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The EU is taking action to reduce plastic pollution by setting tough new restrictions on certain single-use plastic products. The presidency of the Council today reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on a new directive which is part of the EU's efforts to protect the environment and reduce marine litter.
The single-use plastics directive builds on the EU's existing waste legislation but goes further by setting even stricter rules for those types of products and packaging which are among the top ten most frequently found items polluting European beaches. The new rules will ban the use of certain throwaway plastic products for which alternatives exist. In addition, specific measures will be introduced to reduce the use of the most frequently littered plastic products.
"Marine litter is a growing global problem. We have all heard the warning by the World Economic Forum and others that, measured by weight, there will be more plastic than fish in the world's oceans by 2050 if we continue dumping plastic in the sea at the present rate. We cannot let this happen. This is why the EU takes action to restrict the use of certain throwaway plastic products for which good plastic-free alternatives exist. And we will make plastic producers pay for cleaning up." Elisabeth Köstinger, Austrian federal minister of sustainability and tourism
Single-use plastic products are made wholly or partly of plastic and are typically intended to be used just once or for a short period of time before they are thrown away. The design of plastic products should always take into account the reusability and recyclability of the product.
One of the main purposes of this directive is to reduce the amount of plastic waste which we create. Where possible, the measures laid down in this directive and their implementation should give priority to waste prevention or to the transition to re-usable products rather than to other single-use alternatives.
The following products will be banned in the EU:
- Plastic cutlery (forks, knives, spoons and chopsticks)
- Plastic plates
- Plastic straws
- Food containers made of expanded polystyrene, such as fast food boxes, with or without a cover, used to contain food that is intended for immediate consumption either on-the-spot or take-away, and that is ready to be consumed without any further preparation, like cooking, boiling or heating
- Beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene
- Cups for beverages made of expanded polystyrene
- Products made from oxo-degradable plastic: this term refers to plastic materials which contain additives that promote oxidation of that plastic into micro fragments under aerobic conditions. This type of plastic contributes to microplastic pollution in the environment, is not compostable and negatively affects the recycling of conventional plastic.
- Cotton bud sticks made of plastic
In addition, member states will take the necessary measures to achieve a measurable quantitative reduction in the consumption of the following products:
- Food containers made of plastic, such as fast food boxes, with or without a cover, used to contain food that is intended for immediate consumption either on-the-spot or take-away, and that is ready to be consumed without any further preparation, like cooking, boiling or heating.
- Plastic cups for beverages, including their covers and lids
There will be a binding target of at least 25% of recycled plastic for PET beverage bottles from 2025 onwards, calculated as an average for the member state. In 2030 all plastic bottles will have to respect a target of at least 30% of recycled content.
Wet wipes, i.e. pre-wetted personal care and domestic wipes, will need to bear a marking on their packaging which informs consumers of the presence of plastic in the wet wipe and of the harm done to the environment if it is thrown away elsewhere than in the bin.
Producers of tobacco filters which contain plastic will be subject to an extended producer responsibility scheme. This means that producers will have to cover the costs for public collection systems for cigarette stubs, including the necessary infrastructure such as appropriate waste receptacles in common litter hotspots.
Tobacco product filters containing plastic are the second most littered single-use plastic items in the EU. Innovation and product development are expected to provide viable alternatives to filters containing plastic, and the co-legislators agree that this development needs to be accelerated. Cigarettes and other tobacco products which have filters that contain plastic will need to bear a marking on their packaging which informs consumers of the presence of plastic and of the harm done to the environment if the cigarette stubs are thrown away elsewhere than in the bin.
Background and next steps
The proposal under discussion is part of the EU's plastics strategy. The European Commission has presented this draft directive in late May 2018. Environment ministers discussed the proposal at their meetings on 25 June and on 9 October. The Council reached its position on 31 October and began trilogue negotiations with the European Parliament on 6 November which ended in a provisional agreement today.
If this agreement is confirmed by EU ambassadors of member states, the directive can be submitted for approval to the European Parliament and then back to the Council for final adoption.
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Europe's electricity market rules get ready for the energy transition: provisional agreement between Presidency and Parliament
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The Presidency of the Council and representatives of the European Parliament today reached a provisional agreement on a directive and a regulation on electricity. The two files set out the future functioning of the EU's electricity market and are cornerstones of the clean energy package. The agreement still has to be endorsed by the Council and the European Parliament.
"I am very happy that we have reached an agreement with the European Parliament on these two key files. This means that - provided member states confirm this result - we now have a political agreement on the entire clean energy package. It is an important step towards the completion of the Energy Union and puts us firmly on the path to deliver our contribution to the Paris Agreement." Elisabeth Köstinger, Minister for Sustainability and Tourism of Austria and chair of the Council
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Joint press statement following the fifth meeting of the Stabilisation and Association Council between the EU and Serbia
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- The EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Council (SA Council) held its fifth meeting on 18 December 2018. This meeting was chaired by Ms Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia. Ms Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, led the EU delegation. Christian Danielsson, Director General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, represented the European Commission.
- The SA Council meeting provided a timely opportunity to review Serbia's progress in its preparations for accession and to consider priorities for further work within the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.
- The SA Council reiterated its commitment to Serbia's European perspective, for which public support should be enhanced through active and unambiguous communication.
- It welcomed the overall progress made in Serbia’s EU accession negotiations, bringing the total number of chapters opened to sixteen, two of which have been provisionally closed.
- The SA Council encouraged Serbia to intensify reform efforts and to deliver convincing results, including a sustainable track record, in particular on democratic governance and the rule of law, including judiciary and war crimes, freedom of expression, and the fight against corruption and organised crime. The SA Council reiterated the importance for Serbia to meet in a timely manner the commitments taken in its Action Plans for chapters 23 and 24. In this regard, the SA Council underlined the importance of creating an enabling environment in Serbia, in order to promote all above-mentioned fundamental areas.
- The SA Council recalled that the legislative process in the parliament and its oversight over the work of the executive need to be improved as a matter of priority. The SA Council expressed its expectation for Serbia to address all OSCE/ODIHR recommendations in an inclusive and transparent manner, and as a matter of priority ahead of the next election cycle. The SA Council further recalled that an empowered, resilient and diverse civil society is a crucial component of any democratic system and should be recognised and treated as such by the Serbian institutions.
- The SA Council expected Serbia to remain constructively engaged in the EU-facilitated Belgrade - Pristina Dialogue in view of concluding a legally-binding agreement on comprehensive normalisation. All Dialogue agreements already agreed need to be fully implemented without any further delay.
- The SA Council welcomed Serbia's participation in CSDP military missions and operations and its preparations to contribute to civilian ones. The SA Council also welcomed Serbia's participation in the roster of the EU Battle Groups and its efforts to identify opportunities for cooperation with the European Defence Agency projects and activities. The SA Council reiterated its call on Serbia to progressively align its policies towards third countries and its positions within international organisations with the policies and positions adopted by the Union and its Member States, in the period up to accession. The current declining trend needs to be reversed as a matter of priority. The SA Council also reiterated its call on Serbia to bring to a successful conclusion the review of its 2009 National Security and Defence Strategies.
- The SA Council recalled that regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations were essential parts of the enlargement and Stabilisation and Association processes, and contribute to stability, reconciliation and a climate conducive to addressing open bilateral issues and the legacies of the past.
- The SA Council looked forward to the next steps in accession negotiations and recalled that progress on the rule of law and fundamental rights chapters, as well as on the normalisation of Serbia’s relations with Kosovo* as set out in the Negotiating Framework, is essential and will continue to determine the pace of accession negotiations overall.
- The SA Council also held an exchange of views on developments in the Western Balkans.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
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Non-performing loans: political agreement reached on capital requirements for banks' bad loans
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The Council presidency and the European Parliament today agreed a new framework for dealing with banks' bad loans.
They reached a provisional political agreement on capital requirements applying to banks with non-performing loans (NPLs) on their balance sheets. The deal will now be submitted for endorsement by EU ambassadors.
The proposal, initially put forward by the Commission in March 2018, aims at creating a prudential framework for banks to deal with new NPLs and thus to reduce the risk of their accumulation in the future. In particular, it provides for requirements to set aside sufficient own resources when new loans become non-performing and creates appropriate incentives to address NPLs at an early stage.
"The EU made important progress in recent years to make banks' balance sheets more sustainable and to reduce stocks of existing non-performing loans. However, a comprehensive framework to prevent their accumulation in the future was missing so far. That's what we are delivering today thanks to the agreement reached with the European Parliament." Hartwig Löger, minister for economic and financial affairs of Austria, which currently holds the presidency of the Council.
A bank loan is considered non-performing when more than 90 days pass without the borrower (a company or a physical person) paying or unlikely to be paying the agreed instalments or interest. When customers do not meet their agreed repayment arrangements, the bank must set aside more capital on the assumption that the loan will not be paid back. This increases the bank’s resilience to adverse shocks by facilitating private risk-sharing, while at the same time reducing the need for public intervention. In addition, addressing possible future NPLs is essential to strengthen the banking union. It preserves financial stability and encourages lending to create growth and jobs within the Union.
On the basis of a common definition of non-performing loans, the proposed new rules introduce a "prudential backstop", i.e. common minimum loss coverage for the amount of money banks need to set aside to cover losses caused by future loans that turn non-performing. In case a bank does not meet the applicable minimum level, deductions from banks' own funds would apply.
Next steps
The agreement will be submitted for endorsement by EU ambassadors. Parliament and Council will then be called on to adopt the proposed regulation at first reading.
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Press statement following the 3rd meeting of the Stabilisation and Association Council between the European Union and Kosovo, Brussels, 17 December 2018
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The Stabilisation and Association Council between the European Union and Kosovo held its third meeting on 17 December 2018 in Brussels. The Stabilisation and Association Agreement is at the core of the relationship between the EU and Kosovo. It offers Kosovo an opportunity for sustainable progress and rapprochement with the Union, in line with the European perspective of the region, and creates trade and investment opportunities.
At today's meeting recent key developments relating to the fulfilment of the political criteria, as well as the state of play concerning the economic criteria, financial cooperation and the implementation of the SAA were reviewed.
The European Union underlined the importance of the continued and effective implementation of the SAA, as well as contractual obligations including in the area of trade and customs. The EU deeply regretted the government's unilateral tariff increases on imports from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the imposition of non-tariff barriers, and insisted on their immediate revocation. The introduction of these tariffs damages the economic interests of Kosovo and its people, reducing trade flows and diminishing Kosovo’s attractiveness as a place for investment and business. Any impediments to trade should be resolved within the appropriate fora and mechanisms, with the constructive participation of all sides concerned, in a spirit of regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations.
The European Union underlined the relevance of Kosovo's continuous engagement in the EU-facilitated Dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, accelerating and intensifying work in good faith on a legally binding agreement on comprehensive normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia. All Dialogue agreements agreed already need to be fully implemented without any further delay, in particular the 2015 agreement on the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities.
At today's meeting reform priorities in areas including rule of law and judicial reforms, respect for fundamental rights, public administration reform, economic development, education and employment were also discussed. The meeting acknowledged progress made in implementing the European Reform Agenda and called for the swift implementation of outstanding measures. As regards visa liberalisation, the European Commission adopted a report in July 2018 on the fulfilment of the remaining benchmarks. The decision on the Commission proposal is currently under consideration in the Council and the European Parliament.
The meeting was chaired by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ms Federica Mogherini. The Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Mr Johannes Hahn, represented the European Commission. The Kosovo delegation was led by the Prime Minister, Mr Ramush Haradinaj. Deputy Prime Minister Enver Hoxhaj, First Deputy Prime Minister/Minister Behgjet Pacolli, Minister Dhurata Hoxha and Minister Abelard Tahiri also participated.
Kosovo*
References to Kosovo are without prejudice to positions on status. They are in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/1999 and the opinion by the International Court of Justice on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
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Council adopts 2019 catch limits for Black Sea fisheries
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Next year Bulgarian and Romanian fishermen in the Black Sea will be able to continue fishing at the same levels as in 2018.
The Council today adopted a regulation setting the 2019 catch limits for the commercially most important fish stocks in the Black Sea. The regulation affects Bulgaria and Romania.
In particular, the Council decided to confirm the Commission proposal to roll-over the catch limit for sprat for Romania and Bulgaria at 11 475t.
For turbot, the Council set a total allowable catch (TAC) fully in line with the level established by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) in its recommendation on a multiannual management plan for the whole Black Sea turbot fisheries (644t), resulting in an EU TAC of 114t which is equally shared between Bulgaria and Romania. Fishing will be limited to 180 days per year and there will be a complete ban over a 2-month period (15 April - 15 June) to allow for the recovery of turbot.
These figures are based on the best available scientific advice coming from the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF), and comply with the principles of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
Black Sea stocks exploited by Bulgaria and Romania are shared with non-EU countries, e.g. Turkey, Ukraine, Georgia and the Russian Federation. Until 2017 no TACs had been decided at regional level between EU and non-EU countries, and every year since 2008, the European Union had been fixing autonomous quotas for turbot and sprat stocks in order to help ensure that the CFP rules were applied.
The interested parties once more recognised the importance of continuing with the implementation of a robust monitoring, control and surveillance system in order to achieve sustainable management of fish resources in the Black Sea, and renewed their commitment to fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing of turbot in the Black Sea.
Next steps
The regulation will enter into force on the day after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and will apply as from 1 January 2019.
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