Environment Council reaches agreement on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
At the Environment Council of the European Union on Monday, ministers reached a general consensus on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. Lithuania welcomes the Regulation, recognizing the imperative to reduce packaging and packaging waste. The compromise proposal strikes a balance between the regulation's ambitious objectives and flexibility for member states, facilitating market players in transitioning towards more sustainable solutions.
The compromise text incorporates provisions on re-use targets, a prohibition on certain types of packaging, and a suggested review of the 2040 re-use and refill targets. Key concerns for Lithuania, such as the functioning of existing deposit systems and the possibility of utilizing a national deposit label after the Packaging Regulation comes into effect, were duly addressed during the negotiations. Following the agreement among EU ministers on this legislation, negotiations with the European Parliament will commence.
Additionally, the Environment Council conducted a ministerial policy debate on the Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive, as well as the Regulation on a monitoring system for resilient European forests. The former aims to ensure optimal soil health in the EU by 2050, establishing a robust and coherent monitoring system to enhance the capacity to combat climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security.
The primary objective of the latter proposal is to enhance the availability of information concerning Europe's forests, ensuring timely, accurate, consistent, and transparent data accessible to the public. The collection and provision of forest information will align with EU legislation and policies related to the conservation and restoration of forests, as well as the sustainable use of forest ecosystems and their services.