Opportunities for Green Growth in the North Sea countries by facilitating the sustainable trade of secondary resources
The Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the EU, in collaboration with The Dutch Waste Management Association, the Green Alliance and Acceleratio, have the pleasure to invite you to a working session on:
A North Sea Resources Roundabout
Opportunities for Green Growth in the North Sea countries by facilitating the sustainable trade of secondary resources
Tuesday, June 30, 2015, 14:00 – 17:00
Avenue de Cortenbergh 4 – 10, 1040 Brussel, Belgium
The circular economy is at the heart of the European Commission’s economic and environmental thinking. The Commission has announced a more ambitious circular economy package, to be published in the autumn of 2015. In the first half of 2016 the Netherlands will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and will prioritize discussions on this issue. In this context, it would be useful to reflect on what Member States are already doing, individually and together.
One initiative in this context is the “North Sea Resources Roundabout”. In this initiative, The United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands are working together to align the interpretation and controls on resource related regulations. Greater certainty for businesses about the legal status of (secondary) resources and appropriate shipment regulation will lead to more trade as well as more innovative investments in the circular economy.
In the working session on the 30th of June we will explore opportunities for increasing trade in secondary raw materials by harmonizing interventions between like-minded European countries. We see this as necessary preparatory work on the path towards the signing of an international “Green Deal”, by public and private stakeholders of at least four North Sea countries, in the first half of 2016.
Presentations and discussions will touch upon:
· Barriers and obstacles encountered by companies when trading in secondary resources;
· Explaining the concept of a North Sea Resource Roundabout – aligning regulation to enable greater flows of resources between the North Sea Countries;
· the e-tool “is it waste”, developed under Life+;
· Discussion on the concept of an International Green Deal (Public Private Partnership);
· Discussion on criteria and prioritization of waste flows to be covered by an international Green Deal.
A detailed agenda will be shared at a later stage to registered participants.
Who should come?
· Governmental Representatives supported by specialists from the North Sea countries that want to stimulate Green Growth by taking away barriers;
· Waste management companies that want to increase legal certainty of their secondary resources;
· Industry representatives that want to increase the uptake of secondary resources but are struggling with (perceived) obstacles such as the waste status.
Please confirm your attendance to Bre-mil@minbuza.nl before 29th of June.