French ban on plastic cups, cutlery and plates
Dear Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs,
Under the right of access to documents in the EU treaties, as developed in Regulation 1049/2001, I am requesting documents which contain the following information:
1. Any letters of formal notice or draft letters of formal notification by the European Commission regarding the french ruling on the ban on plastic cups, cutlery and plates from 2016, which is described in this newspaper article (https://edition.cnn.com/2016/09/19/europ...).
2. All documents regarding meetings and communications between the European Commission and Plastic2Go, PlasticsEurope or any other trade association representing the polymer producers in Europe, concerning the french ruling on the ban on plastic cups, cutlery and plates from 2016.
The background to this request is as follows: In a newspaper reporting by the Washington post Eamonn Bates, the secretary general of Pack2Go Europe, stated that “we are urging the European Commission to do the right thing and to take legal action against France for infringing European law”. If an investigation was launched by the European Commission it appears to be closed by this time.
Yours faithfully,
Moritz Neujeffski
Heidebrinker Straße 10
13357 Berlin
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your e-mail of 08/09/2022. We hereby acknowledge receipt of your application for access to documents, which was registered on 12/09/2022 under reference number GESTDEM 2022/5108.
In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, your application will be handled within 15 working days. The time limit will expire on 03/10/2022. In case this time limit needs to be extended, you will be informed in due course.
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Yours faithfully,
Access to Documents Team
Dear Sir,
We refer to your e-mail dated 08/09/2022 in which you make a request for
access to documents, registered on 12/09/2022 under the above-mentioned
reference number.
The description given in your application does not enable us to identify
concrete documents which would correspond to your request. We therefore
invite you, pursuant to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001
regarding public access to documents, to provide us with more detailed
information on the documents that you seek to obtain.
In particular:
- In the first point of your request, could you precise the meaning
of “letter of formal notice” and “draft of formal notification”, if you
are referring to documents falling under specific procedure, and which
procedures with which reference numbers.
- In the second point of your request, please precise the levels of
meeting and communications targeted within the European Commission.
If you need assistance in clarifying or specifying your application,
please let us know.
In accordance with Article 2, third paragraph of the Implementing Rules to
Regulation 1049/2001[1], the 15 working days time limit for handling your
application will start running when we receive the requested
clarifications.
Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Kind regards,
DG GROW – Access to documents team
European Commission
Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and
SMEs
DG GROW/B1 – Planning and Briefings
Dear [email address],
Thank you very much for your prompt reply. In terms of my first question I am interested in any and all correspondence (including email) between DG GROW and the french government regarding the french ban on plastic cups, cutlery and plates which was initiated by the French government in 2016. This may or may not include (draft) letters of formal notice sent by the Commission as part of potential EU infringement procedures.
The newspaper article I have attached to my request suggests that Pack2GoEurope has asked the Commission to take action against the ban: "[PackageEurope] has asked the EU Commission to block the French law and is consulting with lawyers about taking legal action against France". This suggests a correspondence between the EU Commission and industry stakeholders. Thus, regarding your second request for specification, I am requesting any correspondence between DG GROW and Plastic2Go, PlasticsEurope or any other trade association representing the polymer producers in Europe, regarding the french ban on plastic cups, cutlery and plates.
Yours sincerely,
Moritz Neujeffski
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your additional precision and reply to clarification request sent to us on 19/09/2022 for this request GESTDEM 2022/5109, it is noted.
Kind regards,
DG GROW – Access to documents team
European Commission
Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs DG GROW/B1 – Planning and Briefings
Dear [email address],
Was it already possible to identify the requested documents based on my proposed clarifications?
Yours sincerely,
Moritz Neujeffski
Dear Sir,
Please find attached a message concerning your request for access to
Commission documents registered under the above case number 2022/5108.
Kind regards,
DG GROW ATD Team
From: [DG GROW request email]
<[email address]>
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2022 10:12 AM
To: [email address]
Subject: Your application for access to documents - 2022/5108
Dear Sir,
Please find attached a message concerning your request for access to
Commission documents registered under the above case number 2022/5108.
Kind regards,
DG GROW ATD Team