Waste statistics

Of the 28 amendments proposed by Parliament the European Commission is able to accept thirteen in full. The rest are accepted partially with some changes to the wording of the text in order to add clarity and consistency. Those accepted include, inter alia: - Amendments aimed at offering an increase in the comparability of data. - Amendments extending coverage of the statistics to the generation of waste in agriculutre and fisheries. The Commission proposes adding a transitional period for Member States. - In recognition of the need to cover recovery operations, the Commission accepts an amendment through which annual data collection should be extended to cover recovery operations. Those accepted parially include, inter alia: - Amendments relating to the imports and export of waste. Whilst the Commission rejects outright the suggestion that statistics should be compulsory from the outset, it proposes that the deadline for finalising the pilot studies should be shortened. - The Commission rejects the idea of putting two Committees on an equal footing. To compensate however it will make the role of the Technical Adaptation Committee clearer through a change to the recital. - Given the considerable costs associated with data collection, the Commission rejects Parliamentary calls for a yearly rather than three yearly reporting system from the Member States. To take Parliamentary views into account however the Commission has agreed to a system of two yearly reports.�