The European Parliament voted on 27 March 2019 with the intention to strengthen the EU “Cohesion Fund” positioning towards a more circular economy. Among other things, MEPs voted to exclude waste disposal and treatment of residual waste from regional EU funding. This includes landfills and incineration facilities. The updated rules will apply to the 2021-2027 period.

According to Zero Waste Europe’s (Brussels / Belgium; www.zerowasteeurope.eu) development and policy coordinator Janek Vahk, European lawmakers have sent a strong message to member states, that only the redirecting of investments from residual waste treatment to waste prevention, reuse and recycling is in line with the EU’s circular economy targets for 2035. However, the Brussels-based NGO is concerned about the exemptions that allow funding of waste burning plants in Europe’s outermost regions, and risk undermining efforts towards better waste management.

For 2014-2020, the Cohesion Fund concerns Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The aim of the funding is to reduce economic and social disparities and promote sustainable development. The three-way negotiations on the cohesion policy between governments, the European Parliament and the European Commission are expected to start after the European elections in May 2019.