During the plenary session (25-28 March 2019) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. Statements by Frédérique RIES (ALDE, BE), rapporteur, Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Karmenu VELLA, Member of the EC in charge of Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Renata BRIANO (S&D, IT), Vice-Chair of the EP Committee on Fisheries, and Peter LIESE (EPP, DE). Illustrative shots and extracts from the vote.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

vote

TIMMERMANS, Frans (NL, EC)

plastic waste (T)

LIESE, Peter (EPP, DE)

VELLA, Karmenu (MT, EC)

circular economy (T)

RIES, Frédérique (Renew, BE)

BRIANO, Renata (S&D, IT)

reduction of the environmental impact of plastics (T)

Reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment: extracts from the debate and the vote, illustrative shots

SOUNDBITE (French), Fr&#233;d&#233;rique RIES (ALDE, BE), Rapporteur , Plastic poisons our seas, it kills its&rsquo; inhabitants and it is threatening us as part of the chain. So the time has come to fight against single use plastics. We have decided to fight against ten of them and fishing gear, because they account for 70 percent of all marine litter.

SOUNDBITE (French), Fr&#233;d&#233;rique RIES (ALDE, BE), Rapporteur, &ldquo;The polluter pays&rdquo;- principle now is at the heart of our legislation. We managed to have the tobacco manufactures involved and have them obliged to pay for the collection, the clean-up and the recycling of cigarette buds in January 2023. That is one year before all the other manufacturers.

SOUNDBITE (French), Fr&#233;d&#233;rique RIES (ALDE, BE), Rapporteur&#160;, Our legislation will help us save six and a half billion euro as consumers and we will create between 30 and 50 thousand of jobs in the industry where there is a real &ldquo;savoir vivre&rdquo;. This is remarkable.

SOUNDBITE (English), Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, If we don&rsquo;t change our ways now, we will choke our oceans with plastic. Scientific evidence is undeniable, so are the gravity and urgency of the problem. Europeans care about this and want Europe to show leadership on this, in finding solutions and raising the standards across the globe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, The prospect of this new legislation has already boosted more sustainable business solutions, changed consumer behavior and become a leading example in the world. Even before its entry into force.

SOUNDBITE (English), Karmenu VELLA, Member of the EC in charge of Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, The European Parliament also pushed for very strong measures to ensure that the bill for a proper waste management and clean-up of litter is picked up by the producers, who have the greatest influence on improving collection of on-the-go consumption waste. We will also have mandatory targets for recycled content and plastic bottles. This will truly change the very fundamentals of the plastic economy by giving a strong push for secondary raw materials market.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Renata BRIANO (S&amp;D, IT), Vice-Chair Committee on Fisheries, I think that fishermen have an absolutely vital role to play, both in terms of prevention but also in terms of being custodians of our oceans. Many initiatives have been proposed by the commission, including &ldquo;Fishing for litter&rdquo;.

SOUNDBITE (German), Peter LIESE (EPP, DE), We are strengthening the circular economy. We are acting to avoid the littering of the oceans. I have barely ever seen that a piece of environmental legislation has been perceived so exclusively positive by the citizens. This is why we should agree on it now with a big majority.

Extracts from the vote. The European Parliament voted: 560 votes in favour, 35 against and 28 abstentions