Preparations for upcoming major UN conferences are on the agenda of the EU Environment Council, which will be held on 24 October in Luxembourg.
The EU Council conclusions on the 27th Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27, Sharm El sheikh, 6-18 November - see EUROPE 13037/19) and on the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15, Montreal, 7-19 December - see other news in this Bulletin) are the two formal decisions expected from this ministerial meeting. They will determine the position that the EU will defend in these international negotiations.
Ministers will also have a policy debate on the revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive (amendment of Directive 2010/75/EU, the so-called ‘IED’ Directive) proposed in April to strengthen its scope by covering more large industrial installations and intensive agricultural livestock operations (see EUROPE 12926/2) - much to the displeasure of Agriculture Ministers (see EUROPE 13029/2).
Another policy debate is planned on the proposed December 2020 framework regulation on ‘Ecodesign for Sustainable Products’, a text that is emblematic of the circular economy and which was recently referred to the EU ‘Competitiveness’ Council before Environment Ministers discussed it (see EUROPE 13035/21).
Ministers will also be informed of progress on the proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law (see EUROPE 13030/3). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)