OPINION OF THE COMMISSION pursuant to Article 251 (2), third subparagraph, point (c) of the EC Treaty, on the European Parliament's amendments to the Council's common position regarding the proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on Waste Statistics AMENDING THE PROPOSAL OF THE COMMISSION pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty

1999/0010 (COD)

OPINION OF THE COMMISSION pursuant to Article 251 (2), third subparagraph, point (c) of the EC Treaty, on the European Parliament's amendments to the Council's common position regarding the proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on Waste Statistics

1. Introduction

Article 251(2), third subparagraph, point (c) of the EC Treaty provides that the Commission is to deliver an opinion on the amendments proposed by the European Parliament at second reading. The Commission sets out its opinion below on the 30 amendments adopted by Parliament.

2. Background

Proposal submitted to Parliament and Council

(COM(1999) 31 - 1999/0010(COD)) 27 January 1999

Favourable opinion of the Economic and Social Committee 22 September 1999

(Amended) proposal submitted to Parliament and Council

(COM(2001) 137, 1999/0010(COD)) 9 March 2001

European Parliament's Opinion (first reading): 4 September 2001

(2nd) Amended proposal adopted by the Commission

(COM(2001) 737, 1999/0010(COD)) 10 December 2001

Adoption of Council common position: 15 April 2002

European Parliament's Opinion (Second reading): 4 July 2002

3. Purpose of the proposal

The proposal for a European Parliament and Council Regulation on Waste Statistics has as its main objective the establishment of a harmonised information system on the generation and treatment of waste in the Community.

The proposal will ensure that the Commission can obtain a high-quality statistical information system, covering the requirements for implementing and monitoring EU waste policy. It covers:

(1) generation of waste by economic activity and by households

(2) recovery and disposal of waste.

It will also enable the Member States themselves to gradually adapt their waste statistics and turn them into a highly informative tool.

Waste statistics is at present based on voluntary data collection to Eurostat and on some reporting obligations to the Environment DG in relation to specific waste streams (e.g. packaging waste). Due to data gaps, lack of comparability and lack of timeliness, the information available is not fully sufficient to serve the wider information needs with regard to implementation of waste management policies. The information should also be further completed for delivering input to the environmental domain of the Structural Indicators, which are used in the Commission's annual Synthesis Report.

4. Opinion of the Commission on the amendments by the European Parliament

The Commission accepts the complete set of amendments as votedon in the European Parliament plenary of the 4th of July 2002. In particular:

The transitional and derogation periods are restricted to new and for Member States possible difficult areas in the economic activity classification (Nace), to give them more time to establish their waste statistics. The justification for these amendments (22 and 31) and (24 and 33) is reasonable.

Amendments (23 and 32), (25 and 34), 35, (27 and 36) and 8 propose 'pilot studies' for establishing statistical methodologies for some difficult areas. This follows the original Commission proposal. The Commission will, after two years,inform the European Parliament and the Council on the progress of the pilot studies, with the possibility of a revision of the studies; amendment (28 and 37).

Amendments 7, 14 and 15 propose the inclusion of the economic activities Agriculture and Fishing (NACE sections A and B).

Amendments 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 propose statistics on a more desaggregated level for Organic waste (split into Vegetal waste, Animal waste and Manure). This is relevant in relation to food safety.

Amendments 11 and 12 propose to single out the relative large 'Dredging sludge'-stream from Common sludges in the waste classification.

Amendments (29 and 38) and (30 and 39) propose a stronger text.

5. Conclusion

Pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty, the Commission amends its proposal as set out above.