Most of the national environmental laws and regulations are based on European legislative initiatives. The Project Group Environment informs EDRA members about the effects and consequences of these regulations.
Current topics of interest include:
- EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) &
Timber Policy Guidelines: In 2003 the EU adopted an Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) to address the problem of illegal logging worldwide. The Action Plan blends measures in producer and consumer countries to facilitate trade in legal timber, and eliminate illegal timber from trade with the EU.
- WEEE- Waste of electrical and electronic equipment: Improving implementation and enforcement of laws on electrical and electronic equipment and cutting unnecessary administrative burden are the main objectives of the revised directives proposed by the Commission in December 2008. The directives on the collection and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE- directive) and on the restriction of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS-directive) have been in force since 2004 but there is room for further improvement and simplification.
- Ecodesign- Framework Directive on Eco-design requirements for energy using products: Ecodesign aims at reducing the environmental impact of products, including the energy consumption throughout their entire life cycle.
- Batteries: EU Directive which prohibits the placing on the market of most batteries and accumulators with a certain mercury or cadmium content and establishes rules for the collection, recycling, treatment and disposal of batteries and accumulators.
- REACH: Legislation for the registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals.For more information see www.reach-solution - a service company which EDRA and his German partner association BHB have set up for their members to implement REACH into their member companies'day-to day-business.
