Press Release: Regional Development & Cohesion Funds: a step in the right direction for the circular economy

Published

09 Dec 2020

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Brussels, 8th December 2020

Today a political agreement was reached by the European Parliament and Council on the Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund (CF) setting out the scope of support with regard to the investment for jobs and growth as well as European territorial cooperation. The funds will support regional development and cohesion in poorer regions of the European Union including the transition to a more circular economy with the focus on investment in activities following the order of priority in the waste hierarchy while capping any investment in residual waste treatment capacities such as waste incineration, with the exception for recovery of materials from residual waste for circular economy purposes.

“We welcome the political agreement to stress the importance of material recovery from residual waste for circular economy purposes. This is an opportunity for Member States planning their future waste infrastructures to invest in material recovery and biological treatment facilities which are cheaper, create more jobs and are better for the environment and climate.” – Janek Vahk, Climate, Energy & Air Pollution Coordinator at Zero Waste Europe

ENDS

For more information contact:
Janek Vahk – Climate, Energy & Air Pollution Coordinator at Zero Waste Europe [email protected] | +32 49 355 3779

NOTES
Article 6.1 point (g) of ERDF/CF excludes- the investments increasing the capacity of facilities for the treatment of residual waste, except for:
(i) the outermost regions in duly justified cases only
(ii) investment in technologies to recover materials from residual waste for circular economy purposes.”

References:
Building a bridge strategy for residual waste 
Zero Waste best practices https://zerowastecities.eu