Activities of Stanislav POLČÁK related to 2021/2011(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on a European strategy for critical raw materials
Amendments (17)
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for binding EU reduction targets for primary raw materials use2030 to significantly reduce the EU material and consumption footprints and bring them within planetary boundaries by 2050 at the latest; requests that the Commission include all possible options to minimise resource consumption in its demand scenarios for critical raw materials (CRM); highlights the need to promote reduction of consumption across all sectors in order to reduce the pressure on CRM supply chains; __________________ 1 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0040.
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Notes that while it is the End of Life Recycling Input Rate that is considered for the criticality assessment, the 2020 CRM list does not always clearly indicate whether the CRM is recyclable or not; Considers that the Commission should in the Strategy put much stronger focus on recycling, processing and recovery of CRM in the EU to significantly increase the End of Life Recycling Rate and End of Life Recycling Input Rate where applicable;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Underlines the critical role of creating of a well-functioning market for secondary raw materials. In this regard calls on the Commission for rapid establishment of a market observatory for key secondary materials including CRM's.
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal of CRMs; c, especiallsy for ambitious minimum recycled CRM content targets; requests that the Commission propose new collectionrom post-consumer waste, in addition to eco- design measures that significantly improve longevity suchemes to increase collection rates of waste products containing CRMs; asks the Commission to propose dedicated recycling targets for CRMs, by extending the approach suggested in the proposal for a regulation on batteries and waste batteries (COM(2020)0798) to other product groups as requirements for minimum lifetime, durability, reparability, modularity, reusability and recyclability of end-of-life products; reiterates its call in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan for clear and harmonized labelling of durability and reparability of products, taking the form of a Repair Index; asks the Commission to also propose the adoption of a Recyclability Index for all electrical and electronic products, analogous to the EU Energy Label;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal of CRMall those CRMs that do not get used up in the production process; calls for ambitious minimum recycled CRM content targets; requests that the Commission propose new collection and recovery schemes to increase collection and recovery rates of waste products containing CRMs, their conversion to a usable form and where applicable their efficient use; asks the Commission to propose dedicated recycling targets for CRMs, by extending the approach suggested in the proposal for a regulation on batteries and waste batteries (COM(2020)0798) to other product groups;
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Requests that the Commission propose effective collection schemes to increase collection rates of waste products containing CRMs; calls for the introduction of deposit refund schemes in EU waste legislation, in particular in Directive 2012/19/EU, to incentivise consumers to bring their end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment - particularly small items - to dedicated collection and recycling facilities;
Amendment 84 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Calls for ambitious minimum recycled CRM content targets; calls for minimum treatment standards regarding process efficiency, environmental performance and safety for recyclers of key product groups; asks the Commission to propose dedicated recycling targets for CRMs, by extending the approach suggested in the proposal for a Regulation on batteries and waste batteries (COM(2020)0798) to other product groups; in particular, calls on the Commission to come forward with proposals to replace input-based recycling targets in Directive 2012/19/EU without put-based recycling targets, to increase the recovery of CRMs from waste electrical and electronic equipment; welcomes the ongoing Commission assessment of potential improvements to EU recycling standards for electrical and electronic equipment to increase recovery and recycling of CRM content;
Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. Notes that the EU industry reorientation towards the circular economy requires specific skills and competences to ensure high environmental performance and worker safety; requests the Commission to include training and reskilling programmes for the circular economy as a priority in the EU Skills Agenda and in EU funding programmes;
Amendment 108 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls on the Commission to fully enforce current EU environmental legislation applicable to the mining sector and to assess whether such legislation is sufficient to guarantee minimal environmental impact of existing and potential new mining projects in the EU, in the light of the objectives of the European Green Deal and in particular of the Biodiversity Strategy and the upcoming Zero-Pollution Action Plan, and to adapt this legislation where necessary;
Amendment 110 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls on the Commission to propose Sustainability Criteria under Taxonomy regulation for acquiring and processing primary and secondary raw materials (including mining) needed to achieve ambitious goals of the Green Deal; Highlights the need of securing finance for investments in research and development for technologies allowing extracting CRM's from waste and mining residues;
Amendment 118 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Call on the Commission to give particular attention to the socially and environmentally responsible sourcing of all CRMs and their traceability, from inside and outside Europe, and along their whole life cycle; calls on the Commission to give particular attention to the mining sector in the upcoming mandatory due-diligence legislation due to its significant impact on the environment;
Amendment 148 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Encourages a comprehensive assessment of the mining sector’s inclusion in the scope of the Industrial Emissions Directive; considers that the high environmental impact of mining activities, the average large size of mining projects, the variations in the pollution management standards applied to mining sites across Europe, and the potential expansion of CRM mining activities in Europe are elements of a strong case for the mining sector’s inclusion in the IED scope; suggests the establishment of BATs on restoration of mines, specifically relating to soil and water;
Amendment 149 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Encourages a comprehensive assessment of the mining sector’s inclusion in the scope of the EIA, Environmental Liability and Industrial Emissions Directives;
Amendment 159 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Believes that mining should be forbidden in nature conservation areaareas having a special value from the point of view of nature/biodiversity conservation, landscape protection or traditional uses by indigenous or local communities; calls on the Commission to evaluate legislative options to ensure that local communities are fully involvedpublic affected or likely to be affected by, or having an interest in, the permit procedures for new industrial and new mining projects, including non-governmental organisations promoting environmental protection and local communities, is fully involved in such procedures.
Amendment 178 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Stresses that transformation to low carbon economy must not cause new environmental and social problems in the EU or the third countries and urges the Commission and Member States to duly address the resource implications of low- carbon technologies in the field of critical raw materials.
Amendment 182 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Calls on the Commission to ensure that critical raw materials imported to the EU were legally produced while respecting due diligence requirements in the field of human (including children´s and workers´) and indigenous peoples rights and protection of the environment; welcomes in this context the full applicability from the 1 January 2021 of the Conflict Minerals Regulation (EU)2017/821; is of the opinion however that the regulation should be more ambitious in terms both the minerals covered and obligations imposed and calls on the Commission to review the regulation by 2023.
Amendment 192 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Agrees that replacing a critical raw material with a non-critical raw material that offers similar performance (substitution) is an important way to alleviate critical raw materials dependency on third countries and asks the Commission and Member States to ensure a long-term support to research and development in this field, including by financial means.