Document 5LG5ywLn6DObLBEgpVkXM1GY8

CCIM DOSSIERFICHE EU DOSSIER : Piloot Andere Belgische contactpersonen Fichedatum (laatste aanpassing): Praktische overwegingen: AOB point by Belgium Findings, obstacles and opportunities in the management of PFAS pollution - Dept Omgeving (SIDO) CCIEP SG Chemical Products (incl. CCIEP WG on PFAS) 14/10/22 The AOB-note is in English, in line with this the same language is also used in this `fiche'. CONTEXT Korte inhoud van de belangrijkste elementen en innovaties van het voorstel en (internet-)link naar het voorstel: No proposal in particular is the subject of the AOB point, several aspects of EU policy are referred to proper to the defended need for a systemic approach (+ see links with circular economy policy). Strategisch belang van het dossier voor Belgi: The AOB point wants to highlight important aspects linked to the management of PFAS pollution, the latter having considerable impacts at the Flemish level. Solutions could and should partly be provided by further steps at the EU level. Our country already called for "coordinated action against PFAS" and placed the issue for that reason on the agenda as an AOB point of a meeting of EU environment ministers a year ago (6/10/21). Bevoegdheidsverdeling binnen Belgi en mogelijke gevolgen van het voorstel voor regionale en/of federale regelgeving, bestuurlijke organisatie, kosten... Mixed competence within BE; see more extensively on this in the CCIEP fiche on the PFAS AOB point of the ENVI Council meeting of 06/10/2021. PROCES Stand van zaken besluitvorming Europees niveau (Europees commissaris, DG, WG van de raad, COREPER I/II, Raad en Parlement ( commissie enz.) : The broader context of PFAS challenges and regulatory initiatives is described in the CCIEP fiche on the PFAS AOB point of the ENVI Council meeting of 06/10/2021. Stand van zaken besluitvorming Belgisch niveau (DGE, CCIM, andere...) The note was introduced by the FL Region and after agreement at the CCIEP-level (7/10/22) it obtained the validation at DGE-level (11/10/22). Following this it was announced at the MERTENS and COREPER meeting (12/10/22). INHOUDELIJK Voornaamste knelpunten + posities lidstaten, Commissie en EP Not applicable For the proposed contents: the formulations of the AOB-note provide the message BE wants to bring. Aandachtspunten stakeholders (NGO, vakbonden, federatie, publieke opinie, relevante persaandacht...) : At the Flemish level we witnessed a lot of attention by stakeholders and media on the topics linked to the revealed impacts of PFAS pollution (this in particular since the spring of 2021, and during the period that the parliamentary commission of inquiry was working on the issue in the Flemish Parliament (16/06/2021 - 30/03/2022)). As we speak new important developments to tackle PFAS related issues still receive considerable media attention and also replies by stakeholders. (Voorstel van) Belgisch standpunt (in het algemeen en over de knelpunten) Not applicable VOORSTEL VAN MONDELINGE INTERVENTIE voor de BE tussenkomst op de Raad Leefmilieu In dealing with the PFAS pollution in our Flemish Region, we identified its presence in both suspected and non-suspected areas like nature reserves. As PFAS are still omnipresent in products we use every day and due to its persistent properties, enrichment of PFAS takes place in all environmental compartments, causing increasing values in soil and water, while procedures to phase out more PFAS may take several years. With this in mind we foresee challenges for implementing and enforcing relevant standards, certainly as they are expected to be lowered considerably. And this even when applying the present most performant best available techniques. A second observation is that to solve the legacy issues linked to PFAS it requires significant human and financial resources, knowledge of performant practices and the capacity to deploy them. We therefore suggest tackling PFAS by covering the complete value chain, and this in a systemic way also at EU level: preventing production and use as fast as possible, minimizing emissions, remediation of pollution, management of PFAS-holding materials, and destruction of PFAS residues. We need to maximize the exchange of views on the way forward to ensure health protection, environment quality, good water status, and possible soil reuse, ... We are especially interested in ways to overcome current technical limitations to achieve these goals and strengthen legal certainty. We will share more information on this issue for your consideration and commenting in the near future.