Brussels, 01/12/2010 (Agence Europe) - Everything is calling for a robust European environment policy over the next 10 years - a policy which will not be limited to just economic aspects, said those taking part in the conference on the future of the European environment policy, which was organised in Brussels on 26 November by the Belgian presidency of the EU Council of Ministers. They therefore call for a "proper seventh programme of action for the environment" to take over from the sixth programme of action, which expires at the end of 2012.
The conference, which was convened by Evelyne Huytebroek, the federal Belgian Minister for the environment, energy and urban renewal, provided an opportunity for the experts of the EU27, representatives of the Parliament, Council and civil society to express their expectations. The seventh action programme should: - provide a general framework for the environment policy; - establish clear links to other strategies, such as the strategy EUROPE 2020, the sustainable development strategy and other cross-cutting policies, such as the environment-health action plan; - contain targeted objectives for all environmental sectors; - better define the current environmental policy instruments (checks, evaluation and sanction) and encourage the creation of good governance instruments; - and contain a new global approach to encourage more sustainable lifestyles.
The stakes are considerable, because the very existence of a seventh action programme is controversial, as the European Commission would prefer to wait before making a decision once it has the results of the assessment of the action programme underway. Although Janez Potoènik, Commissioner for the Environment, pleaded in favour of a “strong environment policy”, he went on to say: “I want a full and in-depth evaluation of the sixth action programme, future environmental challenges and the best ways of tackling them”.
The Commission is of the opinion that the proposal it is to present in 2011 on the efficiency of resources in the framework of the EUROPE 2020 strategy is already an important step towards an environmental programme. However, even though certain environmental aspects are contained within this strategy, it is above all socio-economic in nature. The conference attendees stated that a genuine environment policy must go well beyond the economic dimensions, to include health, protection of the environment for future generations, behavioural changes and typically environmental subjects, such as various sources of pollution. The Environment Council of 20 December will discuss ways of improving the instruments of the environment policy. (A.N./trans.fl)