Brussels, 03/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - The adoption of unanimous conclusions on the environmental dimension of the Lisbon Strategy for the Spring Summit on 25 and 26 March was the main result of the Environment Council. President Martin Cullen mainly welcomed the outcome of the long debate on Tuesday evening (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.9). Ministers confirmed their strong commitment in favour of the Kyoto Protocol and reaffirmed the need to make it progress as soon as possible in the international agenda, he told the press. He went on to say that they wish to gain full ratification of the Protocol and that, in the meantime, there is much to be done to ensure the EU remains in the lead in combating climate change. He spoke of the Council's resolve to urge all parties to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, but not to make EU climate strategy depend on Russian ratification - all the more as member States are to notify the Commission by 31 March at the latest of their national plans for allocating emission quotas in the context of the directive on the trading of permits for greenhouse gas emissions on the emissions market to be established in 2005. The issue gave rise to a round-the-table discussion, and the Council's conclusions invite the Commission to assess these plans. "Combating climate change is a duty. The entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol is one of our priorities", Mr Cullen added, saying he was very pleased that President Prodi had himself reaffirmed on 26 February the Commission's refusal to back-pedal (in response to an article in The Financial Times of the same day, hinting that the contrary would be the case when reporting remarks by Energy Commissioner Loyola de Palacio).
According to Mr Cullen, these conclusions are "a very good contribution to the Spring Summit" as they aim at putting the three pillars of the Lisbon Strategy on an equal footing. "We want the environmental pillar to receive as much attention as the economic and social pillars", he said.
Commissioner Margot Wallström welcomed the "key political messages" of ministers in favour of a "positive synergy between EU environmental policy and competitiveness policy which allows one to avoid putting the environmental and social pillars of sustainable development on a back burner by making the most of the opportunities provided by environmental technologies". She also welcomed the EU's renewed commitment to Kyoto, and recognised that the Council debate had been "tough, as in the past" (Ed.: when Member States had had to negotiate between themselves on sharing the burden of reducing greenhouse gas emissions). However, neither the President nor the Commissioner wanted to admit that Italy's request for the conclusions to create a link between the EU's commitment and Russian ratification had been in any way responsible for the long duration of discussions. "It is obvious that Italy believes in the Protocol. But Member States see the difficulties that face them in implementation. We are ready to provide them with support", Margot Wallström said.
In response to reporters' questions, the President and the Commissioner affirmed that the possibility of an EU "plan B" should Moscow not ratify had not even been mentioned. To the question of knowing how to reconcile the aims of growth and those of Kyoto, Mr Cullen said: "All these goals are of equal importance. We shall not sacrifice Kyoto on any altar (…). Safeguarding Kyoto may have a beneficial effect on competitiveness". Ms Wallström added: "We did not elude discussions on competitiveness and costs. This proves that we are taking the matter seriously". The conclusions recall the need to study the most effective and most profitable measures from an economic point of view.
In answer to questions on Ms de Palacio's suggestion that a date should be fixed for Russia's ratification of the Protocol, Ms Wallström said that such a practice, targeting a single country, could not take place within the framework of an international Convention. "We all know that Russia will probably wait for the presidential elections to be held before giving its opinion. We are planning a trip to Moscow for after the Russian elections", she said.
The Council conclusions for the Spring Summit deplore the fact that the negative trend for the environment has not yet been reversed as far as climate change, energy, transport and biodiversity are concerned. They call on the Commission to assess the consequences of this failure. They underline the need for greater incorporation of environmental concerns in all EU sector-specific policies and the role that can be played by environmental technologies to achieve the Lisbon Strategy, by stimulating investment in this sector. They also welcome the efforts made to guarantee sustainable mobility and strengthen transport security and invite the EU to restrict the polluting emissions of motor vehicles. They stress the need for greater energy efficiency to guarantee economic and environmental advantages. They call for strengthened action to safeguard biological diversity and invite the Commission to finalise review of the EU's sustainable development strategy by end 2004.