Waste: “recycling society a long-term goal”25% of food bought by EU households is thrown away; household waste is increasing across Europe; differentiated refuse collection is expanding, but at a low pace. The European Commission today published a report on Member States’ performance in the prevention and recycling of waste. This shows that some Member States have made “excellent progress”, but that “we are still some way from achieving the long-term goal of becoming a ‘recycling society’ – one that not only avoids producing waste but also uses it as a resource”. According to the report, “in most Member States overall waste generation seems to be increasing (or at best stabilising). Over the last 10 years municipal waste generation has stabilised at around 524 kg per year per person, although household consumption has increased by around 16% during the same period. “More could be done, therefore, to reduce the absolute generation of waste. For example, “some 60% of this waste could be avoided, saving each household around 500 per year”. Environment Commission Janez Potocnik declared: We are serious about making Europe a resource efficient economy as we set out to do in the Europe 2020 Strategy”. This is not just about “reducing negative environmental impacts and green house gas emissions, it will also create jobs; in the waste recycling sector alone half a million jobs could be created”. These are the expectations, but the Executive underlined that there are “are huge differences between Member States. Recycling rates vary from a few percent up to 70%. In some Member States landfilling has virtually disappeared, in others more than 90% of waste is still buried in the ground”. The new Waste Framework Directive, which should have been transposed by 12 December 2010, “has still not passed into national law in many EU countries”. The Commission said it would act to this regard. Strengthening the social-economic dimension of sport “Sport is important for Europe’s economy and a key component of its social model”. The message was conveyed by Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou during the presentation of a document with the Commission’s proposals aimed at strengthening the societal, economic and organizational dimensions of sport”. According to the Commissioner, “Athletes, sport organizations and citizens are expected to benefit from the plans, which flow from the EU’s new role under the Lisbon Treaty to support and coordinate sport policy in the Member States”. The Commission’s proposals follow a consultation with Member States and sport stakeholders and take account of the experience gained in implementing the 2007 White Paper on Sport. They cover three main areas: “the societal role of sport, its economic dimension, and the organisation of sport”. The paper addresses several themes such as “combined sports training and general education”, media rights and public funding of sport activity, security arrangements and safety requirements for international sport events. Vassiliou underlines that over the past two years the EU invested “6 million to support around 40 sport projects aimed at promoting health, social inclusion, volunteering, and the fight against doping”. Twelve new projects will be launched in 2011. The paper will now be sent to the Council and European Parliament for discussion.Committee of the Regions: economy and volunteering on the 2011 agenda Territorial development and cooperation, the economy, transport and volunteering are but a few of the wide range of issues on the 2011 agenda of the Committee of the Regions (CoR), the consultative body of the European Union, which cooperates in developing EU regions’ legislation and policies. The first highlight event takes place on January 26 with a Forum organized with the European Commission on the European Year of Volunteering “to encourage the exchange of best practice in the areas of sport, public assistance to the elderly”. Other significant events are linked to the six plenary meetings of the CoR, the first of which is scheduled January 27-28. “These include the forum for decentralized development cooperation, transport policies and trans-European networks along with regional policies for research and innovation”. As in the past, Open Days – the European Week of cities and regions , that will take place next October 10-13 – are the highlight of the agenda. On January 29 will take place the second Arlem meeting, that brings together the delegates of the Euro-Mediterranean regional and local Assembly.
