MEMBER ZONE
By Fead-team
April 15, 2024 3min Read

NEWSLETTER N° 167 – 15 APRIL 2024

Easter’s over and Brussels is hopping back into action! Did you hear? The European Parliament adopted its position on the Soil Monitoring Law and approved the agreement on the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, talk about some egg-citing news!   
At FEAD, we’ve been busy doing what has been deemed impossible: being in two places at once! Last week, half of our team was at Waste Management Europe in Bergamo, in Italy while the other was in Brussels attending SGI Europe’s Hybrid Workshop and the Towards Toxic-Free Forum.

Chemical Recycling: On 11 April, a Motion for a Resolution by MEP Jutta Paulus (Greens, Germany) was published,  calling on the Commission to withdraw its draft implementing decision and to submit a new draft to the committee.

PFAS: On 5 April, the French government published its action plan on PFAS, where it outlines its support to the procedure introduced under REACH proposing a broad restriction. 

Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR): On 11 April, the JRC reports on the ‘Design-for-recycling’ provisions of the PPWR proposal were published. 

Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE): On 11 April, the final summary report of the open public consultation of the evaluation of the WEEE Directive was published

Soil Monitoring Law (SML): In the plenary on 10 April, the European Parliament adopted its position on the European Commission’s proposal to achieve healthy soils by 2050. 

Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive: On 10 April, the European Parliament approved the agreement on the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive during the plenary session.

Project of Common Interest (PCIs): On 8 April, the new list of projects of Common Interest was published in the EU Official Journal. 

Energy Charter Treaty (ECT): On 9 April, the ITRE and INTA Committees of the European Parliament approved the recommendation for the European Union’s withdrawal form the ECT. 

Electricity Market Reform: On 11 April, the European Parliament adopted the agreement reached in December 2023 on the reform of the electricity market. 

Industrial Emissions Directive (IED)On 12 April, the Council adopted the IED and the Regulation on the establishment of an industrial emissions portal (IEP). 

Euro 7 Regulation: On 12 April, the Council adopted the Euro 7 Regulation on emission limits for road vehicles and battery durability. 

Methane EmissionsOn 10 April, the European Parliament adopted a law to reduce methane emissions from the energy sector. 

Carbon RemovalsOn 10 April, the European Parliament adopted the agreement on a new voluntary certification framework for carbon removals. 

HydrogenIn a study titled ‘Why European underground hydrogen storage needs to be fulfilled’ by Gas Infrastructure Europe unveiled on 4 April, it is stated that targeted policies are needed to develop an underground hydrogen storage. 

Construction Products Regulation (CPR): During the 10 April plenary session, the European Parliament gave its final approval to the CPR Regulation. 

The European Court of Human Rights ruling on climate inaction: On 9 April, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) condemned Switzerland for climate inaction. 

Forging Economic Security and Cohesion in the EU Report: On 10 April, the think tank Strategic Perspectives published a report titled ‘Forging Economic Security and Cohesion in the EU’ that states that reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 90% in 2040 could ‘save up to 856 billion euros in fossil fuel imports’. 

Capturing the climate change mitigation benefits of circular economy and waste sector policies and measures: This briefing finds that waste management and the circular economy have considerable potential for mitigating climate change. 

Parliament’s Rules of Procedure implementing the parliamentary reform: On 10 April, the European Parliament validated MEP Salvatore De Meo’s (EPP, Italy) report on the new Rules of Procedure. 

European Commission State Aid Scoreboard 2023:  On 9 April, the European Commission published its State Aid report for 2023. 

European Commission cabinet of Maroš Šefčovič:Marina Brakalova joined Maroš Šefčovič’s cabinet on the Green Deal. 

FEAD News: Last week, FEAD was present at Waste Management Europe in Bergamo. During the exhibition, FEAD President, Claudia Mensi, gave a presentation on ‘European Waste Targets & Deliverables to 2030’. A FEAD panel on ‘Fostering Resource Efficiency and Boosting Recycling – How can Nations Work Together and Achieve Ambitious Recycling & Waste Reduction Targets?’ also took place.