The ENVE commission adopted at its meeting on 12 February the opinion of Cllr Linda Gillham on reducing the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags.

The proposal of the Commission requires Member States to take measures to reduce the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags with a thickness below 50 microns.
 
The opinion of the EA members was adopted unanimously by the ENVE members which supported her call for a binding EU level reduction target (reduction to 35 bags per capita per year),instead of voluntary national reduction targets, as well as a European ban of free lightweight bags by 2020.

The ENVE meeting provided also the opportunity for exchanging views with Commissioner Potocnik on key issue on the EU environmental agenda, notably the review of the waste targets and initiatives aimed to achieve a resource efficient Europe and a circular economy.

The ENVE commission also adopted an opinion on the guidelines for state aid in the fields of energy and debated the priority of ensuring sustainable cities under the new 7th environmental action programmes as well as on the role of LRAs in promoting the EU biodiversity strategy by 2020.