As part of the “NESEC–EU (EESC) Twinning” initiative, a training programme was delivered to 16 staff members of the NESEC. This initiative forms part of a broader strategy to integrate the principles of the green economy into national socio-economic development. It emphasizes the optimal management of waste in accordance with circular economy principles, while promoting the adoption of environmental labelling and eco-certification to ensure a sustained reduction in environmental impact across all dimensions of economic development.
The purpose of this mission was to share French expertise in the field and to discuss its potential applicability in Algeria. Particular focus was placed on the functions of environmental inspection, waste management (from public policy implementation at the level of local authorities and facilities), and the introduction of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system. The training was structured around three main axes:
- 1. Environmental Policing.
- 2. Environmental Policing and waste management.
- 3. Extended Producer Responsibility.
The first morning session, lasting 1 hour and 30 minutes, began with an overview of the role and operations of the DREAL (Regional Directorate for the Environment, Planning and Housing) and the inspection of classified installations for environmental protection, including their mandate and institutional positioning within the French state institutions. This was followed by a 1 hour and 45 minutes presentation on the objectives of inspections, covering the number of inspections and inspectors, the types of facilities subject to control, inspection procedures and discharge control.
The combined session on environmental policing and waste management included a 1 hour and 15 minutes presentation on administrative and criminal sanctions following inspections, as well as the transfer of oversight of small classified installations to accredited private consultancies. Discussions also addressed the establishment of site monitoring committees and the online publication of inspection reports. A subsequent 1 hour and 30 minutes presentation outlined the general French framework for waste management, highlighting challenges, responsibilities and statistical data on the production, sorting, and treatment of non-hazardous waste in France.
The second morning session delved further into waste management, beginning with a 30-minute presentation on associated costs, detailed by category (collection, transport, treatment) and comparing the distribution of these costs for local authorities according to waste type. This was followed by a 1 hour and 30 minutes session on French public policies for waste management, covering national and regional planning, the regulatory framework and the territorial organisation of collection, transport and treatment of non-hazardous waste. A further 45 minutes presentation examined EPR streams, discussing their relevance, future prospects, and the operation of eco-organisations. The programme concluded with a 45-minute session on waste-related taxation, focusing on key levies such as the TGAP (General Tax on Polluting Activities) and the Household Waste Collection Tax, with details on their calculation bases, costs, the competent collection authorities and the redistribution of collected revenues.