afternoon - Environment Council
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Council of the European Union European Council
Follow its sittingsCarola Rackete
Thank you, Chair. And we do actually share very much the serious concerns expressed by our Italian colleagues regarding the position of the European plastics recycling industry. Over the past two years, approximately 14 plastics recycling plants have stopped their production in the Netherlands. And currently there are still around 30 recycling facilities left standing, but holding on by a thread. It is clear that the plastics recycling industry in Europe finds itself within a perfect storm.
A low price of virgin material, high cost for collection and processing, weak demand by recycled plastic and targets set in the distant future.
The absence of a level playing field plays a central role on multiple levels. We therefore very much look forward to the crucial proposals from the Commission in the Circular Economy Act, EU-wide end-of-waste criteria for plastics and the development of a remaining delegated and implementing acts under the PPWR. However, we need to do more than this already in the short term. For example, developing the right financial instruments and frameworks, as well as expanding the scope for recycled content targets to ensure a stable demand. We do not have much time, so thanks again to Italy for raising this question and I hope we can all make this work sooner rather than later.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much, Carola. Next we have Cyril from France, followed by Oriol from Spain.
Cyril Piquemal
Merci Monsieur le Président, la France soutient l'Italie dans sa volonté d'appui au secteur du recyclage des plastiques. Nous avons besoin d'une réponse européenne à la hauteur de l'enjeu.
La France plaide ainsi pour la mise en place de mesures de soutien à la demande en matière plastique recyclée, en introduisant par exemple des obligations d'incorporation, en favorisant les matières recyclées made in EU et en n'autorisant le recours à des matières plastiques recyclées importées que si elles sont produites à partir de déchets collectés et transformés dans des conditions environnementales et sanitaires équivalentes à celles de l'Union. Pour renforcer la traçabilité et les conditions de concurrence équitables avec les pays tiers, nous soutenons également la poursuite des travaux engagés pour mettre en place des codes douaniers distincts entre les polymères PET recyclés et les polymères PET vierges et les étendre à d'autres résines plastiques. Nous appelons enfin la Commission à proposer au plus vite un règlement européen sur la sortie du statut des déchets plastiques pour créer un vrai marché commun des matières recyclées. Je vous remercie.
Oriol Escalas Nolla
Oriol, the floor is yours, followed by Bart from Belgium.
Gracias, presidente, y agradecemos a Italia por llamar la atención sobre una cuestión de gran relevancia para el futuro de la economía circular de la Unión. España comparte la preocupación respecto a la situación que atraviesa actualmente el sector europeo del reciclado de plásticos. Creemos que la insuficiente demanda de materiales reciclados, los elevados costes energéticos y las dificultades para garantizar unas condiciones de competencia equitativas están poniendo en riesgo al sector europeo de reciclado de plásticos, fundamental para avanzar hacia una economía circular y alcanzar los objetivos ambientales de la Unión.
Vemos por lo tanto necesario adoptar medidas que permitan reforzar el mercado europeo de materias primas secundarias y crear un entorno favorable para el desarrollo del sector del reciclado. Por ello, instamos a la Comisión a actuar con rapidez para evitar una pérdida irreversible de capacidad de reciclado en la Unión e a impulsar sin demora las iniciativas necesarias para dar respuesta a las preocupaciones que plantea precisamente la delegación italiana y reforzar el mercado europeo de materias primas secundarias en el marco de la futura ley de economía circular. Muchas gracias.
Kristoffer
Thank you. We move on now to Bert from Belgium, followed by Salvis from Latvia.
David Clarinval
Dank voorzitter en dank aan Italië om deze belangrijke uitdaging, de moeilijkheden waarmee de Europese recyclagesector kampt, op de agenda te zetten. We zijn het er ook over eens dat er actie nodig is om gunstige voorwaarden te scheppen voor het behoud en de ontwikkeling van de Europese recyclagecapaciteit. We nemen nota van de verschillende voorstellen in dit document en zullen deze aandachtig evalueren.
België onderstreept enkele raakvlakken tussen het Italiaanse non-paper en het Benelux non-paper over de komende wet op de circulaire economie dat in juni aan deze raad werd gepresenteerd. In het bijzonder benadrukken beide documenten het belang van de ontwikkeling van een echte circulaire eengemaakte markt met een goed functionerende markt voor secundaire grondstoffen, het stimuleren van voldoende vraag naar hoogwaardige Europese gerecycleerde materialen, het ontwikkelen van Europese einde-afvalcriteria en instrumenten om toezicht te houden op de conformiteit van geïmporteerde producten om oneerlijke concurrentie te bestrijden en een gelijk speelveld te garanderen tussen EU en niet-EU operatoren. Dank u voorzitter.
Salvis DRAVIŅŠ
Thank you chair. We would like to thank Italy for bringing our attention to the challenges that the plastics recycling sector in Europe is facing. Latvia shares these concerns. Our plastics recycling industry is facing growing pressure from low-priced virgin plastic imports, market distortions and price volatility, which are undermining the competitiveness of European recyclers.
As a result, Latvian recycler companies are already facing significant economic pressure and in some cases substantial financial losses. We therefore see a need to strengthen demand for recycled materials, improve traceability, market surveillance, and customs controls to ensure a level playing field. Several elements of Italy's proposal could help to advance this work, and we hope that the upcoming Circular Economy Act will provide an opportunity to address these challenges at the EU level. Thank you.
Jessika Roswall
Thank you very much, colleagues. Jessica, would you like a chance to respond?
Yes, I gladly do that. Thank you, Chair, and dear Vania, thank you very much for bringing this important issue to the table. I know this is a matter of real concern both for Italy's recycling industry but also for the EU broader circular economy ambitions. But let me be very clear, the Commission shares your concerns, and that is also why I have talked about plastic recycling I don't know how many councils in the last one and a half year, and that is also why we also act swiftly. As you all remember, last December we announced a number of key measures in the communication on boosting the circularity of plastic.
We are now working intensively to implement them. Just to mention some, the work on the custom codes for recycled plastic is very advanced and for some polymers this have been achieved and should be also enter into application at the beginning of 2027. And this should bring more granular data about the type of imports that is entering the European Union, but also it allows more targeted custom checks. Another key objectives is establishing a Union-wide end-of-waste criteria for plastic, some of you mentioned that. And here the work is already in its final state with expected adoption in the coming months.
The criteria will strengthen confidence among recyclers and producers in the quality of the recycled plastic and should also create a level playing field for the feedstock of secondary plastics for industrial manufacturing. It will also facilitate circulation of recycled plastic as a product and thereby also reduce the administrative burden for both the economic operators and also for you the Member States. Similarly, the rules for waste shipments are now in place.
They support the transition to a circular economy in the EU by facilitating shipment of waste destined for recycling between the member states. The work also I want to mention one more thing that we proposed December last year, the work on the circular plastic alliance that was relaunched with the aim to support member states and industrial stakeholders to deliver an ambitious and effective policy framework that supports the secondary plastics secondary plastic sector. And I think and I know that many of you know this and are active or the stakeholders in your respective member states. Finally, and that was mentioned from many of you, of course I want to take the possibility to also say something very short on circular economy act that will be presented later this year. The act will, as you know, make it easy to move secondary raw materials in the EU where to where they have the highest value and also best utility.
And it will also strengthen the secondary raw materials market, addressing the bottlenecks that you talk about that I see, both on the supply side and on the demand side. And I really looking forward to put this on the table and working together with you and I have listened and take note and I count on your support on actually do the actions later. Thank you very much.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much, Jessica, and I just want to confirm that the Council has taken note of the information provided by Italy, as well as the interventions from colleagues as well as the Commission. So now we turn to AOB item which was requested by Austria and supported by Czechia and Estonia regarding the packaging and packaging waste regulation titled "A proportionate EPR framework for small producers and the single market". So Norbert from Austria, the floor is yours.
Norbert Kurilla
Vielen Dank, sehr geehrter Vorsitzender, sehr geehrte Frau Kommissarin, ich bedanke mich für die Möglichkeit, die Frage der Umsetzbarkeit der EU-Verpackungsverordnung in dieser Runde ansprechen zu können. Es ist EU-weit sehr deutlich geworden, dass die Umsetzung der Verpackungsverordnung viele Unternehmerinnen und Unternehmer vor große Herausforderungen stellt. Auslöser war die nun EU-weit verpflichtende Bestellung eines Bevollmächtigten für Hersteller mit Sitz in der EU. Eine De-minimis-Ausnahme für sehr geringe Mengen ist dabei nicht vorgesehen. Das bedeutet, dass schon sehr kleine Verpackungsmengen, die im EU-Binnenmarkt in Verkehr gebracht werden, hohen Verwaltungsaufwand und unverhältnismäßige Kosten für unsere Unternehmen verursachen können.
Daher unterstützen wir als ersten Schritt eine rasche Aussetzung der verpflichtenden Benennung eines Bevollmächtigten für Hersteller mit Sitz in der EU.
Dazu danke ich der Kommission für den entsprechenden Vorschlag im Omnibus 8. Jetzt müssen wir hier auch mit dem Europäischen Parlament zu einer raschen Einigung kommen. Daher meine Bitte an dich, Christoph, das jetzt schnell weiterzubringen. Sicher löst der Omnibus nicht alles, aber es ist ein erster wichtiger Schritt. Jessica, wir setzen große Erwartungen in dein Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz, denn die Frage des Bevollmächtigten ist nur die erste spürbare Herausforderung.
Die Verpackungsverordnung ist auch an anderen Stellen zu administrativ aufwendig geraten. Daher fordern wir, dass im künftigen Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz weitere Vereinfachungen, insbesondere bei der erweiterten Herstellerverantwortung, adressiert werden. Zu unserem Positionspapier möchte ich noch folgende Punkte herausgreifen. Unternehmen mit Kleinstmengen sollten vollständig von der EPR-Pflicht, von den EPR-Pflichten befreit werden. Zur spürbaren Entlastung ist außerdem die Einrichtung einer zentralen EU-Registrierungsstelle notwendig, um Mehrfachregistrierungen in jedem einzelnen Mitgliedstaat zu vermeiden.
Auch große Online-Plattformen müssen für die erweiterte Herstellerverantwortung verstärkt in die Pflicht genommen werden.
Nachbesserungsbedarf sehen wir zudem beim Kreis der Verpflichteten, den Kennzeichnungspflichten sowie den Vorgaben für Transportverpackungen. Klares Ziel sind praxistaugliche Regelungen zur konsequenten Reduktion von Verpackungsmaterial und Förderung der Kreislaufwirtschaft. Das Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz sollte dabei als Chance genutzt werden, um Unternehmerinnen und Unternehmer wirksam zu entlasten. In den entsprechenden Arbeitsgruppen wird sich Österreich weiterhin konstruktiv einbringen und detaillierte Vorschläge vorlegen. Vielen Dank.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much, Norbert. So we've quite a few colleagues who wish to contribute and we'll start first with Igor from Czechia.
Igor Witzovsky
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank Austria for tabling a document on the important issue of the PPWR. The Czech Republic support this initiative. We raised this issue here back in June and I am pleased that other states have also taken it up. It's important to us that a solution is found as quick as possible and its adoption is not postponed until Circular Economy Act. We believe that the solution should be a straightforward as possible for these subject to the obligation.
We have proposed a solution in our non-paper. We envisage this talking form of the threshold based on a quantity of waste placed on the market. This would provide a complete complete examination from extended producer responsibility for very small producers. At the same time, we remain open to a pragmatic compromise that can grain broad support and deliver result quickly. In addition to expectation from PPWR rules on producers responsibility, we are also ready to discuss and find solution for online platforms.
Finally, I would like to inform you about a letter we have sent to all of you in which we draw attention to persistent particle challenges in the implementation of the PPWR. We encourage member states to share their experience and to cooperation in this implementation. Thank you.
Speaker 17
Thank you Igor. Next we have Paulina from Poland followed by Jo from Belgium.
Paulina Hennig-Kloska
Thank you. Chciałabym bardzo podziękować koledze z Austrii za tę ważną i niezwykle aktualną inicjatywę. Polska popiera wszelkie rozwiązania polegające na wyłączaniu z obowiązków przedsiębiorstw wprowadzających na rynek niewielkie ilości opakowań.
W pełni zgadzamy się ze zwiększeniem odpowiedzialności platform internetowych. Dostrzegamy potrzebę ograniczenia obciążeń administracyjnych dla najmniejszych przedsiębiorstw, w szczególności tych prowadzących sprzedaż transgraniczną produktów oraz wprowadzających niewielkie ilości opakowań na rynek w kilku państwach członkowskich. Polska apeluje do Komisji Europejskiej o przyspieszenie prac nad aktami delegowanymi i wykonawczymi oraz o regularną aktualizację wytycznych, tak aby rozporządzenie PPWR było stosowane możliwie jednolicie na terenie całej Unii Europejskiej. Przedsiębiorstwa potrzebują pewności prawnej i odpowiedniego czasu na dostosowanie swoich produktów, opakowań i procesów. Dziękuję bardzo.
Joe
Thank you, dear Norbert. I would like to thank Austria for bringing this important issue to our attention.
Without taking a position today on the non-paper as a whole, Belgium would like to highlight one particular element: the importance of the de minimis exemption within the framework of extended producer responsibility under the packaging and packaging waste regulation. For very small producers, the associated administrative requirements can be disproportionate. In Belgium's view, a well-designed de minimis threshold is the most targeted and effective way to reduce administrative burdens and additional financial costs for these businesses, while fully preserving the objective of the regulation. We therefore call for this principle to be developed as a priority in the upcoming work. Thank you.
Jean
Muito obrigado, presidente. Portugal agradece à Áustria a apresentação deste ponto e associa-se à preocupação de assegurar que as obrigações de responsabilidade alargada do produtor sejam aplicadas de forma proporcionada aos operadores de menor dimensão.
Portugal tem vindo a manifestar preocupação com os encargos administrativos, económicos e operacionais que decorrem da aplicação do regulamento relativo a embalagens e resíduos de embalagens, em particular para aquelas que são as micro, pequenas e médias empresas e também para setores especialmente relevantes nas estruturas económicas nacionais. Neste contexto, Portugal reitera o apelo à Comissão Europeia para que apresente uma proposta reformulada, mais simples e mais pragmática, que assegure uma transição proporcional e exequível e compatível com a realidade económica dos Estados-Membros e com o bom funcionamento do mercado interno. Permanecemos disponíveis para contribuir para uma solução equilibrada, mais eficaz, que responda de forma célere às dificuldades sentidas pelas pequenas empresas e que salvaguarde o funcionamento do mercado interno. Muito obrigado.
Kristoffer
Thank you, Jean. Next we'll have Serge from Luxembourg followed by Vania from Italy.
Serge
Merci, Monsieur le Président, cher Norbert, chers collègues. Le Luxembourg remercie l'Autriche pour cette initiative et salue la réouverture de cette discussion dans le cadre de l'Omnibus 8. Nous partageons pleinement l'objectif de réduire les charges administratives qui pèsent sur les micro-entreprises et les PME, en particulier lorsqu'elles sont actives dans le commerce transfrontalier. En même temps, nous estimons que toute simplification doit préserver l'efficacité des systèmes de responsabilité élargie du producteur, qui demeure un élément essentiel de l'application du principe pollueur-payeur. Toute exception devrait donc rester strictement limitée à l'obligation de désigner un mandataire, sans remettre en cause les autres obligations liées à la responsabilité élargie du producteur.
Enfin, nous soulignons l'importance de répondre au problème du free-riding. Il est essentiel de faciliter la mise en œuvre des obligations liées à la responsabilité élargie des producteurs et de garantir des conditions de concurrence équitables entre les opérateurs. Le futur Circular Economy Act pourrait constituer le cadre approprié pour développer une approche commune au niveau européen. Je vous remercie.
Vania Gava
Vorrei ringraziare anch'io l'Austria per aver sollevato la questione della proporzionalità degli obblighi derivanti dalla responsabilità estesa del produttore per i produttori che mettono sul mercato piccole quantità di imballaggi in altri Stati membri. L'Italia sostiene una soluzione rapida, mirata e temporanea: sospendere l'obbligo di nominare un rappresentante autorizzato per i prodotti stabiliti nell'Unione che immettono sul mercato meno di 10 tonnellate di imballaggi per Stato membro e per anno. La registrazione, rendicontazione e i contributi finanziari EPR devono rimanere invariati, così come il regime per gli operatori extra-UE.
La soglia delle 10 tonnellate prevista dal PPWR per la rendicontazione semplificata non può diventare automaticamente una soglia di esenzione dagli obblighi EPR, fondamentali per finanziare la gestione dei rifiuti e garantire la completezza dei dati. Esamineremo con attenzione strumenti più efficaci di verifica e cooperazione con le piattaforme online per contrastare il free-riding da parte di operatori extra-UE e un punto di accesso unico europeo interoperabile con i registri nazionali.
Kristoffer
Thank you. Next up we have Oriol from Spain, followed by Monica from Slovakia.
Oriol Escalas Nolla
Gracias, presidente, y gracias a Austria por haber planteado este debate. Compartimos la preocupación por las cargas administrativas que determinadas obligaciones pueden generar para los pequeños productores establecidos en la UE. Por ello, podríamos valorar una solución transitoria y limitada de suspensión de obligaciones, siempre que exista un umbral mínimo claramente definido y que dicha excepción tenga carácter temporal hasta el desarrollo de una solución armonizada a nivel europeo. No obstante, cualquier simplificación o exención debe garantizar que se mantiene plenamente el principio de responsabilidad ampliada del productor y que la financiación de la gestión de los residuos de envases continúa adecuadamente cubierta.
Si determinados productores quedan excluidos de algunas obligaciones, debe clarificarse expresamente quién asumiría los costes asociados a la gestión de los residuos derivados de los envases que introducen en el mercado. Por otro lado, podemos apoyar también el refuerzo del papel de las plataformas de comercio electrónico para mejorar el cumplimiento de las obligaciones, así como el desarrollo de una ventanilla única europea. Muchas gracias.
Monica
Thank you, Chair. We welcome the document submitted by the Austrian delegation and the opportunity to discuss the role of the authorized representative under the PPWR. We support the proposals included in the document, especially solutions to limit administrative burden on very small producers. We also support the establishment of a single European contact point for the registration of producers within the framework of extended producer responsibility. Thank you.
Kristoffer
Thank you, Monica. Next up we have Maria from Croatia, who will be followed by Karsten from Germany.
Marija Vučković
Thank you, Chair. We share some of the concerns of our Austrian colleagues and recognize the need to establish a proportionate extended producer responsibility for small producers in the EU.
As one of the needed and swift solutions, we see the suspension of the mandatory appointment of an authorized representative in PPWR. And nevertheless, we believe that we should address other obligations, such as the obligation to register, reporting obligations, or fees, holistically and within the framework of the upcoming Circular Economy Act. Thank you.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much. Next up, Karsten from Germany, followed by Cyril from France.
Karsten
Ja, also zunächst mal begrüßen wir auch die Initiative Österreichs, aber grundsätzlich sind wir sehr für die Umsetzung der PPWR und auch die erweiterte Herstellerverantwortung, wie auch die Verstärkung all unserer Bemühungen zu mehr Recycling und Kreislaufwirtschaft. Das vorneweg. Trotzdem müssen die Umsetzungen so effizient wie möglich sein. Und von daher unterstützen wir in Deutschland die schnelle Aussetzung der Bevollmächtigtenregelung in der Verpackungsverordnung durch den Umwelt-Omnibus.
Das gilt insbesondere, wie von vielen Kolleginnen und Kollegen hier auch angemerkt, was die Kleinstbetriebe betrifft. Wir wollen es Kleinunternehmen nicht unmöglich machen, europäisch zu agieren, sondern es soll ihnen weiterhin möglich sein, ohne dass sie in einem Maße mit Bürokratie überall den Bevollmächtigten zu ernennen belastet werden, die nicht dem Aufkommen entspricht. Das Zweite: Auch die Idee eines Single European Entry Point kann Erleichterung schaffen und die sollte vor allen Dingen der Sammlung und der Weitergabe der Herstellerdaten gelten. Vielen Dank.
Kristoffer
Thank you, Karsten. Next we have Cyril from France, followed by Chris from Malta.
Cyril Piquemal
Merci, Monsieur le Président. La France est très attachée à la responsabilité élargie du producteur. Les entreprises qui mettent des produits sur le marché doivent être responsables de leur impact environnemental tout au long de leur vie. Désigner un mandataire chargé de gérer les obligations au titre de la REP dans chaque pays de l'Union est à ce titre essentiel. Nous devons maintenir ce mandataire qui est la meilleure solution pour assurer le financement de la gestion de nos déchets au niveau européen sans créer de concurrence déloyale.
La France est ouverte à un report ciblé de certaines obligations relatives au mandataire pour la seule filière emballage compte tenu des difficultés dont font part certains artisans et petits commerçants. Ce report doit toutefois rester très ciblé sur la base de critères vérifiables et limités dans le temps. S'agissant des plateformes en ligne, la France soutient pleinement la nécessité de les responsabiliser davantage et souhaite que les atteintes environnementales résultant des pratiques industrielles et commerciales des plateformes soient mieux prises en compte. Nous attendons des propositions de la Commission en ce sens avec le futur texte européen sur l'économie circulaire mais aussi le futur acte européen sur les produits. Je vous remercie.
Chris
Thank you. Malta shares the concerns and supports the principles and objectives outlined in Austria's non-paper to reduce administrative burden on SMEs including micro and artisan producers under the packaging and packaging waste regulation. However, suspending the authorized representative requirement alone is insufficient and should be accompanied by broader measures including exempting small producers from all EPR obligations. A de minimis arrangement could form part of the solution but the available options and their implications should first be technically assessed before determining the appropriate mechanism, eligibility criteria and thresholds. Any solution should be targeted, time-limited and subject to mandatory review while reflecting differences in Member States' market sizes and circumstances and providing safeguards against circumvention.
Malta therefore welcomes Austria's proposal as a basis for further Council discussion. Thank you.
Jessika Roswall
Thank you very much. And thank you, Norbert, for bringing our attention to this important topic. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation is now in force, as you all know, and it is our priority to make it work in practice. Of course, it needs to deliver on its core objective, that means strengthening the single market, preventing packaging waste, improving recyclability. And simplification is very central in this implementation.
The rules agreed by the co-legislators are sometimes, to be honest, over-complex, and the transition from national laws to harmonized EU regulation rules is, as we probably all heard from different businesses, very challenging. And that is especially true for packaging rules, which of course affect all sectors of the economy. We prepared the entry into force thoroughly with stakeholders and issued detailed guidance to enable a pragmatic implementation of the new rules.
We have also taken practical steps to support small business specifically. To help SMEs understand their extended producer responsibility obligations under the packaging and packaging waste regulation, and also the exemption and the flexibilities that already is available to them, the Commission has published a dedicated fact sheet. It sets out clearly, and I would argue also in plain language, what small businesses need to know and what special conditions they may already benefit from in their Member States. I hear you, Paulina, on updates, and I would also encourage all Member States also to share widely with the SMEs community. In addition, in December last year, the Commission's proposal for an environmental omnibus included a proposal to suspend the obligation on the packaging and packaging waste regulation for companies, big and small, to appoint an authorised representative.
You all remember this. And I am very pleased that the Council has relaunched the discussion on the omnibus suspending proposal.
I take this as a clear signal that Member States understand the real-life consequences of this burdensome obligation, which has caused small businesses to stop selling products to other Member States. And for me, this reflects a fragmented market, not a single market. So I just urge you to take a constructive and pragmatic approach to enforcement on this issue. And I hear that Norbert and many others are saying exactly that, constructive and pragmatic, while also the suspension proposal is being negotiated. I fully understand the urge from some of you to provide further relief from a broader set of extended producer responsibility obligations for small businesses in the omnibus proposal.
However, I would argue at this point, I believe that this would greatly complicate our discussions and also prolong the distress from European businesses in Europe. Suspending the authorized representative obligation is highly time-sensitive, that is means we are in an urgency, and we should focus on a rapid agreement on this rather than discussing the scope. But I also want to assure you that this does not mean that the discussion is off the table.
As many of you already mentioned, the upcoming Circular Economy Act that I will present later this year are focusing exactly on how to improve the extended producer responsibility schemes more broadly, focusing on the simplification, harmonization and digitalization, using exactly the full potential of the single market. Of course, I also hear you about how we need to protect our single market from unfair competition. So I have taken, I just want to say, I've taken good note of your suggestions for the Circular Economy Act, which are very much, I would say, in the same line with my vision. But here and now, I urge you to support the suspension suspending proposal in the Omnibus, focusing on the authorized representatives, because this will enable us to move on to a richer discussion on how we reform the EPR systems in a way that fulfills their environmental objectives, but also support the single internal market. I really looking forward to do that.
But to say this again, then, maybe third time in this short intervention, I really encourage the Council to advance quickly on suspending the mandatory use of authorized representatives in the EU, and we, as always, stand ready to assist on that. Thank you very much.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much, Jessica.
And just to say that the Council has taken note of the information provided by Norbert and Austria, as well as the interventions by the Commission and the delegations. Presidency has also swiftly responded to the calls by many Member States to look again at a temporary and targeted suspension of extended producer responsibility obligations under the packaging and packaging waste regulation in the context of the environment omnibus. As there was a broad understanding that we should avoid a disproportionate burden on small producers of packaging waste, work at a technical level is progressing at speed to arrive at a pragmatic solution that will provide the necessary legal certainty. I count on collective pragmatism by Member States to make good progress. The European Parliament will hopefully also further progress the work on the environment omnibus package, allowing the Presidency to engage and advance on the path of interinstitutional negotiations on this package as soon as possible.
Thank you. So, moving swiftly on, we turn to the AOB item from the Presidency and the Commission on the 17th session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
An information note was circulated on this topic. The meeting took place from the 17th to the 28th of August in Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia. With its vast rangelands and pastoral community and as a country that is confronted with the effects of desertification, drought and land degradation, Mongolia was a very symbolic place to hold the COP. But Mongolia is not alone. These challenges are increasingly affecting countries and regions right around the world.
Against this backdrop, we must welcome the important steps taken at the COP to advance the implementation of the Convention. 34 decisions were adopted covering a range of important issues including rangelands and pastoralists, land tenure, the Convention's budget and the continuation of the work on the Convention's future strategic framework. Also, outside the core negotiations track, important steps were taken to advance implementation and mobilize new resources. For example, a big rangeland flagship initiative was launched and the UNCCD and Luxembourg launched the Drought Resilience Investment Facility, the first global finance platform of its kind. Drought was strengthened as a continuing priority under the Convention.
The discussions on future global action will be continued at COP 18 and drought will remain a standalone agenda item for future COPs. At the same time, we must admit that the increased urgency and scale of problems would have called for higher ambition and more concrete decisions.
Unfortunately, the negotiating process was very challenging and it was particularly regrettable that on a number of issues, some parties were not willing to engage in substantive discussions. As a result, as this COP, important topics such as gender equality, civil society participation and synergies were not given the recognition they deserve. Also, on some other important issues, no substantive agreement could be reached. It is important that we continue building on the outcomes of this COP and work towards meaningful progress on the issues that remain outstanding. So before concluding, I would like to sincerely thank Commission and all delegations for their valuable contributions and for the excellent cooperation within the EU group.
So at this point, I'd like to hand it over to the Commission if you have any points to add. Thank you.
Jessika Roswall
Well, thank you very much, Kristoffer, and not much to add actually, but I will maybe repeat some. I mean, the COP 17 showed both the difficulties and the necessity of multilateralism. Land degradation, desertification and drought are global challenges affecting countries and communities across all regions. We know that, and we have a shared responsibility. No country can address them alone, and therefore strong and effective cooperation remains therefore essential for effective solutions.
I also sincerely want to thank both actually the Cypriotic presidency and the Irish for both preparation and the very solid work on the ground in really difficult circumstances. And also I want to thank all the member states and all our negotiating teams for very good cooperation throughout the COP. The European Union came to the COP ready to engage, to listen and to negotiate constructively and also find compromises. We proved that the EU remains a reliable and also constructive partner. The outcome, as Christophe said, did not meet all our ambitions, but it allowed us to, allows the UNCCD processes to continue.
So I would like to say that let us continue to invest in the science-policy interface, in technical support and also capacity building, including through our Copernicus satellite network, but also projects such as mentioned, the Great Green Wall. And to conclude, I agree with you also Christophe, that let us continue to push for progress on combating desertification, land degradation and drought for gender equality, inclusive participation and also stronger, which I said earlier, stronger synergies across the Rio conventions. Thank you very much.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much again, Jessika.
So the Council took note of the main outcomes of the 17th session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. So our next item again will be taken in public session. Dear colleagues let us now turn to the AOB item on the 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission or the IWC 70 which took place in Hobart, Australia from the 28th of September to the 2nd of October 2026. At IWC 70 the International Whaling Commission celebrated its 80th anniversary. And although the divide between conservation versus sustainable use parties was still very much present, consensus was achieved on the adoption of the Hobart Declaration.
The declaration commemorates the 80th anniversary of the signing of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling in 1946 and it is the first collective statement from the Commission on its roles, history and future. Parties put aside their different policy positions and spoke with one voice to recognize the current challenge, past achievements and the resilience of the IWC as it looks into the future. The EU member states put forward three proposals for resolutions.
Two of these proposals, on the trade of fish maw and on vessel strikes, were adopted by vote, but consensus was achieved for the adoption of the regulation of cetacean strandings as a cross-cutting priority for the IWC. Colleagues, allow me also to highlight that the proposal for a resolution for the implementation of the conservation and management program for whale stocks aimed towards the sustainable use of whale resources was withdrawn due to the strong opposition since it is perceived as a potential opening for the lifting of the moratorium on commercial whaling, which remains in place. At IWC 70, however, it was again not possible to muster the necessary majority to establish a whale sanctuary in the South Atlantic. We should continue to support Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay in this endeavor. Finally, I would like to end by congratulating the Netherlands for the nomination of their commissioner as vice chair of the International Whaling Commission.
I think I can speak on behalf of all member states to say that we stand ready to support her in this very challenging role. So I now once again like to pass the floor to the Commission.
Jessika Roswall
Thank you very much, Christopher, and I would like to first reaffirm the Commission's strong support for the International Whaling Commission, the IWC, and its important role as the global authority for the conservation and the management of whales and other cetaceans.
This was a particularly significant meeting, as was said, marking 80 years since the signing of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling and 40 years since the IWC's commercial whaling moratorium was agreed. I also welcome the adoption of the Hobart Declaration, reaffirming the importance of the International Whaling Commission and also in its role in addressing the wider threats facing cetaceans. I also welcome the adoption of the three resolutions on the global trade in fish maw and incidental catches of threatened cetaceans, vessel strikes and cetacean strandings. These are important areas where international cooperation is essential given the multiple and cumulative pressures faced at the cetaceans. The discussions on governance and rules of procedure also underlines the importance of ensuring that the IWC remains fair, transparent and effective with clear and workable procedures for its future work.
We should be ready to engage constructively in the coming years on the range of issues that will be brought to the Commission while safeguarding the established conservation framework and the IWC commercial whaling moratorium.
Of course, the commission will continue to work closely with the presidency and member states to support the IWC and also to implement the EU position agreed by the council for the coming IWC meetings. Thank you.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much again, Jessica. So the council has taken note of the information provided by the presidency and the commission. We'll now move on to the next item on the AOB, and that is an item proposed by France on investing in nature across EU policies and financial instruments. France, Cyril, the floor is yours.
Cyril Piquemal
Merci Monsieur le Président. Investir dans notre nature, c'est investir dans un atout stratégique pour l'Union européenne, pour notre sécurité, notre résilience, mais aussi notre compétitivité. C'est pourquoi nous avons adopté en 2024 le règlement sur la restauration de la nature. Pour garantir sa mise en œuvre, il est indispensable de mobiliser des moyens financiers adéquats. Dans le cadre de la préparation de son plan national de restauration, la France estime le besoin supplémentaire de financement privé et public à 1,5 milliard d'euros par an.
Cette ressource indispensable est similaire dans plusieurs autres États membres. Nous ne pouvons plus adopter de nouvelles règles sans prévoir les moyens pour les mettre en œuvre. Nous souhaitons donc que le prochain cadre financier pluriannuel de l'Union prévoie des financements dédiés à la nature à la hauteur des enjeux.
Pour cela, nous devons 1, réintroduire une cible de dépenses favorable à la biodiversité dans la continuité de la programmation 2021-2027. 2, clarifier la part des fonds européens, notamment au sein des plans de partenariat nationaux et régionaux comme la PAC, la politique commune des pêches ou le FEDER et du fonds européen de compétitivité qui doivent répondre aux besoins liés au changement climatique d'un côté et à la protection et la restauration de la biodiversité de l'autre. Nous avons le réservoir de projets dans nos plans nationaux de restauration et des exemples de belles réussites avec les projets LIFE dans nos territoires qui pourraient être financés par les instruments européens. Nous devons disposer pour cela d'une vision claire des ressources mobilisables pour accompagner leur mise en œuvre. Je vous remercie.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much, Cyril. There are some colleagues who'd like to contribute, so next up is Levente from Hungary.
Levente Kőrösi
Thank you, President. Hungary joins the initiative of France.
Observing the evolution of the MFF for 2028 to 2034 and the lack of strong guarantees for financing the protection and restoration of nature, we find addressing this issue in a conscious and targeted manner particularly important. Natural ecosystems, forests, grasslands, wetlands are under tremendous pressure and the EU Nature Restoration Regulation aims responding to these challenges. Still, the new MFF does not include funding explicitly dedicated to the implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation, while EU funding is undoubtedly one of the main pillars of financing. The success of climate change adaptation also relies on the availability of appropriate financing for improving the resilience of our natural ecosystems. All these require complex and integrated solutions spanning across different EU funds.
Appropriate CAP funding, regional policy investments, the continuation of LIFE-type funding, related research and innovation, as well as the appropriate use of funding aiming to improve competitiveness are all critical. Ensuring the coherence of all of these and their alignment with related national public and private funding requires particular attention during MFF planning, both at the EU and national level. Thank you.
Kristoffer
Thank you Levente. Now we'll have Jean from Portugal followed by Carsten from Germany.
Jean
Portugal agradece à França o agendamento deste ponto e revê-se na importância estratégica atribuída à natureza para a concretização das prioridades da União Europeia. Foi com este sentido de prioridade que preparámos e apresentámos o nosso plano nacional de restauro que resultou de um amplo processo de consulta interna e que contou com a intervenção de vários setores da sociedade portuguesa, nomeadamente o setor agrícola. Restaurar a natureza é fundamental para aumentar a nossa resiliência climática, a nossa segurança e a nossa competitividade. A extinção do programa LIFE proposta pela Comissão representa um enorme risco. É fundamental garantir que o restauro da natureza dispõe de uma dotação e de instrumentos adequados no próximo quadro financeiro plurianual, explorando devidamente com este objetivo o EU Facility, os planos nacionais de parceria e os fundos europeus de competitividade.
Speaker 29
Thank you. Karsten from Germany, the floor is yours followed by Carola from Netherlands.
Karsten
Ja, vielen Dank. Ich bin für den Einbringungspunkt des französischen Kollegen sehr dankbar und kann mich auch meinem portugiesischen Kollegen ganz grundsätzlich anschließen, dass wenn wir die Wiederherstellungsverordnung zu einem Erfolg führen wollen, das wollen wir, wir sind bei der Umsetzung der nationalen Sammlung derzeit, dass wir dafür natürlich auch die notwendige finanzielle Unterlegung brauchen.
Und die, wir sind ja mitten in den Verhandlungen dazu. Grundsätzlich ist das aus nationalen Mitteln allein nicht zu stemmen. Wir sind nicht ganz bei den sieben Milliarden der französischen Kollegen, aber um den Dreh rum. Und deswegen sind insbesondere die erfolgreichen Life-Programme welche, die wir auch gut fänden. Ich würde noch einen Punkt ergänzen, dass insbesondere im MFR das Ausgabeziel für Biodiversität, das hat jetzt gar nichts vom Volumen insgesamt des MFR zu tun, also des europäischen Rahmens, aber dass wir für Biodiversität das nicht mehr in dem Maße drin haben, das ist nicht nur bedauerlich, sondern ein Rückschritt, den ich nicht gut finde.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much, Karsten. Then we'll have Carola from the Netherlands, followed by Marco from Italy.
Carola Rackete
Thank you, Chair. And many thanks to my French colleague Cyril for underlining the strategic importance of nature. We do agree that the contribution of the next MFF to climate and environmental objectives should be clear and predictable.
We see the NRPPs as an important instrument to ensure that EU funding contributes to implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation on the ground. In this context, we feel that the NRPP should actively contribute to the implementation of national restoration plans and have previously proposed changes to the MFF negobox to that end. We therefore welcome further discussion on how nature can be effectively mainstreamed across EU policies while ensuring that funding delivers tangible results for biodiversity and nature restoration. Thank you.
Marco
Grazie, ringrazio la delegazione francese per aver sollevato questo punto. Per l'Italia investire nella natura significa investire nella resilienza dei nostri territori e nella competitività della nostra economia. A fronte di obiettivi ambientali sempre più ambiziosi è indispensabile garantire risorse finanziarie adeguate e stabili all'altezza degli impegni assunti dall'Unione Europea con la strategia per la biodiversità al 2030. Questo è particolarmente importante per l'attuazione del regolamento sul ripristino della natura che richiederà investimenti significativi per il recupero degli ecosistemi, il monitoraggio e il rafforzamento delle capacità amministrative.
In questo contesto è fondamentale preservare l'autonomia del programma LIFE e garantire un meccanismo di finanziamento dedicato alla biodiversità evitando che queste risorse siano disperse all'interno di strumenti più ampi. L'Italia sostiene pertanto l'iniziativa francese e chiede che nel prossimo quadro finanziario pluriennale siano garantite risorse adeguate, stabili e chiaramente individuabili. Solo così sarà possibile attuare efficacemente il regolamento sul ripristino della natura e conseguire gli obiettivi della strategia UE per la biodiversità al 2030. Grazie.
Joe
Thank you, Chair. The unique Belgium would like to thank France for this initiative. We agree that investments in nature and climate adaptation are essential to strengthening the resilience of our societies. In Belgium, through the Blue Deal, we are investing in measures that improve water retention, reduce the risk of droughts and floods, and enhance our water security. Such investments not only deliver environmental benefits but also help avoid significant social and economic costs in the future.
It is therefore important that the next multi-annual financial framework provides sufficient instruments and leverage to support investments in climate adaptation, water resilience, and nature. We look forward to the Commission's further reflections on this matter. Thank you.
Thank you, Joe.
Oriol Escalas Nolla
Gracias, presidente. España agradece a la delegación francesa el planteamiento de este punto que apoyamos en su integridad. Debemos situar la naturaleza como un activo estratégico para la Unión y reforzar su integración en las políticas e instrumentos financieros europeos. Como se ha dicho, la protección y restauración de los ecosistemas no solo son esenciales para alcanzar los objetivos de biodiversidad, sino que también contribuyen de forma decisiva a la resiliencia climática, la seguridad alimentaria, la competitividad y el bienestar de nuestros ciudadanos. En este contexto, consideramos fundamental garantizar una financiación adecuada, previsible y a largo plazo.
...otro por otra parte, si lo que queremos es alcanzar los objetivos de la Unión Europea en materia de biodiversidad, debemos recordar también que las directivas de naturaleza siguen siendo plenamente vigentes, necesarias y eficaces, por lo que España rechaza su modificación. Gracias.
Serge
Merci Monsieur le Président, chers collègues, le Luxembourg soutient cette initiative de la France et partage pleinement le constat que la nature constitue un atout stratégique pour l'économie européenne, notre compétitivité, notre résilience. Investir dans la nature, ce n'est pas une dépense mais un investissement dans notre prospérité à long terme, notre sécurité alimentaire et notre capacité à faire face aux effets du changement climatique. Si les situations et les défis diffèrent d'un État membre à l'autre, la mise en œuvre de nos engagements communs, notamment du règlement sur la restauration de la nature, nécessite des financements européens adéquats, prévisibles et accessibles. Nous devons donc veiller à ce que la restauration de la nature soit dûment prise en compte dans le prochain cadre financier pluriannuel à travers les différentes politiques et instruments de financement de l'Union. Notre ambition pour la nature doit s'accompagner des moyens financiers nécessaires pour garantir sa mise en œuvre dans tous les États membres.
Ivo
Thank you Chair, I would also like to thank the French delegation for opening this discussion. Finding ways to ensure sustainable long-term funding for nature conservation we also see as essential, particularly in view of the ambitious legislation that has been adopted. Indeed, the Czech Republic has repeatedly drawn attention to the lack of dedicated funding for biodiversity conservation and nature restoration.
If we expect member states to deliver on environmental targets, we also need a financing framework that matches those expectations. We have legislation targets and now we are preparing national restoration plans. What remains uncertain is whether the financial resources will match the level of ambition. We would therefore like to invite the Commission to provide more concrete solutions on future funding mechanisms in this area. Thank you.
Kristoffer
Thank you Ivo. Now give the Commission a chance to respond. Wopke, I know you missed the start of the session, but if you'd like a chance to contribute, please do.
Wopke Hoekstra
Thank you very much chair, and many thanks to France for bringing forward this important point. Looking back at the past summer in Europe, extreme heat alone may have caused up to 180 billion and caused tens of thousands of additional deaths. The resilience of our ecosystem is under growing pressure and three out of four businesses in Europe depend directly on nature. Basically, if ecosystems fail, so does our economy, and our security and prosperity are directly at stake. The national restoration plans are essential tools to prioritize action, identify needs and make the best use of resources.
Let me on behalf of Commissioner Hoekstra highlight three fronts.
First, available funding. Under the current MFF, the total allocation dedicated to biodiversity based on biodiversity tracking is 113 billion. Of the 6.5 billion euro from regional funds that were allocated to nature, biodiversity and Natura 2000, only 15% has been spent. So we need to ensure that all available funding is actually being used. Second, the next EU budget.
The Commission has proposed that at least 35% of the budget should go to green objectives. For the proposed national and regional partnership plans and the ECF, we even proposed 43%. And the only thing I can do is call on the Council to keep up this ambition. Third, our roadmap towards nature credits. Public funding by itself, unfortunately, will not be enough.
We also need to mobilize private sources, designing instruments that can offer reliable returns.
Now the good news is we're not preaching in the desert, as the saying goes. Last week, more than 130 major EU businesses and financial institutions have signed an open letter to us, calling on governments to reform incentives so that public money is diverted from maintaining harmful activities to reward practices that restore nature, as it should. And these companies, I would say, understand what resilience means across operations, supply chains, and portfolios. They do not ask for new money, but they ask us to improve public spending by changing what it rewards. So let us listen, let us act.
Restoring nature, in our view, is not a cost, it is an investment, as it should be. Thank you very much, Chair.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much, Wopke. So just to conclude, the Council took note of the information provided by France, as well as the interventions from both the Commission and delegations. So now we'll move on to the next AOB item, requested by Poland, supported by Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, and Slovakia, on extended producer responsibility under the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. And an information note on this item has been circulated as document 14204/1/26 REV 1.
Paulina Hennig-Kloska
Dziękuję, Christopher. Od momentu przyjęcia nowej dyrektywy w sprawie oczyszczania ścieków komunalnych państwa członkowskie regularnie zgłaszały obawy dotyczące praktycznej wykonalności i proporcjonalności jej przepisów dotyczących rozszerzonej odpowiedzialności producenta. Polska chciałaby poruszyć tę kwestię również na dzisiejszym posiedzeniu Rady. Chciałabym podziękować wszystkim moim kolegom, którzy poparli naszą notę. Upewnia mnie to, że jest to właściwy moment na wyrażenie naszych obaw.
Pragnę podkreślić, że nie chcemy kwestionować samego systemu rozszerzonej odpowiedzialności producenta jako takiego, ani potrzeby usuwania mikrozanieczyszczeń ze ścieków. To ważne społecznie problemy. Obawiamy się natomiast, że obecny model może nie odzwierciedlać udziału wszystkich sektorów odpowiedzialnych za obecność mikrozanieczyszczeń, a zatem nie respektuje w wystarczającym stopniu zasady zanieczyszczający płaci.
Wzywamy zatem Komisję do przeprowadzenia nowej, kompleksowej i niezależnej oceny systemu ROP oraz do opracowania przejrzystej metodologii przypisywania mikrozanieczyszczeń i kosztów poszczególnym sektorom. W przypadku stwierdzenia braków w obecnym systemie należy rozważyć tymczasową korektę lub zawieszenie odpowiednich terminów, aby uniknąć luki w finansowaniu i dalszej niepewności prawnej co do konstrukcji systemu rozszerzonej odpowiedzialności producenta. Dziękuję bardzo.
Karsten
Ja, vielen Dank. Danke sehr für die polnische Initiative. Wir sehen weiterhin als Bundesregierung die Notwendigkeit, dass wir zunächst einmal das Urteil des Europäischen Gerichtshofs zur erweiterten Herstellerverantwortung abwarten, erst dann können wir zu der Sache, zu dem Punkt äußern. Allerdings sehen wir auch in diesem Fall Problem mit den Fristen zur Umsetzung der Herstellerverantwortung.
Wir würden es daher begrüßen, wenn die Kommission einen Vorschlag machen könnte, wie im Hinblick auf die Umsetzung der Kommunalabwasserrichtlinie bis zum Urteil des EuGH verfahren werden soll, gerade auch im Hinblick auf die Umsetzungsfristen. Ich will auch ganz grundsätzlich sagen, dass ich sehr für diese erwartete Herstellerverantwortung stehe, auch die Bundesregierung, dass wir für eine ausbalancierte Lösung sind, aber dass die notwendigen Investitionen, die jetzt getan werden müssen in die Wasserinfrastruktur, vor allen von den Verursachern der Verunreinigung getragen werden und nicht von den Verbrauchern. Vielen Dank.
Kristoffer
Thank you, Karsten. Now we've quite a lot of interest in contributing to this debate, so next we have Ivo from Czechia, followed by Polona from Slovenia.
Ivo
Thank you, Chair. Czech Republic supports the Polish non-paper on EPR. We agree with the need to objectively assess and as far as possible mitigate the impacts of introducing the EPR system on, amongst other things, the pharmaceutical sector, so as not to jeopardize the security of supply of medicines. We therefore fully support the call for the European Commission to prepare a new comprehensive impact assessment, including economic, on this system. It is also necessary for the Commission to urgently speed up the preparation of all related acts and methodological guidelines so that the Member States and private sector have a comprehensive picture of the obligations arising from this legislation.
The EPR system should be designed to effectively ensure that the environmental objectives of the directive are achieved. At the same time, it must be administratively and technically feasible. It should not impose a disproportionate regulatory or financial burden on the manufacturers, wastewater treatment plants operators, and end users concerned. Thank you.
Polona
Hvala lepa. Thank you. Slovenija podpira pomisleke Poljske glede praktičnega izvajanja pravil o razširjeni odgovornosti proizvajalca v okviru direktive o čiščenju komunalne odpadne vode. Menimo, da so potrebna dodatna pojasnila, da bi zagotovili sorazmerno in uravnoteženo izvajanje sistema ter pravično porazdelitev stroškov med zadevnimi akterji. Hkrati menimo, da je pomembno skrbno oceniti širše gospodarske posledice sistema razširjene odgovornosti proizvajalca, zlasti njegov morebitni vpliv na konkurenčnost in pa delovanje enotnega trga.
Te vidike je zato treba ustrezno upoštevati tudi pri nadaljnjem oblikovanju pri izvajanju sistema. Hvala lepa.
Cyril Piquemal
Merci Monsieur le Président.
La France est attachée à la mise en œuvre de la directive sur les eaux urbaines résiduaires qui permettra de renforcer la protection de l'environnement et de la santé de nos citoyens. Concernant la responsabilité élargie du producteur destinée à financer une partie du traitement des micropolluants, la France appelle la Commission à proposer rapidement aux États membres les actes d'exécution et tous les outils nécessaires pour assurer une mise en œuvre harmonisée sur le territoire européen. C'est essentiel pour permettre au secteur de mesurer précisément l'impact de ces obligations sur leur activité. Elle appelle également la Commission à suivre un calendrier pragmatique en fournissant aux États membres ses orientations sur les modalités permettant la continuité des travaux dans l'attente de la décision de la Cour de justice qu'il faudra naturellement prendre pleinement en compte. Enfin, la France souhaite renouveler ses demandes de précision quant aux possibles mécanismes d'atténuation de la REP sur les médicaments, conformément au considérant 21, afin d'éviter d'éventuelles conséquences non souhaitées sur leur prix et leur disponibilité, notamment pour les médicaments génériques.
Jean
Muito obrigado, senhor Presidente. A ambição ambiental prevista na diretiva águas residuais urbanas deve ser acompanhada de um modelo de financiamento estável e previsível.
As obrigações de tratamento quaternário e os mecanismos destinados a financiar os respetivos custos não devem por isso ser dissociados. A implementação do tratamento quaternário representa um desafio significativo para os estados-membros, exigindo investimento e planeamento. Trata-se de acautelar o risco de transferência dos encargos para as entidades gestoras, autoridades locais e consumidores. Durante a negociação da diretiva, Portugal manifestou preocupações relativamente ao modelo de responsabilidade alargada do produtor então proposto, tendo defendido uma abordagem mais flexível e proporcional para assegurar uma repartição equilibrada da responsabilidade de cada setor pela presença de micropoluentes nas águas residuais. Estas preocupações assumem hoje particular relevo no atual contexto.
Da mesma forma, se vier a ocorrer uma suspensão, anulação ou adiamento, Portugal considera necessário avaliar as obrigações previstas no artigo oitavo para adaptar os seus modelos de financiamento, rever investimentos e assegurar a sua implementação. Muito obrigado.
Marco
Grazie, Presidente. Ringraziamo la delegazione polacca per aver sollevato questo punto che per l'Italia è molto importante. L'Italia ribadisce il proprio sostegno agli obiettivi della direttiva sul trattamento delle acque reflue che rappresenta uno strumento cruciale per la tutela delle risorse idriche, dell'ambiente e della salute pubblica. Al tempo stesso, però, l'Italia sottolinea le criticità in relazione all'attuazione del sistema di responsabilità estesa del produttore, con particolare riferimento ai profili di proporzionalità, agli impatti economici e alla corretta applicazione del principio "chi inquina paga". In tale contesto, quindi, sosteniamo il punto presentato dalla Polonia e dagli altri Stati membri e condividiamo l'opportunità di una riflessione a livello europeo sugli aspetti attuativi della direttiva, anche alla luce delle questioni in sospeso dinanzi alla Corte di Giustizia dell'Unione Europea, al fine di garantire certezza giuridica e un'attuazione efficace e coerente.
Joe
Thank you, Chair. Dear Paulina, Belgium supports the objectives of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and does not call them into question, including the principle of extended producer responsibility. We appreciate the significant efforts made by the Commission and notably the updated impact assessment.
At the same time, important questions remain regarding the practical implementation of the scheme and its actual impact, including on competitiveness. We therefore encourage the Commission to make full use of the available instruments. In particular, we call for additional guidance and recommendations to address the remaining uncertainties and to support a harmonized implementation of extended producer responsibility across the Union. Furthermore, we believe that the evaluation of the directive should not wait until the end of 2033. An earlier review would allow potential challenges to be identified and addressed in a timely manner without calling into question the timely implementation of the directive.
Oriol Escalas Nolla
Gracias, presidente. Agradecemos a Polonia que haya traído este asunto al Consejo. Desde España nos preocupa que si el Tribunal de Justicia tarda en emitir una sentencia o no la emite en un futuro próximo, esto genere dinámicas a favor de una divergencia normativa entre los Estados miembros, impulsada por la preocupación por la competitividad y el posible traslado de los sectores afectados.
A su vez, el creciente reconocimiento de los riesgos que plantean los microcontaminantes pone de manifiesto la necesidad de avanzar en la implementación de los requisitos de tratamiento avanzado. Esta medida se justifica tanto por razones de salud pública como medioambientales y sirve asimismo como medida de precaución para mitigar posibles litigios derivados de la inacción. Por consiguiente, somos partidarios de que la Comisión actúe con prontitud y establezca una hoja de ruta clara para la implementación en toda la Unión. En este contexto, creemos que el enfoque en dos fases propuesto por la presidencia irlandesa parece ofrecer una solución pragmática y equilibrada. Este enfoque debería tener en todo caso o debería permanecer abierto a todas las opciones pertinentes, incluida, cuando proceda, la prórroga del plazo de transposición.
Monica
Thank you, Chair. We support Poland's initiative and share the concerns regarding the EPR for micropollutants. There is a lack of reliable data and experience with removal technologies, making costs uncertain. We are also concerned that there may not be enough time to set up the necessary EPR systems.
Therefore, we support a stop-the-clock approach to Articles 9 and 10 of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. Thank you.
Kristoffer
Thank you. Next we have Mihaela from Romania, followed by Petya from Bulgaria.
Speaker 49
Thank you very much, Chair. We support the Polish initiative and the call of the proposed paper on the extended producer responsibility. While reaffirming our commitment to the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive's environmental objectives and the introduction of quaternary treatment, we consider that a comprehensive reassessment of the current EPR framework would help address concerns regarding its implementation, economic impact, and potential implications for the security of supply of medicines, especially generic medicines. We therefore support a new impact assessment, further clarity from the Commission, and, where justified, a coherent adjustment of the implementation deadlines for both EPR obligations and quaternary treatment requirements. Thank you.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much. Over to you, Petya from Bulgaria, followed by Franz from Austria.
Petia Vassileva
The discussion on extended producer responsibility under the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive is of particular importance as the issues related to its implementation require urgent action. The approach of the directive poses a significant risk from the perspective of the pharmaceutical policy. We anticipate the additional financial burden to have a direct impact on the prices, availability and affordability of medicinal products. These risks are particularly acute for countries with smaller markets and lower purchasing power such as Bulgaria. The EPR mechanism should be based on reliable, up-to-date and significantly proven data regarding the actual contribution of different sectors to micropollution and costs should be allocated in a transparent, fair and proportionate manner.
Thank you, Chair.
In this context, we call for a new, independent and comprehensive assessment of the EPR mechanism, a transparent methodology for determining the contribution of individual sectors and a fair and proportionate allocation of costs. Thank you.
Speaker 50
Ja vielen Dank, Herr Vorsitzender. Wir sprechen uns nach wie vor für die Einführung der vierten Reinigungsstufe aus, um Zugang zu sauberem Wasser sicherzustellen.
Daher bedarf es auch darf es auch zu keinen Verzögerungen der baulichen Arbeiten kommen. Gerade deswegen ist es wesentlich, Klarheit und Planungssicherheit über die Finanzierung zu schaffen. Es wurde ja bereits von anderen angesprochen, vor dem Hintergrund der jüngsten Empfehlung der Generalanwältin herrscht zunehmende Rechtsunsicherheit im Hinblick auf die Finanzierung, während die Fristen rechtlicher und baulicher Umsetzungen immer näher rücken. Österreich ist jedenfalls gesprächsbereit, wenn es um eine Verbesserung in der Umsetzung der EPR-Pflichten geht. Für uns ist es wichtig, dass diese in der Administration für die betroffenen Unternehmen leicht und EU-weit umsetzbar sind.
Gleichzeitig muss es weiterhin Anreize für die Verursacher geben, in die Entwicklung umweltfreundlicher Produkte zu investieren. Wie schon oft angemerkt, sprechen wir uns auch aufgrund der Bedenken der pharmazeutischen und kosmetischen Industrie für ein Vorziehen der Evaluierung deutlich vor 2033 aus. Vielen Dank.
Efthymios Costopoulos
Yes, thanks, Chair. Greece has co-signed this paper, so no need to repeat the arguments there. I'd just like to highlight the importance we attach to this issue and the importance this issue has for parts of our economy, in particular when it comes to pharmaceuticals. Thank you.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much. Next we have Chris from Malta, followed by Robertas from Lithuania.
Chris
Thank you, Chair. Malta remains committed to implementing the objectives of the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and is currently working on the transposition and implementation process. We are aligned with Poland and other Member States on the concerns raised on the EPR and its socio-economic impacts, particularly on the cost increase of medicines. In this respect, like others, we stress that any revision of the EPR should be underpinned by robust impact assessments and carefully consider the implications for all affected sectors. Thank you.
Speaker 54
Thank you very much, and my apologies, it's Minister Ieva from Lithuania.
Ieva Valeškaitė
Dear Chair, dear Pauline, Lithuania has consistently raised concerns about the potential negative economic impact of extended producer's responsibility, particularly with regard to the availability of medicinal products, national healthcare budgets, and the allocation of financing obligations to just two sectors. Therefore, we support the Polish position. We trust that the Commission will duly take the proposed measures into account and provide clarity on the next steps for implementing the Directive with a view to reducing legal and practical uncertainty.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much, Ieva, and we'll go to the Commission. Commissioner.
Wopke Hoekstra
Thank you, Chair. The revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive has the core objective to remove micropollutants from wastewater in the interest of human and environmental health. I think that is something everyone can subscribe to. The extended producer responsibility ensures that the polluters pay a share of the cost, of course alongside with public budgets and water users, and at the same time we seek to incentivize innovation and technological advances in the industry. Pharma and cosmetic residues were identified in a comprehensive assessment as the main sources of micropollutants in urban wastewater requiring advanced treatment.
That is why the legislators decided to apply extended producer responsibility for 80% of the cost of that treatment. Now, Poland has requested the European Court to review this decision. Of course, whatever the verdict, all of us have to then abide by it, but in the meantime we're all bound by the directive.
That's simply the way the rule of law works. Secondly, there have been concerns about the cost and the impact, especially on critical medicine supplies. The Commission takes these concerns very seriously, and as you know, we have updated our cost estimates based on the latest scientific evidence and practical experience in countries like Germany and also Switzerland. And we are now in close dialogue with Member States, Parliament, and key stakeholders to finding practical solutions for implementation challenges and avoid jeopardizing the availability and supply of critical medicines. In this regard, we plan another meeting of our expert group before the end of this calendar year, and we're speeding up work on key implementing acts to provide clarity on exemptions and on the assessment of risk areas.
So, Chair, to conclude, with the review by the European Court and our implementation work, we are tackling the key issues which have been put on the table here, and this should all come neatly together by the first half of 2027, which will then give full clarity to market operators. Thank you.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much, Wopke.
So the Council has taken note of the information provided by Poland, Paulina, as well as the interventions by both the Commission and delegations. Thank you. Okay, now we're on to the next item on AOB, which is proposed by Belgium regarding the request for uniform European health-based standards on metabolites in drinking water. So Jo from Belgium, the floor is yours.
Joe
Thank you, chair. Belgium wishes to draw attention today to an issue that directly concerns both the protection of public health and the security of our drinking water supply. Belgium fully supports the objectives of the Drinking Water Directive. We benefit from high-quality drinking water and continue to invest in the protection of our water resources. Flanders has recently adopted an action plan for drinking water protection with a strong focus on prevention at source and a risk-based approach.
And at the same time, we observe that certain metabolites are becoming an increasing challenge.
Thanks to improved monitoring and advancing scientific knowledge, these substances are being detected and tracked with ever greater precision. Precisely for this reason, it is problematic that for many metabolites, particularly those originating from multiple parent substances, there is currently no harmonized European health-based standard or assessment methodology. This creates uncertainty for all stakeholders. For drinking water suppliers, it is not always clear what level of protection will ultimately be required. For farmers, businesses and other actors, predictability is often lacking.
And for citizens as well, the situation is difficult to explain. And today, some are concerned that insufficient action is being taken to protect public health, while others believe that measures are being adopted without a clear health-based justification. The absence of a common European framework fuels both perceptions and undermines trust.
A relevant example in Flanders concerns triazoles, which originate from multiple sources and currently are not subject to uniform standards across the European Union. Moreover, this situation leads to differences between Member States and competent authorities, which is not conducive to ensuring a level playing field within the European Union. And Belgium therefore calls on the Commission to address this issue as a priority in the evaluation of the Drinking Water Directive. More specifically, we ask the Commission to develop a harmonized European framework with health-based, scientifically substantiated reference values for relevant metabolites, based on a substance-by-substance risk assessment. And this would help ensure a high and uniform level of health protection, provide greater legal certainty for all stakeholders, and strengthen public confidence.
We ask the Commission to take this issue forward and put this evaluation as a matter of priority. Thank you.
Cyril Piquemal
Merci Monsieur le Président. La France soutient les préoccupations exprimées par la Belgique concernant la nécessité d'améliorer l'harmonisation européenne de l'évaluation des métabolites de pesticides dans l'eau destinée à la consommation humaine. Compte tenu du nombre important de métabolites existants et de l'évolution constante des connaissances scientifiques, il est essentiel de s'appuyer sur une approche fondée sur les risques et sur les meilleures données scientifiques disponibles. Nous constatons que des divergences persistent entre États membres dans l'interprétation des données scientifiques, conduisant à des classements différents pour certaines substances et par conséquent à des modalités de gestion distinctes. La France appelle donc à poursuivre les travaux européens pour aboutir à une meilleure harmonisation des critères d'évaluation, des listes de métabolites pertinents et des valeurs sanitaires associées.
Nous appelons de la même façon à une approche plus harmonisée pour la gestion des PFAS dans l'eau. Nous devons ensemble garantir un haut niveau de protection de la santé des consommateurs. Je vous remercie.
Wopke Hoekstra
Thanks, Chair, and thanks for bringing our attention to the issue of the presence of pesticide metabolites in our drinking water. We very much share the concern as one of the many we have to the quality of our drinking water.
Just to be clear, the Union has among the highest drinking water quality standards worldwide, due to 40 years of ambitious and successful EU drinking water policies, rules, innovation, and implementation, of course, on top of all the things Member States have done themselves. If you add the result of that all up, EU drinking water is considered as safe to drink from the tap. In line with the Commission's water resilience strategy and zero pollution ambition, protection at source, in our view, is the optimal solution. Preventing contamination of groundwater and surface water must, all in all, be more effective and more sustainable than relying on downstream treatment. Now, the primary objective of the Drinking Water Directive is, of course, to protect human health, public health.
And public health must remain the overriding objective in any conversation or discussion on pesticide standards in drinking water. If health-based values are introduced for specific pesticide metabolites, the framework should ensure Union-wide consistency. The EEA's State of the Water report from 2024 pointed out that non-relevant metabolites of pesticides require more attention in monitoring and regulation in groundwater and drinking water.
The Commission therefore stands ready to reflect with Member States and relevant experts and stakeholders on possible risk-based approaches for pesticide metabolites in our drinking water. As a starting point, we would invite Member States to share information, experiences to support on this reflection, particularly on the outcomes of the Member States' risk assessments in catchment areas for drinking water abstraction points under the Drinking Water Directive and of course in the structured dialogues on water. Thank you.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much, Commissioner. So the Council has taken note of the information provided by Belgium as well as the interventions from France and the Commission as well. So colleagues, we are nearly there, one more item of AOB, and that is an AOB item requested by Lithuania and supported by Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Finland. So Ieva from Lithuania, the floor is yours.
Ieva Valeškaitė
Dear colleagues, high environmental standards and transparency are core European values. At the same time, Europe must be able to respond to current security and defense challenges. The Aarhus Convention, the SEA Protocol and EU law already recognize this balance and allow exemptions for defense-related projects.
However, the Espoo Convention does not contain such a provision. As a result, important defense projects may become subject to cross-border procedures involving countries that actively undermine European security. This presents a distinct challenge for frontline member states that are developing their defense capabilities. We believe that the most legally sound solution is to align the legal framework by amending the Espoo Convention to introduce a clear exemption for defense-related projects. The upcoming meeting of the parties is an important opportunity to start this process.
We encourage all member states to support it at both technical and political levels. Thank you.
Wopke Hoekstra
Thank you, the Commission is in full support of creating favorable permitting conditions for defense projects. Of course, because European defense readiness is of truly paramount importance for all of us, and it's also clear in EU environmental legislation.
We are ready to work closely with Member States to ensure that our international environmental commitments are fully compatible with the objectives of building a stronger European defense union. The thing I do have to note is that unlike EU legislation, the Espoo Convention so far does not provide the same clarity in terms of exceptions for defense and disaster preparedness. So, just to be clear, we must of course preserve a high level of environmental protection. That is and remains another fundamental principle of the European Union, but the objective here is to secure a balanced and legally sound framework that meets our collective needs also in the domain of security and defense. So as a Commission, we stand ready to work with the Presidency, I would almost say the current and future Presidency, and Member States on the way forward concerning the Espoo Convention.
Thank you.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much, Wopke. Before we conclude, we do have some Member States wishing to contribute. So, Czechia, Andre.
Andre
Děkuju, děkuju za slovo, pane předsedo, a jen velmi stručně. Česká republika souhlasí s naléhavou potřebou zjednodušení povolování a realizace záměrů obranné připravenosti na vnějších hranicích Evropské unie za účelem zajištění její obranyschopnosti. A podporujeme proto otevření diskuse o změně textu úmluvy Espoo tak, aby umožňovala obranné záměry vyjmout z mezistátního posuzování jejich vlivů na životní prostředí, jako činí směrnice EIA.
Clara
Thank you, Minister, and thank you to Lithuania for bringing this important issue to our attention. We fully agree that Europe's defense readiness is of increasing importance, as is high levels of environmental protection, and it's important that we strike the right balances. There might be a need for amending the Espoo Convention, and we would be in favor if the Commission could look into the matter in more detail. Thank you.
Kristoffer
Thank you very much, colleagues. So with that, I'd like to conclude that the Council took note of the information provided by Lithuania, as well as the interventions by the Commission and the delegations as well. So with that, it's time to conclude this meeting. We've had some very important and productive discussions today, and I look forward to building on the significant progress that we made in order to realize our ambitions and goals over the coming months.
I want to thank sincerely everybody who helped run this meeting incredibly smoothly and on time as well, believe it or not. So to the interpreters for the incredible work that you do, from the team here, Peter and his team as well for the secretariat, as well as Cois and her team for ensuring everything went smoothly and that both myself and Minister O'Brien as well didn't go astray. So with that, I'd like to bring the meeting to a close. We'll see you all in December. Slán agus beannacht.
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