16
Jan
2023
Watch
Shipments of waste (debate)
Mr. President! Thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, you are here, and you are here, dear Commission. What do you really want? In future, will the circular economy be the formula for all waste treatment in the EU? That we use international trade as a lever for environmentally sound waste treatment worldwide? That the paper jungle is replaced by digitalisation that frees up resources for more innovation in the sector? That we tackle environmentally harmful waste treatment, whether within or outside the EU immediately? That we only ship waste to non-OECD countries when we know that they can carry and want the task? Creating better conditions for research and innovation in waste technologies? That we consistently tackle the waste crime that is now easier to commit than it is now to avoid getting speeding fines on the German car lanes? And that we are looking closely at the challenge of exporting plastic waste, so we are really pushing the development of sustainable, circular use of plastic in ways that the rest of the world can live on? What would you prefer? No, you do not have to choose, because you can have it all with the proposal that the European Parliament is now putting forward as our proposal to revise the Waste Transport Regulation. The results have been achieved through a negotiation that has been characterized by respect for the technical complexity of the older and very linearly oriented law, which so much needed to be updated and get into today's climate reality. All political negotiators deserve a great deal of thanks for their cooperation, because we have certainly not been in agreement all along. But instead of fighting blindly, we have opened our eyes to the real opportunities and mechanics of the waste sector and the law that governs being an open economy in trade with the rest of the world. In this way, we have seen the possibilities of finding balanced and pragmatic solutions that are both ambitious and realistic and full of professionally sound arguments that provide us with a safe and self-confident starting point for negotiations with the Council. We got a pretty good proposal from the Commission, but we want more than that. Against this background, we have created a broad and coherent set of amendments that address all actors needed for waste transport to become a sustainable link in the circular economy. Thus, everyone from national authorities to the recipients of the recycled waste resources must be best placed to play each other strong and more innovative, and the balance between different stakeholders, both environmental and climate, resource and economic, must be found so that together we can future-proof ourselves. Because now that we know that the EU's waste exports have only increased over the last several years, even 75% between 2004 and 2020, and when we know that it is our waste that, in many places, floats stray on beaches and landfills far away from Europe, then there is no excuse for not doing anything about it. A significant part of this waste is plastic. And when, in other proposals that are currently on the tables of our various committees in this House, we are working to reduce our consumption of unnecessary plastic, then it is natural that we should also address our exports of this. But it has also been a prerequisite for me that it happens in a way that is realistic and supports innovation and development of business models that are truly innovative and develop business models that are truly sustainable and circular in their dealings with plastic. It is simply not a matter of simply moving a problem from one place to another, but of turning a problem into a resource here in the European Union and, in the long term, throughout the world. I am personally very proud and grateful for that part of our many proposals. With these introductory words, I look forward to the debate and, in particular, hope to hear the Commission welcome our amendments and constructively go to the upcoming trilogue negotiations. Thank you.