Policy recommendations

  • The European Union should allow ACP countries to maintain their sovereignty and policy space in relation to the appropriate use of their own natural resources. They should be able to use investment regulations, tariff barriers and export restrictions to promote equitable, local and sustainable economic development.
  • The European Commission through its development policy should stimulate resource-rich developing countries to implement their own industrial policies, to protect their infant industries by using legitimate barriers to trade, and by introducing environmental measures. This should allow resource-rich developing countries to move up the value chain, so that the added value to (semi) processed products will remain in the country of origin and would thus stimulate economic development.
  • Within its development budget the EU should allocate sufficient resources to the building of energy and environmental infrastructure to enable developing countries to stimulate economic development.
  • The EU should use its political and economic power to set clear rules in relation to the extraction of raw materials. Like suggested in the February 2011 RMI update an EU code of conduct for EU companies operating in third countries should be developed and measures should be taken to enforce such a code of conduct.
  • In order to provide for more transparency in the supply chain and to minimize the role of European companies in fuelling conflicts over resources, the EU should implement Country by Country reporting, following the US example of the Dodd Frank Act.
  • Within the EPA negotiations the EU should be more flexible as suggested in the RMI update and make sure developing countries can demonstrate the use of export taxes as a policy tool and therefore keep using them.
  • In all policy initiatives and actions elaborated on the basis of the strategy laid down in the Raw Materials Initiative that affect developing countries, DG Development should be closely involved, and ACP partner countries and civil society organisations should be consulted.

 

 

Case: Raw Materials Initiative

11-01-2012 MEP Rossi asks about WEEE compliance

In 2009, the European Commission adopted a directive on electronic waste (e-waste). This so called WEEE (waste electric and electronic equipment) directive requires Member States to collect electronic waste separately in order to increase the recycling of electronic devices and to fight illegal export of e-waste. Despite this directive, the illegal dumping of hazardous electronic waste still takes place on a large scale. African and Asian countries that are used as dumping ground are hit the hardest, and in effect their soil and water resources are being polluted by toxic materials such as lead, arsenic, beryllium and cobalt.

If Member States would properly comply with the directive, 70% to 75% of electronic equipment could be recovered, and 50% to 75% of that could be recycled. With the fact in mind that this could reduce illegal dumping of e-waste in poor countries in Africa and Asia and that the lives of many people could be improved in that way, MEP Oreste Rossi (EFD) asks the Commission if it intends to monitor the Member States compliance with the WEEE directive.

Fair Politics welcomes this question by MEP Rossi. By reducing electronic waste and fighting illegal transfer of waste outside the EU, the environmental pollution from toxic e-waste, which has a negative impact on sustainable development of developing countries, can be called to a halt. A cleaner environment has a positive impact on peoples health and well-being and will give the local communities a real chance to develop. By posing this question MEP Rossi draws attention also to Policy Coherence for Development: the WEEE directive can only contribute to sustainable development if Member States live up to their responsibilities. By monitoring their compliance to the directive, the WEEE directive can be an effective measure to support development. Fair Politics grants MEP Oreste Rossi one point in our monitoring system for the Fair Politician of the Year.

Monitor fair: EFD


Parliamentary questions
5 December 2011 E-011447/2011

Question for written answer
to the Commission
Rule 117
Oreste Rossi (EFD)

Subject: Dumping of looted electronic waste

The disposal of electronic waste is a major problem throughout the world and has been for many years. The many attempts that have been made to reduce the scale of this waste by trying to recycle it do not seem to have had especially positive effects on the environment. The countries worst hit by pollution from lead, arsenic, beryllium and cobalt, which poison both water and soil, are those of Africa and Asia which are the dumping grounds for the so-called technological progress of the developed countries. The electronics multinationals have, in practice, colluded in the illegal disposal of electronic waste in these countries, while non-governmental organisations and authorities are attempting to curb this trend.
Illegal dumping is also a problem within the EU, and many such dumps are, moreover, being looted. Refrigerator compressors are highly sought after in the illegal traffic in WEEE (waste electronic and electrical equipment). Such thefts mean that a great deal of waste cannot be recovered and recycled. The amendment of Directive 2002/96/EC, intended to alleviate the problem raised by the disposal of electronic waste, simplifies product take-back procedures and is intended to discourage transfers of waste outside the EU and to offer citizens an opportunity to return small electrical appliances and equipment free of charge to countries various points of sale. The aim here is to persuade specialist facilities that they should take back electronic waste without levying additional costs. It would then be possible to recover 70 % to 85 % of electronic and electrical equipment, 50 % to 75 % of which could be recycled.
Bearing in mind that such initiatives could reduce illegal dumping and the amount of toxic materials in Africa and Asia, where there are high levels of lead in inhabitants blood as a result of waste disposal violations for which some Member States must shoulder responsibility, can the Commission say whether it intends to monitor the various Member States compliance with the new directive, thereby improving many peoples quality of life and reducing the extent of electronic waste?