European Conference on Waste Management Planning

On 7 June 1999 the European Commission's Directorate General for environment (Environment DG ), in co-operation with Eurocities - the network of metropolitan cities of Europe, organised the first European Conference on waste management planning. This conference brought together more than 100 delegate experts and political decision makers from European Union Member States, European Institutions and more than 25 cities from across the European Union and the accession countries.

Waste management planning is a key aspect of European legislation in the field of waste management and is at the very basis of waste management strategies at local, regional and national levels. At European level, the 1975 Framework Directive obliges Member States to draw up such plans. Apart from the strategic and environmental aspects of waste planning, the plans are an important instrument for awareness raising and citizens participation in the field of waste management.

Today, almost 25 years after the adoption of the Framework Directive, the situation within the EU regarding waste management continues to be unsatisfactory. While over 600, mostly local, plans have been notified to the European Commission, these do not cover the full territory of the European Union and, as a result, the European Commission has initiated infringement procedures against 14 Member States.

The first European Conference on Waste Management has facilitated the exchange of information among national governments and between Member States and local and regional governments on a range of aspects relating to waste management planning including technical, organisational, economic and policy level aspects.

By giving a renewed impetus to waste management planning and to the co-operation between different government levels, the conference, furthermore, promotes sustainable development across Europe in line with European waste management strategy and the recently published European Commission Communication on Sustainable Urban Development.