A "kill-list" of proposed legislation to be considered for withdrawal by the new European commission includes the waste and air quality packages, it has emerged.
Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has written to the 26 new commissioners outlining the work programme for 2015. The policy programme must reflect the commission's ambition to be "bigger and more ambitious on big things, and smaller and more modest on small things", he wrote.
The air quality and waste packages are on a list of proposals that could be withdrawn, along with the recasting of the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous preparations and energy tax directives.
Juncker added that he wants next year's work programme adopted by the commission on 16 December. "This timing is ambitious but demonstrates our determination to generate early momentum," he wrote.
The waste package was the first piece of legislation to come forward under the circular economy initiative. It proposes new targets for the recycling and reuse of waste and packaging, phasing out landfill and reducing food waste generation, among other things.
MEPs coordinating all the groups in the European parliament have written to Juncker to express their concern.
The letter to the president highlights, in particular, the cross-cutting importance of the circular economy work, which has huge potential for jobs and growth as well as environmental benefits, MEPs claim.
"We remain of the strong believe that it is one of the most important legislative proposals currently being discussed due to its potential for far-reaching and long-term positive effect in ensuring sustainable development for years to come," the letter states.
Liberal democrat MEP Catherine Bearder, one of the lead negotiators on the EU's new air quality limits, said: "We all want to see smarter, more efficient EU regulation, but this cannot come at the expense of our environment and air quality.
"Juncker must recognise the huge economic opportunities of moving toward a cleaner and more resource-efficient economy," she said.
Bas Eickhout, leader of the Green Left in the European parliament slammed Juncker's proposals, calling them "absurd", and has written to the commission to clarify the criteria used by the commission to draw up its list of proposed legislative measures to scrap.
