Plastic Bags: EPP Group supports draft Directive to reduce usage

The European Parliament's Environment Committee today approved the draft Directive on the reduction in the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags. With no amendments proposed to the draft already approved by the Council, the EP can confirm the draft at its next plenary session without a vote.

EPP Group Shadow Rapporteur György Hölvényi MEP welcomed the outcome of the vote: "The EPP Group has been in favour of decreasing plastic bag usage since the beginning. I am pleased to see that the text passed both in the Council and in Parliament. Its implementation will greatly contribute to a cleaner environment in Europe."

The Directive targets plastic bags between 15 and 50 microns in thickness which pose a greater environmental risk than thicker ones, as the former are rarely re-used. Decomposition of plastic bags can take hundreds of years, making accumulation a major problem.

As a result of the decision, Member States will either have to impose a price on plastic bags by the end of 2018 or limit the annual consumption of plastic bags to 90 bags per person by the end of 2019, and further reduce this number to 40 by the end of 2025.

An informal agreement between the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council was reached last year. Since then, the Council already adopted the text at first reading and the European Parliament will approve it at second reading without a vote at its next plenary session.