The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopted the report adopted by Matthias GROOTE (S&D, DE) on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending certain Directives in the fields of environment, agriculture, social policy and public health by reason of the change of status of Mayotte with regard to the Union.
The committee recommended that the European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission proposal.
The report stressed that following the change in the legal status of Mayotte, Union law will apply to Mayotte as from 1 January 2014. It is appropriate to provide for certain specific measures justified by the particular structural social, environmental and economic situation of Mayotte and its new status as an outermost region, in a number of areas.
As regards laying hens, Members proposed that the old standard cages which are already in use, may be used until 31 December 2017 (as opposed to 31 December 2014).
A second series of amendments concerned the waste water collecting systems and the thresholds of the agglomerations above which such systems must be built. These amendments aim at bringing into line the provisions concerning Mayotte with the "acquis communautaire" which is currently in force for the rest of the EU.
France should ensure that urban waste water entering collecting systems are, before discharge, subject to secondary treatment or an equivalent treatment: (i) by 31 December 2020 at the latest for agglomerations of more than 15 000 population equivalent (p.e.) (instead of 10 000 as proposed by the Commission); (ii) by 31 December 2027 at the latest for agglomerations of more than 2 000 p.e..
The Directive should apply from 1 January 2014.