Members of the European Parliament’s environment committee voted today (10 March) to back a proposal from the European Commission to reduce the use of plastic bags in the European Union.

The position agreed by MEPs would set an EU target to reduce plastic bags by 50% in three years and 80% in five years.

The legislation will not force any member state to enact a ban on plastic bags, but it will allow member states to enact bans without violating single market rules. Member states will have to reach the objective of reducing the use of these bags, defined as those below 50 microns in thickness. But national governments can choose their own way of doing it. Some member states such as Ireland have already enacted bans.

Danish Green MEP Margrete Auken, who is leading negotiations on the file, had wanted the Parliament to significantly tighten the Commission’s timescale, reducing bags by 80% in just two years. Although this tight timescale was rejected by the committee, Auken still welcomed the result.

“As countries like Ireland have shown, with the right policy, these targets are easily achievable,” she said. “Those member states that want to go further and ban single use bags can do so.”

Biodegradable bags would also be included in the EU target under the Parliament position. Member states that have separate collection of bio-waste, like Italy or Germany, could reduce the price of these bags in order to incentivise separate collection of bio-waste, Auken said.

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The plastics industry is concerned that plastic bags are being used as scapegoat to hide a problem of poor waste management and inadequate infrastructure in some member states. “Regulating plastic bags independently from other waste does not make sense,” Karl-H. Foerster, executive director of PlasticsEurope, said after the vote.

“To effectively protect our environment, it would have been far better to focus on the implementation of existing EU waste legislation, in particular in those countries with no proper waste management.” 

The Parliament will vote on the legislation next month.

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