Commission: making waste a resource Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Sweden and The Netherlands, are the most "virtuous" countries as relates to urban waste recycling and management. In a 180-page report released on April 16 Eurostat makes known that these six Countries "landfill less than 3 % of their municipal waste. At the other extreme, 9 Member States are still landfilling more than 75 % of their municipal waste. The survey shows continuous progress in Eastern Europe, "where recycling rates are increasing rapidly". The situation is worrying in terms of health, environmental protection, and economic costs. Eurostat points out: "Municipal waste generation has also decreased in several Member States probably due to the economic downturn", namely, lower wages, lower consumption, less domestic waste. According to the statistical office, the Member States that "have recycling rates of up to 70 % bury virtually nothing, whilst others still landfill more than three-quarters of their waste". The best performers combined economic instruments: a mix of landfilling and incineration taxes and bans, producer responsibility schemes and "pay-as-you-throw" (with tax cuts for citizens using separate waste collection) along with "Producer responsibility schemes" addressed to companies and families in particular. Environment Commissioner Janez Potoènik said: "Waste is too valuable to just throw away, and if you manage it right you can put that value back into the economy. Six Member States now combine virtually zero landfilling and high recycling rates. Not only do they exploit the value of the waste, they have created thriving industries and many jobs in the process".Single market: competition for the "1992 generation" "You don’t have to be an expert photographer or filmmaker with state-of-the-art equipment. You don’t need a degree in literature or political science. You don’t need to be a telecom genius or have a PhD in building apps". The European Commission invites European citizens born in 1992, when the single European market was launched, to take part in a competition to convey their views, experiences, insights and expectations, in any creative format, on what the single market means to young Europeans today. The EU decided to involve youth born in 1992, "who grew up in a Europe where the free movement of people, goods, services and capital between EU countries has always been a reality". The "1992 generation" can express their ideas, expectations and experiences by submitting an original essay, video, photograph, cartoon or smart phone application. Prizes, including four-week internships in European Institutions as well as in international companies, will be awarded in Brussels, during the Single Market Week (October 15-20). To learn more about the single market and the competition (that will present monthly awards from April through September) log on www.generation1992.eu. "There is a feeling that progress towards a true single market has stalled", said Michel Barnier, launching the competition addressed to the "1992 generation". "In 1992, we had great hopes for the single market. Looking back, it has indeed helped citizens work anywhere they want, made trade easier and brought more jobs". The French Commissioner underlined the importance to "relaunch the single market" in order to give young adults "renewed hope and greater opportunities". European Parliament online from A to Z A for Anti-terrorism, E for Ecosystem, P for Parliament or for Poverty, W for Waste… With short videos, guided by an animated figure called Blink, the European Parliament presents its activities, the themes debated by MEPs and the areas of intervention of EU institutions. The three-minute videos addressed to schools and individuals of all ages, provide comprehensive information via basic and direct communication. The videos can be viewed at www.europarl.europa.eu. As regards Parliament, and other EU instutions Blink explains: "The EU acts through various bodies and each one has a specific role. The Commission is like the government of the EU. The EU Council of Ministers represents Member States, and Parliament represents citizens". The European Parliament "represents the interests of all European citizens and it consists of 754 MEPs elected with universal suffrage. It’s the only world assembly that brings together so many countries in so many languages…". The Communication and Press service will soon release more videos, to cover the entire alphabet.
