German deposit on one-way containers: latest developments

HOME ARCHIV 2003 22.09.2003 German deposit on one way containers: latest devolopments
 

DG PETCORE Frank Koelewijn: "I am concerned with the haste with which legislators in candidate countries scramble to impose laws just to meet EU requirements. They risk making costly mistakes. Instead, they should request fast moving consumer goods manufacturers to come up with a sound business plan for the collection of recyclable household waste such, that it meets local economic, social and cultural needs. It is so much easier to do things right in the first place, instead of having to repair a dysfunctional collection system."

Meanwhile, the revision of the packaging decree, exempting "environmentally advantageous packaging" from the take-back obligation, has been approved by the lower house of parliament.

On the European Union side, mineral water importers filed complaints the Commission against Germany on the grounds of breach of free trade. Mineral waters need to be bottled at source, thus the take back empty containers is more cumbersome and costly for importers.

Both Frits Bolkestein, the European Commissioner for internal market, and Romano Prodi, the President of the Commission, have criticised the interim return system. The Commission considers that the scheme is both environmentally feeble and represents a restriction on free movement of goods.

Trittin rebuffed that he could see no signs that imported products were disadvantaged by the current deposit ruling.

In the meantime, the German statistical institute reported a drop in beer sales of 4.1%. In the first 6 months of 2003, 51.4 million hectolitres of beer were bought against the 53.6 million hectolitres for the same period the year before.

One category of retailers over the heels happy with the current situation are small outlets vendors. Virtually no one ever returns one-way containers bought in this kind of stores. With a deposit fee of EUR 0.25 and EUR 0.50, no wonder these stores are making a fortune out of the interim return system.