Activities of Róża THUN UND HOHENSTEIN related to 2020/2077(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on New Circular Economy Action Plan
Amendments (24)
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considersing that placing sustainable products on the internal market should bprogressively become the norm and, calls for a horizontal Sthe Commission to propose a sustainable Pproduct Framework Directive policy framework setting mandatory minimum requirements, for categories of products, to strengthen energy efficiency, durability, interoperability, reparability, upgradability, reusability and recyclability for all products alongside further product- specific requiremen, taking into account the specific characteristics of different categories of products;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. In the light of optimizing existing EU policies' efficiency and their contribution to circular economy, asks the Commission to avoid overlaps and discrepancies among them by considering possible synergies and reviewing on a regular basis the overall consistency among the different policy tools;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Underlines that the overall impacts of increased circular economy activity on EU GDP are positive and could increase by 0,3-0,5 %, in combination with the creation of 650.000-700.000jobs by 20301a; _________________ 1aEuropean Commission (2019), “Impacts of circular economy policies on the labour market”.
Amendment 23 #
1d. Welcomes the Commission’s new Circular Economy Action Plan, which, as an integral part of the European Green Deal, aims to support substantial greenhouse gas emissions reductions by 2030, contributes to achieving climate neutrality in 2050 and decoupling economic growth from resource use; stresses that the intention to review Directive 2009/125/EC and broadening its scope should not lead to any watering down of the results achieved in the field of energy efficiency and asks the Commission to explore the introduction of reusability targets;
Amendment 25 #
1e. Notes that the European Green Deal, as a new growth strategy for the EU, requires investment to fully support a clean and circular economy; highlights the essential role of sustainable active forest management for achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and in the Union’s circular bio-economy; emphasizes in this regard the synergies between the Circular Economy Action Plan and the Bioeconomy Action Plan; calls on the Commission to promote projects in the area of circular bio-base to strengthen regional economies;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that voluntary standardisation is key to implementing a sustainable product policy by providing reliable definitions, metrics and tests for characteristics such as durability and reparability; insists that standards be developed in a timely manner and in line with real-use conditions; highlights the need to evaluate the need to reform the standardisation process to ensure more inclusive and transparent participation of all relevant stakeholders, while safeguarding the ability of companies to innovate and develop new technology in a sustainable way, and to consistently mainstream sustainability in standard- setting;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 f (new)
Paragraph 1 f (new)
1f. Indicates that a circular economy approach that would eliminate waste and keep assets, products and components in use while making productive and efficient use of resources could reduce global CO2 emissions from key industry materials like plastics, steel and cement by 40 %;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 g (new)
Paragraph 1 g (new)
1g. Calls on the Commission to explore how its circular economy strategy, by going hand in hand with its New Industrial Strategy for Europe, could contribute to (1) preventing and eliminating waste generation across value chains and in the design of products, and (2) keep products and materials in use by increasing their utilisation and recyclability, as well as extending their lifetime;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 h (new)
Paragraph 1 h (new)
1h. Asks the Commission to explore the introduction of waste reduction targets for industrial and commercial waste streams, and how industrial and commercial waste going to landfills could be reduced notably by means of material circularity;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Given that voluntary agreements have proved ineffective in terms of achieving a sustainable and common charging solution for smartphones and small and medium radio equipment, calls on the Commission to implement, as a matter of urgency, necessary measures for the introduction of a common charger for all small and medium-sized electronic devices in order to best ensure standardisation, compatibility and interoperability of charging capabilities, including wireless charging;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 i (new)
Paragraph 1 i (new)
1i. Highlights the overall need for a transition to a sustainable and more circular economy in the sourcing and manufacturing of construction products and materials and in their use in construction works; calls on the Commission to explore the incorporation of efficiency and reusability criteria in its revision of Regulation (EU) No 305/2011;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Strongly believes that decoupling of new chargers from device sales is necessary for any initiative to achieve not only cost savings and convenience benefits for consumers but also greater environmental impacts; reiterates that decoupling solution in order to be beneficial for consumers has to be implemented after introducing common charging standard for all small and medium-sized electronic devices;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to empower consumers to further engage in sustainable consumption practices; calls for mandatory labelling on product dur by ensuring access to correct information about the durability, recyclability and reparability of products; therefore calls the Commission to consider harmonization of voluntary labelling on product circularity, including information about product's durability, recyclability and reparability, and thto be development of a repair score, in addition to minimum information requirements; asks foed in close collaboration with business representatives and other relevant stakeholders; asks the Commission to consider bpothential extension of the legal guarantee rights and the reversed burden of proof rules to be extended based on the lifespan of products, the introduction of direct producer liability, when reviewing the application of Directive 2019/771 on certain aspects concerning contracts for the sale of goods, and for legislative measures to ban practices resulting in premature obsolescence;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Reiterates the importance for consumers to receive trustworthy and relevant and accurate information about interoperability, charging performance and speed of the charging of electronic devices in order to be able to make the most convenient, cost efficient and sustainable choice for them; strongly believes that the harmonized labelling of chargers would ensure the effective communication of compliance with USB 3.1 or higher and a clear indication of power rating, fast charge capability and compatibility, data capability and speeds, as well as display capability whenever relevant;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Supports the establishment of an EU-wide ‘right to repair’xtension of a ‘right to repair’ for more categories of products; calls, in this context, for measures to provide unrestricted and free access toaccess to affordable repair and, maintenance information and to spare parts to all market participants, to define a mandatory minimum period of time for the availability of spare parts and/or updates, a maximum time-limit for their delivery, and for repair to be given priority under the legal guarantee regime, spare parts and software updates for all market participants; asks the Commission to present a comprehensive impact assessment justifying such an extension;
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Is of the opinion that counterfeit products have become a growing and challenging problem damaging the core concept of the circular economy, which lies in the maintenance of the products and materials’ value. In this context, calls on the Commission to address the risks from counterfeit products, which not only pose an important safety threat for the consumers, but also create direct and/or indirect economic losses to manufacturers;
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that effective enforcement is crucial to making sure that products placed on the market comply with sustainability requirements; calls, therefore, for greater EU oversight, through setting harmonised rules on the minimum number of checks and their frequency, and by empowering the Commission to monitor and audit the activities of national authorities, as well as to carry out regular tests and inspections;
Amendment 78 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. Stresses that the establishment of quality requirements and quotas for recycling are important prerequisites for establishing a stable market for recycled plastics and that green public procurement can play an important role in developing this market;
Amendment 83 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines the importance of transparent and reliable information on product characteristics for consumers, businesses and market surveillance authorities, and welcomes the Commission’s intention to develop a digital product passport; calls, in this regard, for mandatory information requirements to apply throughout the supply chain, covering not onlysuch aspects such as durability and, reparability, but also social and environmental condition and energy efficiency where relevant; calls for these requirements to be developed in close collaboration with industry and other relevant stakeholders taking into account proportionality and costs for businesses, especially SMEs;
Amendment 94 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Emphasizes against this backdrop the importance of improving access to funds for research and innovation projects on the circular economy, by strengthening Horizon Europe, Cohesion Policy, the LIFE programme, Innovation Fund and InvestEU;
Amendment 102 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls for a revision of EU public procurement legislation introducing mandatory minimum targets, through defining a certain percentage for procurement based onUnderlines the significant role the public procurement plays in fostering innovative and sustainable products; considers that the benefits of public procurement policies could be further realised if relevant legislation is correctly implemented, harmonised and simplified; encourages the Commission to carry out an in-depth analysis of how to balance environmental, social and ethicalconomic criteria, and introducing a hierarchy of award criteria, together with sector-specific targets. in a sustainable way; calls on the Commission to revise guidance on Public Procurement with the aim to facilitate more sustainable purchasing;
Amendment 107 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Given the food packaging’s high impacts on the environment, particularly when littered, calls on the Commission to clarify the concepts of “(over)packaging” and “unnecessary packaging”; asks, therefore, to the Commission to increase the sustainability of food distribution through specific measures; asks the Commission to take into account new business models, such as packaging free shops, and analyse their potential impact on environment and consumers’ convenience;
Amendment 114 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Highlights the role of the service sector in increasing accessibility and affordability of repairs, leasing and product-as-a-service; calls on the Commission to evaluate how a more harmonised internal market for services can contribute to the transition to a circular economy;
Amendment 115 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7c. Encourages increased standardisation of the processing of secondary raw materials to facilitate the implementation of circular business models; in this context, calls on the Commission to strengthen the internal market for secondary raw materials through targeted efforts to identify and remove barriers to trade; in addition, asks the Commission to improve the enforcement of the Waste Shipment Regulation with the aims to stimulate sourcing of high quality secondary raw materials in the EU as well as optimize resource efficiency;