Implementation of directive on packaging

The European Parliament adopted, by 219 votes to 127 with 7 abstentions, the report drawn up by Mrs Dorette CORBEY (PES, NL). (Please refer to the previous text). The Parliament is of the opinion that higher recycling targets are needed and targets for prevention and reduction should be introduced. It wants the environmental cost of packaging internalised in its price and demands a binding general target for the reduction of the amount of packaging waste going to landfill, with energy recovery through incineration as the least-worst option, preferable to landfill. The Parliament considers that the environmental burdens of packaging waste will decrease by using a policy mix of: - ensuring that a waste management approach is adopted, which takes account of all possible forms of recycling and recovery; - increasing targets for recycling; - introducing producers responsibility for the prevention of all unnecessary packaging and setting targets for prevention and reduction; - internalising environmental cost in the price of packaging waste going to landfill; - introducing easily-accessible means of collecting packaging for consumers; - encouraging the use of materials that are easy to separate from the waste stem. The Commission is called upon to carry out a study on the implementation of the CEN standard on prevention and to measure its impact in the different Member States. Moreover, the Parliament calls on the Commission to present a proposal to increase the recycling targets for the period 2001-2005.�