Review of Directive 2006/21/EC on the management of waste from extractive industries

Question for written answer E-003031/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Sara Matthieu (Verts/ALE)

New mines for critical raw materials are expected to open in different Member States in order to meet the 10 % mining benchmark in the Critical Raw Materials Act. This will inevitably lead to increased negative impacts on the environment. Mining waste and its tailings in particular constitute one of the largest negative impacts of mining. Given that European rules on the management of waste from extractive industries are below global best practices, as they have not been updated since 2006, and in the light of the comment of then Commissioner-designate Jessika Roswall during the hearings of November 2024 that an evaluation of the law is ongoing, I have the following questions:

• 1.Will the Commission review Directive 2006/21/EC to align it with global best practices, such as legislation in Brazil following its devastating dam collapses?
• 2.Will the Commission commit to allowing only the best and safest available practices across the EU, such as filtered tailings, in parallel with updating the liability and monitoring obligations?
• 3.How will the Commission ensure the free, prior and informed consent of local communities, and ensure that they and all rights holders are fully integrated into the planning and governance of any mining waste site?

Submitted: 18.12.2024