Germany to back down over car recycling rules

Date: 17/06/1999

By Renée Cordes
Germany looks set to cave in to pressure from other EU governments and drop its opposition to controversial proposals which would set binding targets for recycling and reusing car parts.

Environment ministers are expected to endorse the measure at a two-day meeting in Luxembourg which begins next Thursday (24 June), after postponing a decision at Bonn's insistence when they last discussed the controversial issue.

But the European Commission still fears that Germany may try to water down the proposal before it is agreed and persuade other member states to delay a decision yet again if it does not get its way.

National officials say Bonn recognises that it cannot go on blocking the measure on its own, but is hoping that other member states will voice misgivings about the proposals, justifying a further delay.

"The delegations have been invited to check the situation," said one diplomat. "If the French and the UK express reservations, then they and the Germans could form a blocking minority."

Under the plan, 95% of the parts used in all vehicle models approved after 2005 would have to be reused for their original purpose and 8% of the parts would have to be recycled. For vehicles approved before 2005, the targets would not apply until 2015.

German Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin initially declared that getting agreement on the measure, known as the end-of-life vehicles directive, would be a key policy goal for Germany's term in charge of EU business.

Yet it was Trittin himself who delayed a decision on the proposals when environment ministers last met in March, following an unprecedented lobbying campaign by Ferdinand Piech, chief executive of giant German car manufacturer Volkswagen.

Europe's carmakers fear that, if the targets are adopted, they will be left footing the bill. They also argue that the requirements would impose an especially large financial burden on smaller manufacturers.

Last November, environment ministers agreed that lead, mercury, cadmium and a type of chromium should be gradually phased out of car production as alternatives became available, rather than face a blanket ban. This approach was supported by MEPs during their first reading earlier this year.

Acting Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard is watching anxiously as EU diplomats discuss the issue ahead of next week's ministerial meeting.

"This is one of the biggest environmental challenges and it would be quite a blow if it would not be possible to have a common position this time around," said an aide.

Keyword: End-of-life vehicles directive.