PRESS RELEASE
from CORPORATE EUROPE OBSERVATORY
+++EMBARGOED UNTIL TUESDAY 22 MAY 2018, 00:01 CEST+++
INDUSTRY REACTIONS SHOW EU CAN’T RELY ON VOLUNTARY COOPERATION TO TACKLE
PLASTIC CRISIS
THE CLOCK IS TICKING FOR THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO DELIVER ON COMMITMENTS
FOR TACKLING SINGLE-USE PLASTICS, WITH COMMISSIONERS LIKELY TO SIGN OFF A
LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL THIS WEEK. NEW RESEARCH [1] BY CORPORATE EUROPE
OBSERVATORY LOOKS AT INDUSTRY LOBBYING IN THE RUN-UP TO THE PLASTICS
STRATEGY, AND ATTEMPTS TO WEAKEN, DELAY AND DERAIL ACTION TO TACKLE
PLASTICS.
With single-use plastics choking cities and plastic waste set to exceed
fish stocks in our seas and oceans by 2050, the European Commission has
turned its focus to addressing some of the worst causes of plastic
pollution.
New research [1] now shows that industry interests including
PlasticsEurope, CEFIC - the European Chemical Industry Council, and
Cosmetics Europe, were granted the vast majority of lobby meetings on the
Plastics Strategy in 2017, the year ahead of its publication.
PlasticsEurope alone had 13 meetings, which included a private breakfast
for industry heads with Vice-President Timmermans.
In a bid to get the relevant industries on board with its targets, the
Commission proactively reached out to key lobby groups to secure voluntary
commitments from the sector, but the responses fell short of what was
required. A further Commission attempt to persuade industry to make
ambitious voluntary commitments, this time on boosting the use of recycled
plastic in new products, has yet to bear fruit, while corporate lobbies
continue to oppose regulatory measures such as a tax on virgin plastic,
bans on certain single-use plastic items, or more 'producer responsibility'
to pay for the collection and treatment of certain products.
CORPORATE EUROPE OBSERVATORY’S CAMPAIGNER VICKY CANN SAID:
"Growing public pressure to tackle the plastic crisis has forced the
plastics industry on the defensive. Although they cannot allow themselves
to be seen opposing action on plastics entirely, corporate lobbyists are
clearly seeking to undermine elements of the Plastics Strategy where they
can.
"Industry promises to help tackle the plastic crisis have fallen short, so
legislation seems far more likely to deliver results.
"But we should be on the alert. If the Commission shows ambition in its
upcoming proposal on single-use plastics, industry is certain to mobilise
its allies in the European Parliament and in member states to try to
protect its profits."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
*
Read the research in full here [1].
*
In a recent report on packaging industry lobbying [2], Corporate Europe
Observatory revealed that some anti-littering NGOs have been set up by
corporate interests, are dependent on corporate funding, share staff with
industry, allow corporate interests to set their direction, and / or act as
consultants to industry.
CONTACT:
Vicky Cann, vi...@corporateeurope.org, +44 1494 864649
Links:
------
[1]
http://media.corporateeurope.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=1351&qid=181654
[2]
http://media.corporateeurope.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=1352&qid=181654
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