Initial Council results on the whole positive

Brussels, 30/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - Midway through its Thursday's session, the Environment Council, chaired by Portuguese Minister Jose Socrates had progressed well in its work. Minister had adopted conclusions on the assessment of the 5th Action Programme for the environment, regarded as "objective and realistic", and emerged with "clear guidelines" for the sixth programme, preempting the Commission. They had also recognised the importance and urgency of adopting a Community strategy to prevent the potential harmful effects of endocrine disrupters on Man, animals and the environment, and expressed the will to agree on ambitious national ceilings for air pollutants responsible for acidification, which, according to the Chair, bodes well for a "final compromise solution in June". The first discussion on the plan of establishing a an exchange system in the Union for emissions of greenhouses gases, presented by Commissioner Margot Wallstrom as one of the elements of the Community strategy to combat climate change, was also welcomed as a step forward in preparing future international negotiations (COP6- The Hague in November) which will be decisive for the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. The Council also debated the Cites Convention on the trade in threatened species, in the perspective of the forthcoming negotiations (Cairo in April), but was unable to adopt conclusions (the German delegation was calling for a firmer declaration banning the trade in ivory). In the evening, the Council was beginning its policy debate on environmental liability, having heard Commission de Palacio present the Commission's new proposals to strengthen maritime safety.

Here are the initial results:

• Endocrine disrupters: the Council adopted conclusions that back the approach chosen by the Commission, notably urging an acceleration in its work of rapidly establishing an evolving list of priority substances to submit for a more thorough evaluation of the role they play in the disruption of the hormonal system. Recommending implementation of the precautionary principle, the Council considers that this list will enable research and monitoring measures to be more directed, and make an inventory of particular cases of consumer usage or ecosystem exposure that will have to be the subject of special examination.
• National emission ceilings/target values for ozone: the Council had a policy debate that allowed for the prospect of a compromise to be opened on the goals of more ambitious reductions than those of the UN/EEC of Gothemburg. Some reluctant delegations (like the UK and Spain) stressed that there should be flexibility, but were prepared to make an effort if a link was made with efforts made in the context of the directive on limiting the emissions of large combustion installations. As for the efforts required of the countries candidates for accession, several delegations considered that a revision of the directive in 2004 (and not 2002 as proposed by the Commission) would allow to involve these countries in the collective effort. Denmark stressed that the deadline to grant applicant countries should not serve as alibi for a wait and see attitude on the part of Union Member States.
• 5th action programme/6th programme: the Council adopted conclusions recommending improving the implementation of environmental legislation by the integration of

The environment into other Community policies and through increase attention to new questions such as genetically modified organisms and questions that have yet to be resolved (climatic change, bio-diversity, and reduction of risks from chemical substances…)

Political statements by three Green ministers on Austria

The first session of the Environment Council since the election of the FPO in Austria is marked by the presentation of a joint political statement by the Green Ministers from France, Belgium and Italy. It formally reasserts the fundamental principals to which are attached and interpreted the strong position and the vigilance that they intend to show, within the Environment Council, towards the Austrian government. This is to be done without effecting the work done by the EU 15 and of the support they show for the Austrian democratic forces "to give a voice to the other Austria in the contacts within the EU and abroad and finally to make visible the resistance in Austria."