Agenda of the EU Environment Council, 16 March 2023

Industrial emissions

Ministers will seek a general approach on a proposal to revise the industrial emissions directive.

The directive is the main EU instrument regulating pollutant emissions from industrial installations. The revision proposes further efforts to reduce pollution in line with the European Green Deal aim to reach a zero-pollution, competitive, climate-neutral economy by 2050. The proposal aims at guiding the investments needed in industrial installations to reach these goals.

Proposal to revise the industrial emissions directive

Zero-pollution action plan (European Commission)

Carbon removal certification

Ministers will exchange views on a proposal to set up an EU certification framework for carbon removals. The proposal aims to facilitate the deployment of high-quality carbon removals in the EU, covering carbon farming, carbon storage in products and permanent carbon storage.

Presidency background paper

Proposal for a Union certification framework for carbon removals

Packaging and packaging waste

Ministers will hold a policy debate on the proposed revision of EU legislation on packaging and packaging waste.

The proposal aims to tighten existing rules on prevention, reduction and recycling of packaging and packaging waste. It proposes to reduce packaging waste by 15% by 2040 per Member State per capita and to make all packaging on the EU market recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030.

The proposal also aims to set mandatory rates of recycled content that producers have to include in new plastic packaging.

Presidency background paper

Proposal on packaging and packaging waste

European Green Deal (background information)

Urban wastewater treatment directive

Ministers will hold a debate on a proposal to revise the urban wastewater treatment directive. The directive aims to reduce pollutants, especially micropollutants, from wastewater in rivers, lakes, groundwaters and seas, while making wastewater treatment more cost-effective and improving access to water sanitation.

Presidency background paper

Proposal to revise the urban waste water treatment directive

Zero-pollution action plan (European Commission)

Other business

Under other business ministers will hear from Austria on a regulation of plants obtained by new genomic techniques. Poland will inform ministers about a report on the impact of military operations on the natural environment in Ukraine. Ministers will hear from Germany on the International World Chemicals Conference and from Italy on Rome’s candidature for the EXPO 2030 Universal Exhibition. France will inform ministers on a treaty on the elimination of plastic pollution.

The Commission will inform ministers on its recent proposal on CO2 emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles.

Over lunch, ministers will exchange views on Greening the European Semester.

Greening the European Semester (European Commission)

Meeting information

• Brussels
• 16 March 2023

Preparatory documents

• Provisional agenda