EUROPEAN COMPOST NETWORK
ECN e.V.

Network for Organic Resources and Biological Treatment

ECN E-BULLETIN No. 6_2023

30 july 2023

Joint Letter │ Soil Health Law

ECN signs open letter urging EU Commission to adopt soil health law following delay

The ECN joined forces with other environmental organisations to push the college of Commissioners to publish the long-awaited Soil Health Directive before the summer recess.

The reason behind this request is the rescheduling of the proposal publication one month later than the initial date. The Soil Health Law first disappeared from the Commission’s tentative agenda, but then reincluded in the programme and expected now for July 5th. However, the agenda is still provisional, and the ECN - together with the co-signatories of the letter - is calling for no further delay on the publishment of the ‘Food and Biodiversity package’ which could otherwise compromise the adoption of the law before the end of the 5-years term.

You can read the letter here.

ENVI Committee │ Net Zero Industry Act

ENVI Committee withdraws biogas and biomethane from list of net-zero strategic technologies

The Environment committee of the European parliament has published its opinion on the Commission’s proposal “Net Zero Industry Act”, suggesting to exclude biogas and biomethane from the list of the strategic technologies.

The strategic technologies listed in the proposed regulation would benefit from accelerated permitting procedures and easier access to financing. This approach is opposite to the one taken by the ITRE committee (industry, research and energy) which is responsible for drafting the report on the file. The rapporteur of the ENVI committee stated that technologies applied to the circular economy should be nonetheless covered by the text, but simply without figuring in the list.

JRC │ Integrated Nutrient Management

EU Commission’s science hub publishes new report to support INMAP development

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission has issued a new technical report focusing on the topic of an integrated nutrient management action plan (INMAP).

The report is informing the Commission on the current flows of nitrogen and phosphorus, and drawing the possible different measures to recover them, supporting the EU executive in delivering its long-awaited Communication on INMAP (now scheduled for July). Biowaste recycling through composting and anaerobic digestion figures among one of the technologies that could help reducing nutrients loss and keeping them into the loop, creating a more circular economy.
Click here to have a look at the full document.

Joint Letter │ EU Biomethane target

ECN backs joint statement to the EU Council on biomethane target

A joint letter prepared by the European Biogas Association and signed by the ECN, among many others, has been sent to the Council of the EU after member states’ representatives failed to include a binding target for biomethane.

The EU Council did not include in its position on the revision of the Gas Package a binding target of 35 bcm biomethane for 2030, which was instead taken up by the European Parliament in its own position. Ahead of the gas package interinstitutional negotiations between the Council and the European Parliament, we have proposed with this letter the introduction of a new article setting an EU binding biomethane target, leaving flexibility to Member States to define national strategies for its achievement.

You can access the letter at this link.

EU Commission and EEA │ Early Warning Report

Biowaste most critical stream to meet EU recycling targets according to latest waste management report

In a report published today, the Commission identifies Member States at risk of not meeting the 2025 preparing for re-use and recycling targets for municipal and all packaging waste and the 2035 landfilling target. Nine Member States are on track to meet the 2025 targets, however, 18 Member States are at risk of missing one or both of the 2025 targets. The Early Warning Report (EWR) also reveals that some countries also continue to landfill most of their municipal waste and will probably fail to meet the 2035 landfilling target. The Commissions presents recommendations to these Member States, building on continuous financial and technical support provided for improving performance on waste management.

The report shows that there are significant differences in waste management performance across the EU. For some countries, there is still a long way to go to meet the targets agreed in EU legislation and more reforms are needed, notably: to ensure biowaste treatment, which represents a third of municipal waste; separate collection of waste - a prerequisite to recycling; and improve data quality. However, most EU countries have or are in the process of putting place waste reforms to improve recycling rates, some of which should yield results in the coming years. Together with packaging waste, biowaste management comes out as one of the main issues identified as hindering performance in recycling, although the obligation of separately collecting biowaste applies as of 1 January 2024.

For More Information on the EWR, take a look here the European Commission’s press release and list of documents attached.

Figure: Coverage of population in EU Member States with high-convenience collection systems by municipal waste stream and average share of each material in municipal waste

EEA briefing 08/2023

EU Commission │ EU Taxonomy

European Commission adopts environmental delegated act within the sustainable finance package

The Commission is adding additional activities to the EU Taxonomy, including economic activities contributing to the transition to a circular economy, and proposing new rules for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating providers.

The aim of the package is to support companies and the financial sector by encouraging private funding of transition projects and technologies and facilitating financial flows to sustainable investments. Composting and anaerobic digestion figure among the list of sustainable economic activities for which technical screening criteria have been laid down in the delegated environmental act (annex II).

EU Council │ Nature Restoration Law

EU Ministers of environment reach agreement on nature restoration, vote in Parliament awaits

Environment ministers agreed on a General Approach on June 20, to restore the weak health of Europe’s natural habitats and turn around the biodiversity crisis. This will serve as a mandate for the interinstitutional talks as soon as the European Parliament finalises its own position.

The general approach was reached with 20 votes in favour, against the 15 required. It is now the job of the ENVI committee in the European parliament to adopt its report on the file and bring it to the plenary vote. Following votes on amendments to the Commission's proposal on Thursday 15 June and continued on Tuesday 27 June, the Committee on Environment of the European Parliament rejected the proposed EU nature restoration law as amended. The final vote was 44 votes in favour, 44 against and 0 abstentions, falling short of a majority in favour. The ENVI Committee will table to plenary the proposal to reject the Commission's proposal. Parliament as a whole is then required to take a position, probably in the July plenary session in Strasbourg pending approval of the agenda by the Conference of Presidents.

Click here for more information!

JRC│ State of Soil Health

The JRC and EEA launch a call for contributors for the assessment of soil health on European land

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) together with the European Environmental Agency (EEA) is looking for contributing authors for the preparation of its Assessment of the State of Soil Health in Europe.

The resulting Science for Policy report will consist of a fully evidenced, spatially organized assessment of pressures affecting soil health, with high relevance to the implementation of the future Soil Health Law. It will also serve as a basis for the European Chapter of FAO's Status of the World's Soil Resources (SWSR) report planned for 2025. If you would like to contribute to this report please fill and submit this form by 07 July 2023 indicating your area of expertise and your geographical scope.

Events

ISWA I 4-8 September 2023

Study Tour on Decentralised Bio-Waste Recycling

This 4th international study tour and training course will lead you through multi-dimensional best practices and nearly 35 years of experience in decentralised organic waste recycling.

In B2B meetings and practice-orientated lectures, the entire chain of a well-structured national and local biowaste recycling regime will be covered. As a special highlight, the 8th International Practitioner Day on Composting, Europe’s biggest show of bio-mass and compost processing machines organised by the Compost and Biogas Association Austria, will be visited.

ECN Members will receive tickets at a reduced price!

For more information and to register, click here!

IPT 2023 I Vienna (AT) I 7 September 2023

International Practitioner Day on Composting Plant of the City of Vienna

Please save the date for the composting and technology demonstration days of the Austrian Compost & Biogas Association (KBVÖ).

Further information will follow soon!

S.O.S Save Organics in Soil

This international initiative S.O.S. SOIL – Save Organics in Soil, led by the European Compost Network (ECN) and the Italian Composting and Biogas Association (CIC), aims to highlight the importance of soil organic matter to encourage policy makers to develop instruments to move Europe towards implementing sustainable, climate proof soil management practices.

Sign the manifesto 'Save Organigs in Soil' here.