Brussels, 19/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - Twelve days ahead of the Union's enlargement, Margot Wallström, Commissioner for the Environment, gave the press a positive account of progress made in the new Member States to bring themselves up to speed in the field of the environment. However, although virtually 100% of the Community acquis has been transposed into national law (air quality, waste management, genetically modified organisms and chemicals, noise, nuclear safety and protection against radiation), much remains to be done for these countries correctly to implement Community legislation.
"So close to the deadline of 1 May, we must take stock in order to list the main problems and assets of these countries. It is in no way a beauty pageant. The main thing is to concentrate on serious problems and the challenges these countries must meet", said Ms Wallström, who feels that the main problem is that of heavy industrial pollution, a legacy of the past, combined with a lack of environmental infrastructure to tackle the problems of waste and water management, despite the "enormous efforts already made". In order to resolve these problems, which are particularly serious at regional and local level, the most important thing is that the countries should have the administrative capacity and political goodwill to confront the issue. "Environmental issues must be a political priority, if they are to get the attention and resources they need", said the Commissioner.
Among the other issues, Ms Wallström spoke of the delays anticipated in the designation of protected natural sites to be included in the Natura 2000 network, under the Habitats directive. "It is likely that we will have the lists by enlargement, but that they will be incomplete", she explained.
The Commission will wait for accession to carry out the required checks, which "could take some time", before infringement proceedings could be opened. "We would like to make it clear that all available instruments, funding, twinning or expertise, will be used to help these countries to respect the legislation", said the Commissioner, stressing that the EU has much to gain from the accession of the new Member States. The States have enormous assets in terms of biodiversity- a green capital which the enlarged EU must make every effort to preserve to safeguard species which have virtually disappeared from the current EU-, agricultural practices and intermodal transport which, according to the Commissioner, constitute "a good basis for sustainable development".
In reference to the link between the environment and health, a new priority strategic axis of the EU's environment policy, Margot Wallström announced that "the Commission will follow developments in these countries very closely, stressing the advantages of transposition of the acquis", notably for children's health, as it has been established that between 25 and 33% of illness in industrialised countries are linked to environmental factors.
After accession, the EU's financial assistance to the new Member States via structural and cohesion funds will increase threefold. At the end of 2006, these countries will have received 21.7 billion EUR, or 8% of investment requirements. One third of these resources will come from cohesion funds (6 billion), including 3 billion especially for the environment. "The capacity of the new Member States to absorb this financial aid will also be a challenge", stressed Margot Wallström. In full knowledge of the difficulty of the undertaking, she nonetheless refuted the idea that enlargement could bring about a dramatic change in the course of the EU's environmental policy. "I disagree with those who claim that we are setting ourselves less ambitious targets. NGOs created the awareness needed for these issues to become a priority in the new Member States, and the competent ministers reinforced it", she said.
When asked about the influence of the nuclear policy of the accession countries on the EU's policy, Margot Wallström answered: "the debate on energy in the energy mix of the Member States will continue, but this is not one of the Commission's fields of competency. In the new Member States, there are plans to close Soviet-style nuclear reactors. The others will have to conform to the latest technical standards in force. But we will go further, encouraging an increase in the proportion of renewable energy".