Provincial Waste Management Plan Styria - Abfallwirtschaft - Abfall ...

Provincial Waste Management Plan Styria - 2005
• Sixth Community Environment Action Program 8 (2002 to 2012): On July 22 2002, the Sixth
Community Environment Action Program was laid down, aiming to achieve "better resource
efficiency and resource management to bring about more sustainable production and consumption
patterns". The intended result is to break the link between use of resources and waste generation
on the one hand and economic growth rates on the other. The Thematic Strategy for Sustainable
Use ("management") of Resources ("resource strategy") is directed towards this goal.
• Waste Statistics Regulation 2002: Regulation 2150/2002/EC on Waste Statistics was adopted in
order to standardize the registration of waste volumes within the EU. This EU Regulation defines
how, to which extent, and in which time intervals the EU Member States have to report their
statistical data on waste to the EU Statistical Office. Regular community statistics on the
generation and management of waste from companies and private households are required to
enable monitoring the status of the implementation of waste policies. This is the prerequisite to
verify whether the principles of maximum recovery and safe disposal of waste are being followed.
A statistical instrument continues to be necessary in order to assess whether the basic principle of
waste prevention is respected and in order to collect data on waste volumes on international,
national, and regional levels.
• Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe 2004: On October 29 2004, the heads of states
and governments of the 25 EU Member States and of the three candidate countries signed the
Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. This treaty is the basis for sustainable development
in Europe. Some aims are to secure balanced economic growth and price stability, leading to a
highly competitive social market economy, full employment, and social progress while always
keeping environmental protection to improve the environment quality in mind. For the first time,
sustainable development is sectorally anchored in all areas of European politics.
• Strategy on the Prevention and Recycling of Waste: In 2003 the Commission launched a
broad consultation called "Towards a thematic strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste"
(Commission Communication COM (2003) 301 final, May 27 2003). The proposed strategy
defines a framework for an extensive review of the EU's waste policy. The challenge here is to
break the link between waste volumes and economic growth. In January 2005, the consultation
process had not yet been terminated.
2.1.3 The Austrian Strategy for Sustainable Development 2002
In April 2002, the Austrian Federal Government decided on a national Strategy for Sustainable
Development in Austria 9 . 20 key objectives, which are divided into four fields of action, are the focus of
the national sustainability strategy (Tab. 1).
8 Decision No. 1600/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of July 22 2002 laying down the
Sixth Community Environment Action Program, Official Journal 242/1, September 10 2002
9 Austrian Strategy for Sustainable Development, BMLFUW, April 2002
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