Brussels, 02/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Economic and Social Committee and the European Commission are organising, on 12 and 13 September in Brussels, the first Consultative Forum on Sustainable Development in the EU (see EUROPE of 27 July, p.17). The aim of this forum is to allow high level representatives of the organisations concerned, the EU and candidate countries, to reflect on the evolution of the Community's sustainable development strategy adopted during the European Council of Gothenborg in 2001 and to make suggestions for its future development. Also, taking into account the results of the Johannesburg Summit (which ends on 2 September), the participants will tackle the following issues: (1) natural resources, agriculture and rural development; (2) sustainable production and demand; (3) energy, transport and climate change; and (4) the dialogue process for sustainable development.
The forum will be opened by Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament; Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission; Hans Christian Schmidt, Danish Environment Minister; John Simpson, Vice-President of the Committee; and Sir Albert Bore, President of the Committee of the Regions. Professor Allan Larsson will chair a plenary session devoted to the "EU's sustainable development strategy: Lisbon to Gothenburg and beyond - An assessment of progress". It will be followed by working sessions on the different themes, and a round table with the participation, notably, of Marc Sapir, Director of the trade union technical office for health and safety (BTS), Arnaldo Abruzzini, General Secretary of Eurochambers, and Ralph Hallo, President of the European Environment Bureau.