WEEE & RoHS and trends in the Environmental Legislation in European Union

Michelle O'Neill, Government Relations Manager Europe, Honeywell

ABSTRACT : For over 30 years the European Union has developed a comprehensive body of environmental legislation, which has proven innovative and successful in many respects. However, a drawback has been a lack of implementation and enforcement. The imperatives to obey EU environmental law are increasing but are still not good enough. Industry and other stakeholders hope for brighter days when those who avoid complying are punished and basic regulatory tools such as business, risk and environmental impact analyses are carried out with increased vigor. The infamous WEEE and ROHS directives brought many of weaknesses of the EU environmental legislation under the spotlight but it also highlighted some new principles that are cause for optimism. Looking to the future and the enlargement of the E.U., legislators are looking at new and better ways to legislate. Industry and other stakeholders have an important role to play in providing constructive criticism. For global companies this role has gathered increasing importance as other regions around the world look to the EU as the trend setter for environmental policy.