WRITTEN QUESTION E-1077/03

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(31 March 2003)

Subject: Disposal charge for car wrecks in the Netherlands

The recycling system is funded by the collection of a disposal charge. Everyone who applies for the first time for a registration certificate (part I) for a vehicle in the Netherlands pays a disposal charge. The disposal charge is EUR 45 and is stated to be binding from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2003.

The disposal charge is collected by ARN (Autorecycling Nederland) and used to pay disposal premiums. Disposal premiums are paid for having specific administratively verifiable dismantling and recycling work carried out. ARN has the job of determining which dismantling and recycling work should be encouraged as a priority, and defines the amount of premium for each specific activity from the dismantling of plastic bumpers to the melting-down of glass. The disposal premiums are set so that it is economically profitable for the firms concerned to carry out this work. The firms can claim the premiums by forwarding administrative data showing that the work in question has been carried out. The payment of the disposal premium takes place following checks on whether the dismantling or recycling has actually taken place. Payment is based on the weight of the material dismantled or recycled, and is thus not set as a lump sum per wreck. (Source: website of Autorecycling Nederland).

In contrast to the above website information from Autorecycling Nederland, the Commission replied on 12 March 2003 to my question on the Dutch disposal charge that the total cost of recovery and recycling was some EUR 100 per wreck.

Is this a European average?

Is it an amount which the Netherlands government has notified to the Commission?

What is this figure of EUR 100 based on?

Where has the Netherlands government laid down that car producers and importers are to pay an average of EUR 55 per wreck, and how long has this been the case?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(15 May 2003)

In its answer to the Honourable Member's Written Question P-0380/03(1), the Commission stated that the financing of the total take-back and recycling costs in the Netherlands amounts to approximately EUR 100 per end-of life vehicle. The Commission is not aware whether this amount is the European average.

This estimate was based on data provided by ARN.

It follows from ARN's environment report 2001 that in 2001, 278 972 end of life vehicles were treated for which the total recycling costs were EUR 26 643 000. This amounts to recycling costs of approximately EUR 100 per end of life vehicle.

The industry itself has determined the amount of EUR 45 to be paid by the vehicle producers and importers to the fund. As from 1 January 2001, the Dutch Government (Ministry of VROM)(2) has introduced this amount of EUR 45 in its legislation (algemeen verbindend verklaring) pursuant to Article 15.36 of the Dutch Law on Environmental Management (Wet Milieubeheer)(3).

(1) OJ C 280 E, 21.11.2003, p. 53.

(2) VROM: Ministerie van Volkshuisvesting, Ruimtelijke Ordening en Milieubeheer.

(3) (see Dutch Official Journal No 7, of 10 January 2001 Mededeling van het algemeen verbindend verklaren van een overeenkomst over een verwijderingsbijdrage voor auto's.).