OBJECTIVE: the Commission communication aims at reviewing the Community waste strategy
introduced in 1989 and to adapt it to the requirements of the next five years. It is followed by a draft
Council resolution on waste policy.
SUBSTANCE: the proposed review confirms the following hierarchy of principles established by
the strategy document of 1989: 1. prevention of waste; 2. recovery; 3. safe disposal. The
implementation of this hierarchy should be guided by considering the best environmental solution
taking into account economic and social costs.
- As regards prevention: emphasis will be laid on the following measures: promotion of clean
technologies and products; reducing the hazardous character of waste; development of technical
standards and Community rules limiting the presence of certain dangerous substances in products;
promotion of systems for re-use and recycling; promotion of economic instruments capable of
influencing waste prevention; development of eco-audit and eco-label schemes; consumer
information and education campaigns;
- as regards recovery: preference should be given to the recovery of material over energy recovery
operations;
- as regards final disposal: care should be taken to avoid incineration operations without energy
recovery. The Commission will present a new proposal for a Directive which will fix strict
requirements for authorizing landfill sites.
The new strategy will also propose that the principle of producer responsibility should now be
integrated in all measures adopted by the EU under its waste management policy.
As regards shipment of waste: the Commission proposes actions designed to encourage cooperation
between Member States aimed at further reducing illegal shipments of waste and related criminal
activities.
Finally, to achieve the targets set, the Commission calls for the employment of the following
instruments: regulatory and economic instruments, reliable and comparable waste statistics, waste
management plans, implementation of existing legislation, and impartial application of life-cycle
analyses and eco-balances. �