NoL365/10 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 31.12.94 EUROPEANPARLIAMENTANDCOUNCILDIRECTIVE94/62/EC of20December1994 onpackagingandpackagingwaste THEEUROPEANPARLIAMENTANDTHECOUNCILOF THEEUROPEANUNION, WhereasthisDirectiveshouldcoveralltypesof packagingplacedonthemarketandallpackagingwaste; whereas;therefore,CouncilDirective85/339/EECof27 June1985oncontainersofliquidsforhuman consumption(4)shouldberepealed; HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean Community,andinparticularArticle100athereof, HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission(), Whereaspackaginghasavitalsocialandeconomic functionandthereforemeasuresprovidedforinthis Directiveshouldapplywithoutprejudicetoother relevantlegislativerequirementsaffectingqualityand transportofpackagingorpackagedgoods; HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEconomicandSocial Committee(2), Actinginaccordancewiththeprocedurelaiddownin Article189boftheTreaty(3), Whereas,inlinewiththeCommunitystrategyforwaste managementsetoutinCouncilresolutionof7May1990 onwastepolicy(5)andCouncilDirective75/442/EECof 15July1975onwaste(6),themanagementofpackaging andpackagingwasteshouldincludeasafirstpriority, preventionofpackagingwasteand,asadditional fundamentalprinciples,reuseofpackaging,recyclingand otherformsofrecoveringpackagingwasteand,hence, reductionofthefinaldisposalofsuchwaste; Whereasthedifferingnationalmeasuresconcerningthe managementofpackagingandpackagingwasteshould beharmonizedinorder,ontheonehand,topreventany impactthereofontheenvironmentortoreducesuch impact,thusprovidingahighlevelofenvironmental protection,and,ontheotherhand,toensurethe functioningofthe-internalmarketandtoavoidobstacles totradeanddistortionandrestrictionofcompetition withintheCommunity; Whereas,untilscientificandtechnologicalprogressis madewithregardtorecoveryprocesses,reuseand recyclingshouldbeconsideredpreferableintermsof environmentalimpact;whereasthisrequiresthesetting upintheMemberStatesofsystemsguaranteeingthe returnofusedpackagingand/orpackagingwaste; whereaslife-cycleassessmentsshouldbecompletedas soonaspossibletojustifyaclearhierarchybetween reusable,recyclableandrecoverablepackaging; Whereasthebestmeansofpreventingthecreationof packagingwasteistoreducetheoverallvolumeof packaging; Whereasitisimportant,inrelationoftheobjectivesof thisDirective,torespectthegeneralprinciplethat measurestakeninoneMemberStatetoprotectthe environmentshouldnotadverselyaffecttheabilityof otherMemberStatestoachievetheobjectivesofthe Directive; Whereaspreventionofpackagingwasteshallbecarried outthroughappropriatemeasures,includinginitiatives takenwithintheMemberStatesinaccordancewiththe objectivesofthisDirective; WhereasMemberStatesmayencourage,inaccordance withtheTreaty,reusesystemsofpackagingwhichcanbe reusedinanenvironmentallysoundmanner,inorderto takeadvantageofthecontributionofsuchsystemsto environmentalprotection; Whereasthereductionofwasteisessentialforthe sustainablegrowthspecificallycalledforbytheTreatyon EuropeanUnion; HOJNoC263,12.10.1992,p.1andOJNoC285,21.10. 1993,p.1. Whereasfromanenvironmentalpointofviewrecycling shouldberegardedasanimportantpartofrecoverywith (2)OJNoC129,10.5.1993,p.18. (3)OpinionoftheEuropeanParliamentof23June1993(OJ NoC194,19.7.1993,p.177),commonpositionofthe Councilof4March1994(OJNoC137,19.5.1994,p.65) andDecisionoftheEuropeanParliamentof4May1994(OJ NoC205,25.7.1994,p.163).Confirmedon2December 1993(OJNoC342,20.12.1993,p.15).Jointtextofthe ConciliationCommitteeof8November1994. (4)OJNoL176,6.7.1985,p.18.Directiveasamendedby Directive91/629/EEC(OJNoL377,31.12.1991,p.48). (5)OJNoC122,18.5.1990,p. 2. (6)OJNoL194,25.7.1975,p.39.Directiveaslastamended byDirective91/156/EEC(OJNoL78,26.3.1991,p.32). 31.12.94 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL365/11 Whereas,inordertominimize,theimpactofpackaging andpackagingwasteontheenvironmentandtoavoid barrierstotradeanddistortionofcompetition,itisalso necessarytodefinetheessentialrequirementsgoverning thecompositionandthereusableandrecoverable (includingrecyclable)natureofpackaging; Whereasthepresenceofnoxiousmetalsandother substancesinpackagingshouldbelimitedinviewoftheir environmentalimpact{inparticularinthelightoftheir likelypresenceinemissionsorashwhenpackagingis incinerated,orinleachatewhenpackagingislandfilled); whereasitisessential,asafirststeptowardsreducingthe toxicityofpackagingwaste,topreventtheadditionof noxiousheavymetalstopackagingandensurethatsuch substancesarenotreleasedintotheenvironment,with appropriateexemptionswhichshouldbedeterminedby theCommissioninspecificcasesunderaCommittee procedure; Whereas,ifahighlevelofrecyclingistobeattainedand healthandsafetyproblemsaretobeavoidedbythose employedtocollectandprocesspackagingwaste,itis essentialforsuchwastetobesortedatsource; Whereastherequirementsforthemanufacturingof packagingshouldnotapplytopackagingusedforagiven productbeforethedateofentryintoforceofthis Directive;whereasatransitionperiodforthemarketing ofpackagingisalsorequired; aparticularviewtoreducingtheconsumptionofenergy andofprimar。