In June 2007 the EU Environment Council reached a unanimous decision on proposals to revise the bloc’s waste management rules, voting for a five-step waste hierarchy, prioritising prevention, reuse, and recycling ahead of energy recovery and disposal. However, in a move condemned by environmental NGOs efficient waste incineration was reclassified as “recovery” rather than “disposal”.

Although the question of whether to re-classify waste-to-energy incinerators proved an initial sticking point with Member States having “diametrically opposing” views, Ministers eventually approved the re-classification together with the European Commission’s original efficiency calculation. As a result, waste incineration has been pushed up the waste hierarchy, and given a “cleaner” image.

Concessions regarding Member States’ ability to limit incoming and outgoing shipments of waste were also agreed. Demands by a group of countries lead by the Czech Republic, regarding the right of prior consent for all waste imports into their territories, led to an agreement that countries can block imports bound for recovery, provided the imports would result in the displacement of domestic waste to landfill.

Moreover, the Council failed to reach and agreement on recycling and prevention targets, initially proposed by the European Parliament in its first reading. The result is a policy that further promotes waste incineration and fails to back-up the waste hierarchy.

Dr Michael Warhurst, Waste & Resources Campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe said: "The Environment Council has postponed discussion of the vital recycling and prevention targets - supported by Parliament in February - and has instead focused on fiddling with the bottom of the waste hierarchy. This is deeply disappointing when the EU should be providing leadership on resource efficiency and reducing climate impacts."

Joan Marc Simon, Health Care Without Harm’s Waste Policy Officer was also critical of Council: "The Council decision on reclassification is short-sighted; it doesn’t address the strategic challenge of waste management in Europe in the mid- to-long run. We call on the European Parliament to bring back the European approach and vision to the Directive during Second Reading."

Read the European Commission opinion on the Environment Council agreements

Read the Friends of the Earth Europe, Health Care Without Harm, and EEB press release