COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT The early warning report for Cyprus Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the implementation of EU waste legislation, including the early warning report for the Member States at risk of meeting the preparation for re-use/recycling target on municipal waste
Date: 2018-09-24
Institutions: Directorate-General for Environment, European Commission
Subjects: Cyprus, EU environmental policy, application of EU law, circular economy, environmental law, environmental protection, pollution control, prevention of pollution, waste, waste management

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 24.9.2018 SWD(2018) 415 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT The early warning report for Cyprus Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the implementation of EU waste legislation, including the early warning report for the Member States at risk of meeting the preparation for re-use/recycling target on municipal waste {COM(2018) 656 final} - {SWD(2018) 413 final} - {SWD(2018) 414 final} - {SWD(2018) 416 final} - {SWD(2018) 417 final} - {SWD(2018) 418 final} - {SWD(2018) 419 final} - {SWD(2018) 420 final} - {SWD(2018) 421 final} - {SWD(2018) 422 final} - {SWD(2018) 423 final} - {SWD(2018) 424 final} - {SWD(2018) 425 final} - {SWD(2018) 426 final}  
 
 
1.  Introduction 

This early warning report is part of the Commission's overall implementation report and aims 
to assist Member States at risk of failing to meet the 2020 target of 50 % preparation for re-
use/recycling of municipal waste set out in Article 11(2)(a) of Directive 2008/98/EC. It builds 
on  previous  support  provided  by  the  Commission  to  help Member  States  comply1  with  EU 
law in the area of municipal waste management. This resulted in country-specific roadmaps2 
being drawn up for the relevant Member States.  

The  assessment  underpinning  the  early  warning  report  is  based  on  a  collaborative  and 
transparent process involving the Member States concerned and an in-depth analysis of their 
most  recent  policy  developments.  This  also  involved  extensive  consultation  with  the 
authorities in charge of waste management.  

The possible actions identified during this process are based on the existing best practices and 
aim  to  help  Member  States  in  meeting  the  2020  municipal  waste  preparation  for  re-
use/recycling target; they therefore focus on policy measures that can be taken forward in the 
short  term.  These  actions  should  be  seen  as  complementary  to  those  recommended  in  the 
roadmaps that were drawn up as part of the preceding compliance promotion activities and to 
the recommendations made in the Environmental Implementation Review3.  

2.  Key findings  

In 2016, Cyprus’ municipal waste recycling rate (including composting) reported to Eurostat 
was  17 %  while  the  landfilling  rate  was  75 %.  Based  on  an  analysis  of  existing  and  firmly 
planned policies in the area of waste management, Cyprus is considered at risk of missing the 
2020 target of 50 % preparation for re-use/recycling of municipal waste. 

The  assessment4  that  underpins  the  early  warning  report  concludes  that  Cyprus’  continued 
difficulties in implementing EU waste law are mainly due to: 

 

 

 

the  lack  of  infrastructure  and  collection  systems  for  recyclables  and  for  diverting 
biodegradable waste away from landfills; 
the  lack  of  coordination  between  different  administrative  levels  and  insufficient 
capacity at the local level; and  
the  lack  of  incentives  (including  the  absence  of  economic  instruments)  to  prevent 
waste and improve recycling.  

Moreover, the extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging in Cyprus is not 
effective and the monitoring and enforcement of its activity is insufficient. 

1 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/framework/support_implementation.htm 
2 Roadmap for Cyprus: 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/framework/pdf/facsheets%20and%20roadmaps/Roadmap_Cyprus.p
df 
3 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eir/country-reports/index2_en.htm 
4 Eunomia Research & Consulting et al. (2018) ‘Study to identify Member States at risk of non-compliance with 
the 2020 target of the Waste Framework Directive and to follow-up phase 1 and 2 of the compliance 
promotion exercise. The early warning report: Cyprus.’ 

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The  table  below  lists  possible  actions  to  support  Cyprus’  efforts  to  improve  its  waste 
management. 

OVERVIEW OF POSSIBLE ACTIONS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE 

Improving separate collection 

1)  To ensure that reporting on packaging recycling by producers putting goods on the 

market is accurate and consistent: 

a.  systematic audits on companies that provide data on the amount of packaging 

placed on the market are necessary; 

b.  a statistically representative compositional analysis of municipal waste would be 
needed to estimate how much packaging waste is generated and to compare that 
estimate with the amount reported as placed on the market; and 

c.  reconciliation of the remaining differences between the two sources to follow. 

2)  Development of national minimum service standards for waste collection (including 
bio-waste) to specify, for example, the type and volume of containers, frequency of 
collection and type of vehicle used, taking into account the type of housing stock, how 
rural the area is, typical climate, etc. 

3)  The possibility of designing and implementing a deposit refund scheme for beverage 

containers to increase the packaging collection rate could be explored. 

4)  Review of the EPR scheme for packaging and the extent to which the cost of collection 

is covered by the fees paid by the producers. 

5)  Roll out of bio-waste collections to public spaces. 

6)  Support to municipalities to design bio-waste collection systems that are efficient and 

capture high-quality material. Carrying out trials to ensure a good understanding of the 
likely yields of the different systems would be beneficial. 

Financial incentives 

7)  Introduction of a landfill tax, while ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of the rate 

of the tax and the fact that it will be applied for at least 5 years. The final tax level to be 
sufficiently high to act as an incentive to recycle. 

8)  Adoption of binding municipal waste recycling targets for municipalities, with financial 

penalties if they are not met. 

9)  Roll out of pay-as-you-throw schemes while ensuring : 

a.  source segregation, including for bio-waste, as stipulated in the national waste 

management plan; 

b.  higher frequency door-to-door collection for food waste; and 
c.  integration of collection locations within the system of green points. 

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10) Repeal, or at least an increase in line with the consumer price index, of the maximum 

legal waste fee level that citizens can be charged. 

EU funding 

11) EU funds to support recycling activities, including separate collection. 

Communication and awareness-raising 

12) Development of a set of national communications materials addressed to the public for 
use at local level, with clear and consistent messages. These materials should be used as 
part of awareness-raising campaigns, in leaflets, and at green points. 

Technical support to municipalities 

13) Development  of  a  system  at  national  level  that  provides  technical  support  for 

municipalities, specifically in the following areas: 

a.  choosing collection services;  
b.  service procurement; 
c.  service management; 
d.  communication campaigns; 
coupled with active sharing of good ideas and practices that can improve efficiency 
in terms of cost reduction and improvement in performance. 

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