“The Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) supports global trade and a free market, but a pre-condition to this is a level playing field. This is why we support requiring broadly equal environmental standards from our competitors in Asia," said Jori Ringman-Beck, CEPI Director for Recycling, Products and Environment, at bvse (Bundesverbard Sekundaerrohstoffe und Entsorgung e.V.) International Recovered Paper Conference in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Thursday 19 April.

"This is also the reason why CEPI supports the recent Italian waste law amendment enforcing good global environmental standards in recycling," said Mr. Ringman-Beck. According to the decree dated 4 April 2012, each international waste shipment must now be accompanied by a certificate issued by the authorities in the destination country confirming that the environmental standards applicable in that country are comparable to those prescribed in the EU. Recently, the Internal Committee of the Italian Parliament advised the Parliament to repeal the amendment.

CEPI reminds that the principle of requiring comparable environmental standards is already included in the European Waste Directive and the Waste Shipment Regulation, and is also recognised in the international Basel Convention on waste transports. “As such the Italian decree does not seem to be conflicting with either EU law or international law” says Mr. Ringman-Beck. “It is also giving strong support to the European green growth, resource efficiency and recycling society,” complements CEPI Director General, Teresa Presas.

“The rationale and justification of the Italian amendment is very valid and is a valuable attempt to implement the requirement of ‘broadly equivalent standards’ which has existed in EU waste legislation for years but has rarely been enforced. Not enforcing it erodes both the environmental and the economic foundations of sustainability,” says Ms. Presas.