Insufficient time to adopt waste sector's alternative CO₂ plan

Unfortunately the Dutch government has not succeeded in getting the DWMA's alternative plan for reducing CO₂ emissions included in the 2020 Tax Plan. The industry's plan guarantees an emissions reduction of more than 0.2 megatonnes. There was simply not enough time for the government to scrutinise the plan and financing arrangements before the vote in the House of Representatives on Thursday 14 November 2019.

The DWMA's package contains various carbon reduction measures that could come into operation next year. Together these would achieve greater reductions in carbon emissions in the Netherlands in 2020 than the import tariff on foreign waste proposed in the Tax Plan. Moreover, the alternative plan has no major economic consequences for the waste and recycling sector.

The departments involved have taken a constructive view of the DWMA alternative. However, the time available for including it in the Tax Plan 2020, which has been debated by the House of Representatives and passed in a vote on 14 November, proved to be too short. The Senate will discuss the Government's proposals later this autumn. Meanwhile, the DWMA wants to further develop the alternative proposal together with the government.

Robbert Loos (Director DWMA):

"Our plan would achieve greater reductions in carbon emissions in the Netherlands in 2020 than the import tariff on foreign waste proposed in the Tax Plan."

See also