European Economic and Social Committee 10 December 2014, Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on resource efficiency opportunities in the building sector (COM(2014) 445 final) on the communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — Towards a circular economy: A zero waste programme for Europe (COM(2014) 398 final) and on the ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directives 2008/98/EC on waste, 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste, 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste, 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles, 2006/66/EC on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators, and 2012/19/EU on waste electrical and electronic equipment’ (COM(2014) 397 final — 2014/0201 (COD))

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The European Economic and Social Committee supports the transition from a linear to a circular economy but considers that the Commission’s 2014 package is unduly concentrated on waste legislation and lacks concrete upstream measures covering product life cycles, eco-design, investment and resource efficiency. It recommends an integrated EU framework with clear timelines, budgets and financing tools, linked to energy, climate and industrial policies, and with attention to employment, worker health and safety, consumer information, traceability and producer responsibility. The Committee further advocates binding and credible prevention, reuse, recycling and landfill-reduction measures consistent with the waste hierarchy, including separate reuse targets, territorial circular-economy planning, and standards for secondary materials and building-material traceability.AI