Reducing microplastic emissions in the EU
12.7.2023
Priority question for written answer P-002208/2023
to the Commission
Rule 138
Catherine Chabaud (Renew), Pascal Canfin (Renew), Véronique Trillet-Lenoir (Renew), Róża Thun und Hohenstein (Renew), Max Orville (Renew), Stéphane Bijoux (Renew)
The EU’s zero pollution action plan mandates a 30 % reduction in microplastic emissions by 2030. Given that the legislative proposal to tackle microplastics unintentionally released into the environment has been delayed since 2022, the Euro 7 regulation[1] with measures on tyre abrasion is currently one of the few legislative pathways available to reduce microplastic pollution by the deadline set by the EU.
Some stakeholders have sought to tie the Commission’s establishment of tyre abrasion limits to the completion of work performed by the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Working Party on Noise and Tyres / Working Party on Pollution and Energy task force. This could delay the Commission’s planned 2024 deadline for proposing tyre abrasion limits to 2026 or later.
- 1.Can the Commission explain how it intends to ensure that the 2030 EU timeline for reducing microplastic pollution by 30 % is met in the event of the UNECE task force’s work failing to reach a timely conclusion?
- 2.How can a delay be avoided in order to ensure that the EU makes immediate progress as of 2024, as planned in the Commission’s Euro 7 proposal, so that citizens are protected from microplastic pollution and its associated health hazards and environmental impacts as soon as possible?
Submitted:12.7.2023
- [1] Commission proposal of 10 November 2022 for a regulation of the European Ϸվ and of the Council on type-approval of motor vehicles and engines and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles, with respect to their emissions and battery durability (Euro 7) and repealing Regulations (EC) No 715/2007 and (EC) No 595/2009 (COM(2022)0586).