European Conservatives and Reformists Group Bureau member and Environment Commission member, Councillor Kay Twitchen OBE, called for a realistic approach to the European Union key Waste Targets. She welcomed the report on behalf of the ECR Group and underlined the need to ensure the feasibility of recommendations and the need to avoid over-regulation.

During the 102nd CoR plenary session of 3-4 July, members of the Committee of the Regions adopted an opinion on the EUs Key Waste Targets. On behalf of the ECR Group Cllr. Twitchen underlined that the report made some important policy recommendations but warned against recommendations undermining the principle of subsidiarity and introducing unnecessary bureaucracy. 

 Councillor Twitchen said - "we need to respect the principle of subsidiarity and avoid recommendations that would lead to unnecessary bureaucracy. Give us the standards to meet and let us meet them."

 The report proposed a common language on waste management, which is expected to lead to a more level playing field. It also underlined the need to involve local and regional authorities as the implementing bodies.

 The ECR Group did not support a standardised Europe-wide levy on each tone of waste that is landfilled and underlined the need to respect the principle of subsidiarity. The Group also did not support the call for industrial waste recycling targets, which would be unfeasible in cases where industrial and commercial waste do not fall within the remits of local and regional authorities.