, at this stage, sufficient information to be able to answer the question.

The first obligation to report on the application of Directive 91/692/EEC on standardizing and rationalizing reports on the implementation of certain directives relating to the environment(3) will relate to the period 1998-2000 so that the reports will not be available to the Commission before 30 June 2001. At the same time, Decision 97/138/EC relating to the database system on packaging and packaging waste(4) establishes that the first data to be provided shall relate to 1997 but the time allowed for transmission to the Commission is 18 months so that the data might be received by 30 June 1999.

Furthermore, the Commission intends to launch a number of studies on the present situation of systems for the management of packaging and packaging waste in Europe. The results will be available in 1999.

(1) OJ L 365, 31.12.1994, p. 10.

(2) OJ L 163, 14.6.1989, p. 32.

(3) OJ L 377, 31.12.1991.

(4) OJ L 52, 22.2.1997.