Activites

• 2006/09/26 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Directive 2006/66
  • OJ L 266 26.09.2006, p. 0001-0014
• 2006/09/06 Final act signed
• 2006/09/06 End of procedure in Parliament
• #2745
• 2006/07/18 Council Meeting
• 2006/07/04 Decision by Parliament, 3rd reading
  • T6-0284/2006 summary

    The European Parliament adopted a resolution approving the joint text agreed by the Conciliation Committee. (For a summary of the joint text, please see the document dated 02/05/2006.)

• 2006/07/03 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2006/06/27 Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading
  • A6-0231/2006
• 2006/06/19 Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs
  • 03615/2006
• 2006/05/02 Formal meeting of Conciliation Committee
• #2724
• 2006/04/25 Council Meeting
• 2005/12/13 Results of vote in Parliament
  • Results of vote in Parliament
  • T6-0495/2005 summary

    The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Hans BLOKLAND (IND/DEM, NL) and made some amendments to the common position. The rapporteur admitted that in order to reach an agreement with the Council he would have to weaken the proposals adopted by Parliament in first reading. The debate preceding the vote illustrated contrasting approaches among Members and within the EPP and PES political groups. Some members criticised the collection targets adopted by the Environment Committee, namely 40% of waste batteries after 6 years and 60% after 10 years, as unrealistic. (Please see the preceding summary.) Others felt that the targets set were attainable. The following amendments were adopted:Collection: Parliament finally left the collection targets outlined in the Council's common position unchanged: 25% of portable batteries after 6 years and 45% after 10 years. Member States must ensure that, when supplying portable batteries, distributors are obliged to take back waste portable batteries from end-users at no charge. The common position authorised Member States to use economic instruments to promote the collection of waste batteries and accumulators or the use of less pollutants ones, but Parliament stated that they must respect Internal Market rules and the need for consultation with all the parties concerned. Member States must inform the commission of the measures which they intend to adopt under this provision.Limited prohibitions: The Council's common position only incorporates EP amendments prohibiting all batteries and accumulators including more than 0.0005 % of mercury and portable batteries containing more than 0.002 % of cadmium.  A number of amendments were re-tabled namely in order to prohibit batteries and accumulators including more than 0.004% of lead but they did not reach the required qualified majority. An amendment stipulates that batteries and accumulators cannot be incorporated in appliances unless they can be readily removed, when spent, by the consumer. However some appliances escape this prohibition, such as some applications in information technology, medical devices, and portable appliances, where replacement of the batteries by unqualified personnel could present safety hazards. Treatment: Parliament introduced more stringent requirements on recycling than in the Council's common position: -65% of lead-acid batteries and accumulators and a closed loop for allthe leadcontained;-75% of nickel-cadmium battery and a closed loop for allthe cadmiumcontained;-55% of other waste batteries and accumulators should be recycled, instead of 50% in the Council's common position. The proposed minimum recycling efficiencies are to be evaluated regularly and adapted to best available technology and scientific and technical progress in accordance with the prescribed procedure.Financing: Responsibility for meeting the costs of collection, treatment, recycling and environmentally sound disposal of waste batteries and accumulators placed on the market before entry into force of this Directive ("historic waste"), shall lie with producers. Parliament deleted the de minimis derogation for small producers. Information and labelling: A new clause states thatMember States shall ensure that distributors of portable batteries or accumulators inform end-users about the possibility of discarding waste portable batteries or accumulators at their sales points. They must also ensure that the capacity of all batteries, accumulators and battery packs is indicated on them in a visible, legible and indelible form.

• 2005/12/12 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2005/11/24 Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading
  • A6-0335/2005
• 2005/11/22 Vote in committee, 2nd reading
• 2005/09/08 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• #2676
• 2005/07/18 Council Meeting
  • 05694/5/2005 summary

    The Council argues that its Common Position incorporates most of the amendments tabled by Parliament at its first reading. In particular, the Common Position acknowledges modifications to the Commission’s original proposal that would tighten current restrictions on the use of heavy metals in batteries and accumulators provide for a review of the need to extend these restrictions, remove the requirement for monitoring of municipal solid waste and base collection targets on past sale figures. On the question of subject-matter, scope and definitions, the Common Position is, for the most part, consistent with Parliamentary amendments. Similarly, the Council broadly agrees with the Parliament that military use batteries and accumulators as well as equipment used for space exploration should be exempted from the scope of this Directive.- On the question of definitions, the Council states that it has tried to avoid an overlap between the definitions of the three types of batteries and accumulators – in other words relating to portable, industrial and automotive batteries. It has also sought to ensure that the definitions collectively cover all batteries and accumulators. However, in the Common Position, the ‘portable’ rather than the ‘industrial’ category is the default one. As far as the definition of ‘producer’ is concerned, the Common Position has simplified the definition so that each battery placed on the internal market can be easily identified. This, it is hoped, will make the principle of producer responsibility more effective. Importantly, the Common Position deletes references to the definition of a ‘closed-loop’ system. Other definitions that have been re-worded relate to the terms ‘placing on the market’, ‘economic operators’ and ‘cordless power tool’.- On the question of heavy metals, the Common Position provides for a cadmium ban, subject to exemptions and open to review. The ban would not, initially, apply to cordless power tools. Consequently, the review would apply only to those products. There would be no restrictions on the use of lead. Thus, the Common Position does not include any monitoring requirements for the Member Sates in relation to municipal solid waste.- On the question of Collection, the Common Position establishes a principle to maximise the separate collection of batteries and accumulators and to minimise their disposal. Essentially, this principle replaces the original proposal of a closed-loop system. The changes also seek to introduce greater flexibility for the Member States in order to take account of existing national arrangements and schemes. The proposed revision excludes collection points from requiring permits. In addition, the Common Position sets collection targets and gives the power to lay down transitional arrangements through the comitology procedure. Collection targets are based on sales figures, there are no specific collection targets for nickel-cadmium batteries and the procedure for derogations has become more transparent. In addition, Member States have to achieve a collection rate equivalent to 25% of sales within four years of the Directive being transposed. The collection target would rise to 45% over five years after transposition. A common method for the calculation of sales figures would have to be established through comitology.- On the question of treatment, recycling and disposal, the Common Position repackages the provisions relating to these issues to a new Annex III. This Annex requires the removal of cadmium and lead during recycling to the highest degree that is technically feasibly while avoiding excessive costs. There is an additional clarification that the ban on the disposal of automotive and industrial batteries and accumulators in landfill sites will apply to whole batteries only and not to residues.- On the question of financing, the Common Position clarifies the exact financial responsibility of battery producers. There should, for example, be no double charging of producers that also contribute to schemes set up under the ELV and WEEE Directives. The Common Position makes no explicit provisions on historic waste.- On the question of information for end-users, no major changes to the proposed provisions have been incorporated. Lastly, on other issues, the Common Position makes some changes to the transposition date as well as changes limiting the scope of voluntary agreements to collection schemes, exports and information for end-usersTo conclude, the Council believes that the Common Position represents a balanced package of measures contributing to the protection of the environment without creating unjustified social or economic costs.

• #2632
• 2004/12/20 Council Meeting
• 2004/04/20 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T5-0304/2004 summary

    The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Hans BLOKLAND (EDD, NL) and made several amendments to the Commission's proposal. (Pease see the summary dated 06/04/04.) In addition: - Responsibility for funding of the management of historical waste should be shared by all existing producers by way of collective funding schemes to which all producers, existing on the market when the costs occur, contribute proportionately; - the Directive shall also to the appliances in which batteries and accumulators are incorporated in so far as concerns marketing, marking and battery removal requirements; - Member States shall ensure that batteries and accumulators cannot be incorporated into appliances (with certain exceptions) unless they can be readily removed, when spent, by the end-user. All appliances in which batteries and accumulators are incorporated shall be accompanied by instructions showing how they can be removed safely and, where appropriate, informing the user of the content of the incorporated batteries and accumulators; - Member States shall ensure that, where the mercury, lead or cadmium parts of batteries and accumulators cannot, after processing, be recycled into new batteries, such parts are finally disposed of in dedicated landfill cells in authorised hazardous waste landfills, with appropriate environmental protection guarantees; Finally, Member States shall ensure that producers set up recycling schemes for spent batteries and accumulators collected in accordance with the provisions of this directive, using the best available techniques that do not entail excessive costs.�

• 2004/04/19 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2004/04/06 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A5-0265/2004
• 2003/12/15 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 2003/11/21 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(2003)0723 summary

    PURPOSE : to impose the collection and recycling of all batteries placed on the EU market. CONTENT : the main underlying drivers for this new EU initiative are the objectives set by the Sixth Community Environment Action Programme as well as Directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment which calls for the need to revise the current EU legislation on batteries and accumulators (Directive 91/157/EEC) as soon as possible. The Commission carried out an Extended Impact Assessment (ExIA) for the evaluation of the most sustainable policy options for this new proposal. The proposal introduces policy measures which should divert all spent batteries and accumulators from final disposal operations (landfill and incineration) and should ensure that Member States adopt environmentally sound waste management practices which will lead to an efficient collection and recycling of spent batteries and a proper functioning of the internal market. Additional measures are proposed with respect to batteries containing mercury, cadmium and lead since those batteries are qualified as hazardous waste and thus require additional risk management measures. In order to prevent batteries from entering the waste stream, the proposed Directive puts forward a number of different measures and targets: - Collection targets : experience with Directive 91/157/EEC confirmed that the most efficient way to collect portable batteries and accumulators from households is to apply an 'all batteries' collection scheme. It is thus important to encourage Member States to set up effective collection schemes for the collection of all portable batteries and accumulators by setting a minimum collection target at Community level. The Proposal establishes a uniform minimum target for the collection of all spent portable batteries and accumulators to ensure high and equivalent levels of collection in the different Member States. This would also allow monitoring at Community level. It is proposed to calculate this target on the basis grams per inhabitant. This is in line with the calculation of the collection target of the WEEE Directive. It is therefore not deemed necessary to adopt specific collection targets for these batteries and accumulators. Instead, the proposal imposes a legal obligation on manufacturers to take-back those batteries. The proposal also requires that automotive batteries and accumulators are collected separately, in so far as those batteries are not already collected on the basis of schemes set up under Directive 2000/53/EC. It is proposed to prohibit the landfilling and incineration of industrial and automotive batteries. Those are mainly lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries. As regards the portable nickel-cadmium batteries, such a ban would not appear to be enforceable. Therefore, it is proposed to set an additional collection target for those batteries. It is proposed to set this target at 80% of the total quantity of spent portable NiCd batteries and accumulators which arose annually. This is the quantity of portable NiCd batteries and accumulators which are being collected and disposed of together with the municipal solid waste. Member States should thus monitor the quantities of portable NiCdbatteries and accumulators found in the municipal solid waste stream and report this to the Commission. On the basis of this information as well as new scientific and technical progress, the Commission will evaluate the specific environmental risks related to the use of cadmium in batteries and accumulators on a regular basis. - Recycling of all spent batteries and accumulators : Directive 91/157/EEC does not specify recycling requirements for spent batteries and accumulators. These are left to the discretion of the Member State provided they comply with the internal market rules. The Directive does encourage Member States to promote research into recycling methods and allows them to introduce measures, such as economic instruments, to encourage recycling. This proposal establishes the principle that all batteries and accumulators collected should be processed for recycling. The proposal sets a minimum recycling efficiency level for the recycling of those batteries. From an environmental perspective, life-cycle assessments (LCAs) indicate that the optimum recycling rate for NiCd batteries and accumulators tends to be close to 100%. Studies show that NiCd battery recycling is energy-efficient even in cases where the processing facilities are some distance away. Excluding the use-phase of the battery, 65% of the primary energy used is in the battery manufacture while 32% is in the raw material production. Recycled cadmium and nickel require 46% and 75% less primary energy respectively, compared with extracting and refining virgin metal. Recycling of cadmium, nickel, iron and other battery materials is relatively easy, so it is virtually possible to recycling all (99.9%) of the materials in a NiCd battery. The cadmium recovered should be used in the production of new batteries and accumulators or other products. Hence, for nickel-cadmium batteries, the minimum recycling efficiencies proposed are all the cadmium and a minimum of 75% by average weight. For other batteries and accumulators, the recycling efficiency proposed is an average of 55% by weight. This proposal also aims at contributing to the proper functioning of the internal market, thereby guaranteeing the free movement of goods and contributing to the creation of an internal market for the recycling of collected batteries. Another concern is the disparities between the scope of the national collection and recycling schemes. For instance, in some Member States the schemes cover collection and recycling of all batteries and accumulators, whereas in others they simply cover batteries and accumulators covered by Directive 91/157/EEC. The collection rates also vary considerably between Member States. As these different schemes can have a negative impact on the internal market and distort competition, it is important to ensure a level playing-field across the EU. Whilst Member States remain free to organise the collection and recycling schemes at their national territory, this proposal requires Member States to extend the scope of those schemes to all batteries and accumulators put on the market. The Commission estimates that the additional annual costs of the proposed collection and recycling rates per household will be between EUR 1 - 2.�

  • DG [{'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/environment/', 'title': 'Environment'}],

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(2003)0723
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A5-0265/2004
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T5-0304/2004
• Council position published: 05694/5/2005
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A6-0335/2005
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T6-0495/2005
• Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs: 03615/2006
• Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading: A6-0231/2006
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 3rd reading: T6-0284/2006
• : Directive 2006/66
• : OJ L 266 26.09.2006, p. 0001-0014

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)