WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3064/97 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Marking of packaging
Date: 1997-10-02
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament
Subjects: EC conformity marking, European standard, European symbol, ISO, consumer information, harmonisation of standards, labelling, packaging, public awareness campaign, waste recycling

C 117/146

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 4. 98

(98/C 117/195)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3064/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(2 October 1997)

Subject: Marking of packaging

The  Commission  has  submitted  a  proposal  for  a  European  Parliament  and  Council  directive  on  marking  of
packaging and on the establishment of a conformity assessment procedure for packaging (COM(96) 191 final ›
96/0123 COD) (1).

A European mark indicating whether a product can be reused or recycled should:

›  be based on existing and widely recognized marks;

›  enjoy international recognition;

even if this involves a certain delay in introducing such a mark. It is more important for the Member States to
introduce adequate mechanisms for re-use, recycling and, where appropriate, recovery, together with consumer
information campaigns.

Will the Commission take steps to accelerate the drawing up of European standards for the marking of packaging
and speed up the conformity assessment procedure?

(1)  OJ C 382, 18.12.1996, p. 10.

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(6 November 1997)

The  Commission  proposal  on  marking  of  packaging  was  adopted  on  25  November  1996.  This  proposal
completes the Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste (1) by introducing the marking symbols
which  should  be  used,  and  the  assessment  procedure  for  the  compliance  of  the  packaging  with  the  essential
requirements of the Directive.

As the Honourable Member underlines, the development of international standards in the area of marking of
packaging  is  important.  Therefore,  the  Commission  proposal  provides  that  such  international  developments,
once adopted, shall be examined in view of a possible future adaptation of the future Community directive.

There are at present discussions at international level (International organisation for standardisation) concerning
symbols for recyclable packaging. The final outcome of these discussions is not yet known.

The  Commission  has  given  a  mandate  to  the  European  centre  for  standardisation  to  develop  harmonised
standards  on  packaging  to  ensure  compliance  with  the  essential  requirements  of  the  packaging  directive.  As
regards the marking of packaging the Commission has not foreseen to initiate specific European standards.

(1)  OJ L 365, 31.12.1994.

(98/C 117/196)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3072/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(2 October 1997)

Subject: Environmental agreements

The main objective of the Commission(cid:146)s communication on environmental agreements (COM(96) 561 final) is
to promote and facilitate the use of effective and acceptable environmental agreements. These agreements are
instruments for the integration or implementation of environment law in the Community. The communication
should  be  seen  in  the  light  of  the  strategy  outlined  in  the  fifth  action  programme  to  extend  the  range  of
environment policy instruments and put into practice the concept of (cid:145)shared responsibility(cid:146).