Luxembourg, 29/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - Mid-way through the sitting, the Environment Council had, on Monday evening in Luxembourg, made considerable headway. Speaking to the press, the chairperson, Magda Alvoet, said she was pleased about the debate on GMOs and the political agreements reached on fixing a framework for the integrated management of coastal areas in the Union, as well as on the amendments to the legislation on leisure craft with a view to ensuring harmonisation of CO2 emissions and noise restrictions for better air and living quality. The adoption of conclusions defining the Union's negotiation position for the Marrakesh conference on climate change was also welcomed. The conclusions on the "Air for Europe" programme were described as a "clear political signal" for the preparation of a thematic strategy in the context of the sixth action programme for the environment. The discussion on the explosion of a chemicals plant in Toulouse allowed the Commission to announce that it would present its proposal for review of the Seveso II Directive in the spring.
Guest speaker South African Environment Minister Mr Moussa welcomed the convergence of views between the Union and the African countries for the next world summit on sustainable development (Johannesburg, September 2002). "We hope to reach a planetary partnership for eliminating poverty, adopting a targeted action programme together with a timeframe for reducing poverty by half by the year 2015, as well as fill the gaps regarding the protection of oceans and forests", he said.
The Council also reached a political agreement on the promotion of environmental NGOs that will benefit to this end from support of EUR 32 million over five years (2002-2006), as well as on the limits of gaseous emissions from off-road vehicles and machinery. A "common approach" was defined (to leave the door open to resuming recent Parliament amendments) for public participation in the development of certain projects and programmes relating to the environment. In the evening, the ministers held an exchange of views on the environmental indicators requested by the Gothenburg Summit.