Waste disposal

Gewessler wants to make platforms responsible

According to Gewessler, large platforms cannot act as if they are just uninvolved third parties and have nothing to do with the products sold.

(Bild: AFP)

Large online retail platforms such as Temu or Shein should be held more accountable when it comes to bearing the costs of waste disposal resulting from products purchased from them. This was demanded by Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) at an EU ministerial meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. 

This should ensure a level playing field for European manufacturers and their competitors from third countries. "European manufacturers have a responsibility here - a responsibility in terms of content - but they also make a financial contribution to ensuring that their packaging is disposed of properly, for example," said Gewessler. "It is precisely this responsibility that we also need for the large online platforms."

They cannot act as if they are just uninvolved third parties and have nothing to do with the products sold. The Minister is calling for such responsibility to be included in the current negotiations between the EU institutions on the Waste Framework Directive.