# C_2004112EN.01004601.xml

| 30.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 112/46 |
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30.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 112/46

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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste (codified version)’

(COM(2003) 731 final – 2003/0283 COD)

(2004/C 112/13)

On 9 December 2003, the Council decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under Articles 175 and 251 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on this subject, adopted its opinion on 4 March 2004. The rapporteur was Mr Donnelly.

At its 407th plenary session of 31 March and 1 April 2004 (meeting of 31 March 2004), the European Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 101 votes in favour, with one abstention.

1.   Introduction

| 1.1 | The purpose of this proposal is to undertake a codification of Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975 on waste. The new Directive will supersede the various acts incorporated in it; this proposal fully preserves the content of the acts being codified and hence does no more than bring them together with only such formal amendments as are required by the codification exercise itself. |
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1.1

The purpose of this proposal is to undertake a codification of Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975 on waste. The new Directive will supersede the various acts incorporated in it; this proposal fully preserves the content of the acts being codified and hence does no more than bring them together with only such formal amendments as are required by the codification exercise itself.

| 1.2 | The Committee regards it as very useful to have all the texts integrated into one Directive. In the context of a People's Europe, the Committee, like the Commission, attaches great importance to simplifying and clarifying Community law so as to make it clearer and more accessible to ordinary citizens, thus giving them new opportunities and the chance to make use of the specific rights it gives them.
  It has been ensured that this compilation of provisions contains no changes of substance and serves only the purpose of presenting Community law in a clear and transparent way. The Committee expresses its total support for this objective and, in the light of these guarantees, welcomes the proposal. |
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1.2

The Committee regards it as very useful to have all the texts integrated into one Directive. In the context of a People's Europe, the Committee, like the Commission, attaches great importance to simplifying and clarifying Community law so as to make it clearer and more accessible to ordinary citizens, thus giving them new opportunities and the chance to make use of the specific rights it gives them.

It has been ensured that this compilation of provisions contains no changes of substance and serves only the purpose of presenting Community law in a clear and transparent way. The Committee expresses its total support for this objective and, in the light of these guarantees, welcomes the proposal.

Brussels, 31 March 2004.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Roger BRIESCH

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