Brussels, 08/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - The EU Council of Ministers adopted without discussion, on 6 March, a decision authorising the European Commission to negotiate certain amendments of the ESPOO Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context. The amendments are made necessary by certain recent developments, both at Union and at international level. We recall that the ESPOO Convention aims, through the establishment of a procedure for assessing environmental impact, to prevent, reduce and combat the considerable adverse effects certain human activities have on the environment. It mainly forces the States that are part of the Convention to notify and consult each other on all major projects that are likely to have a significant adverse environmental impact across boundaries.