LUXEMBOURG (AFP) – European Union environment ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday agreed on a directive to force countries to recycle at least half all product packaging by 2008.

Under the directive, EU member states must recycle between 55 and 80 pe rcent of all packaging waste by December 2008.

Ministers voted overwhelmingly in favour of the directive, with the notable exception of The Netherlands and Belgium, which called for higher targets and for the deadline to be pulled forward.

EU ministers on Thursday overruled a decision taken after a first reading in September before the European Parliament – the EU’s elected assembly – to move the target date to 2006.

Different targets will apply to each type of packaging: 60 percent for paper and card, 60 pe cent for glass, 50 per cent for metal, 22.5 per cent for plastics and 15 per cent for wood.

Greece, Ireland and Portugal were granted an extension past 2008 because of individual circumstances.

The ministers have asked the European Commission – the EU’s executive arm – to prepare and submit a report on the project’s implementation by June 30, 2005.

The text is now due to come before the European Parliament for a second reading.