Position papers

Municipal Waste Europe recognises the importance of achieving a circular economy in Europe and supports a definitive move in this direction.   Municipalities are a key to the success of recycling and the achievement of a circular economy in Europe. The proper allocation of European funding to investment in the top three steps of the waste hierarchy (prevention, re-use and recycling) is essential to this goal. 

On 6 March, after the withdrawal and renewed discussion of the Circular Economy Package, Municipal Waste Europe together with 14 organisations sent a letter to the European Commission underlining the importance of the publication of a new proposal within a short timeframe, to enable our European Economy to rebound through the creation of a Cricular Economy.

In collaboration with Rreuse, we have published a joint statement that explores the challenges and opportunities of designing an effective EPR scheme for textiles.

The European Commission came up with a proposal to amend the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) to integrate new provisions on food waste prevention and textiles. Read our amendments to the Commission's proposal for a revision of the Waste Framework Directive.

MWE, EBA, GD4S and eurogas welcome the objective of the Commission’s Proposal for a Council Regulation laying down a framework to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy. However, the main focus is on solar energy, wind energy and technologies based on heat pumps, omitting biogas and biomethane.

In its current form, the RED does not sufficiently address bio-waste and its importance in terms of the quantity of waste to be treated by Anaerobic Digestion and the Greenhouse Gas savings associated with this renewable energy source. Key renewable energy sources such as biomethane require better and thorough recognition for their role in reducing dependence on Russian or other fossil fuels and in fast forwarding the green transition. The proposed amendments below seek to address and correct these omissions.

On 30 March 2022 the European Commission published their proposal for a ‘Regulation establishing a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products and repealing Directive 2009/125/EC’. The proposal was launched as part of the Circular Economy Package I, together with other relevant initiatives. We understand that the text sets out a framework of requirements within which manufacturers and other parties will have to operate addressing each product group and specificities in dedicated delegated acts, however, we find that this proposal is lacking in several areas (press release).

MWE welcomes the second public consultation on the revision of the Waste Framework Directive. As the online consultation is addressed to the general public we find that the questionnaire and its multiple choice answers are lacking in clarity and depth for an expert audience. We have therefore not responded via the generic questionnaire but through the detailed, technical response developed by the full MWE membership.

It is known that a large number of items placed in waste bins and civic amenity sites hold the potential to be repaired or refurbished and thus reused. However, once inside the waste collection systems these items and valuable raw materials usually end up in the least preferable waste treatments. Action is needed to boost preparation-for-reuse and reuse in the EU.