Welcome to the 200th edition of FEAD’s Newsletter, a big milestone for us and a testament to your continued readership and support. This isn’t just any newsletter; it’s also our last one of the year! As we wrap up 2024, we want to thank you for being part of our journey, from the latest in EU policies to updates that (hopefully!) made your Monday afternoons a little brighter.
We’ll be taking a short holiday break to recharge our batteries (and our recycling bins) and will be back with fresh updates on 13 January 2025.
Wishing you all a joyous holiday season filled with warmth, laughter, and perhaps even some waste-free gifts! Thank you for sticking with us, here’s to another year of navigating the EU bubble together.
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR): On 16 December, the PPWR was formally adopted by the Council.
Microplastics: On 17 December, the Council adopted its position on a regulation on preventing the loss of plastic pellets – the industrial raw materials used to make plastic products – to the environment.
Single-Use Plastics Directive – Evaluation (SUPD): On 18 December, Rethink Plastic published an evaluation of the SUPD.
Chemicals production and consumption statistics – Eurostat: On 18 December, Eurostat published a series of figures on the production and consumption of chemicals hazardous to human health in the EU.
Waste Shipment Regulation amendments related to e-waste: On 20 November, the delegated acts (one and two) that implement the recent Basel amendments related to e-waste were published in the Official Journal of the EU.
Urban Wastewater Treatment: The new Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive was published on 12 December in the EU Official Journal, it will therefore come into force on 1 January 2025.
EU Emissions Trading Systems (ETS): On 13 December, the European Commission launched a public consultation on a second batch draft delegated act to update the Registry Regulation, now to introduce rules on aviation, fees to finance the Union Registry, and ETS for buildings and road transport.
Union certification framework for carbon removals: On 18 December, the European Parliament’s think tank published a briefing on the ‘Union certification framework for carbon removals’, which will enter into force on 26 December 2024.
Carbon removals – Sandbag policy brief: The think tank, Sandbag, has published a policy brief on carbon removals and the EU ETS.
Decarbonisation – French aid scheme: On 18 December, the European Commission announced that it had approved a 3 billion euros French aid scheme to support for a period of 15 years companies in decarbonising their production processes.
Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBF): On 16 December, six organisations (T&E, Environmental Defense Fund, Deutsche Umwelthilfe, Bellona, CAN) wrote a letter to the Commissioner Dan Jørgensen asking for ‘stringent rules for ‘blue hydrogen’ based on fossil gas in the low-carbon fuels delegated act to ensure a level playing field for RFNBF.
ECHA investigation on flame retardants: On 18 December, ECHA revealed that their investigation (requested by the European Commission) on the use and release of aromatic brominated flame retardants (ABFRs) and their (potential) hazardous properties, found that ‘use of non-polymeric aromatic brominated flame-retardant additives pollutes the environment due to their persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity’.
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD): On 16 December 90 organizations representing civil society, business, banks and investor interests across the EU published a press release on smart implementation of CSRD.
Construction products: On 18 December, the Regulation laying down harmonised rules for the marketing of construction products was published in the EU Official Journal.
Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for non-listed SMEs (VSME): On 17 December, EFRAG published three educational videos dedicated to the VSME, which was delivered to the European Commission.
EU Commission Infringement Packages: The Commission announced on 16 December new infringement procedures against Member States.
Infringing EU Law – European Court of Auditors report: On 17 December, the European Court of Auditors published a report on infringing EU Law in which it states that ‘while the Commission has improved its management of infringement cases, it still takes too long to close the cases’.
European Parliament – Health & Defence Committees: On 18 December, the European Parliament confirmed the decision to create a standing Health Committee and a standing Security & Defence Committee.
FEAD news: On 17 December, FEAD, in collaboration with 17 other stakeholders such as Plastics Recyclers Europe and Plastics Europe, has published a press release on the plastic value chain and the danger it is facing. Read it here.
On 18 December, we announced ARI has our new member from Denmark. Read our press release to find out all about our 20th full member.
Subscribe to FEAD via Email
If you want to follow our work more closely, please make sure to subscribe to our news & events mailing list!
