Brussels, 20/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - Alongside the political agreement on collecting and recycling batteries and accumulators, the Environment Council on Monday also agreed in principle on two pieces of legislation to transpose the Aarhus Convention into EU law to strengthen citizens' involvement in environmental matters. The EU committed itself to transposing the Aarhus Convention into EU law by signing the Convention in 1998. Two Directives concerning access to environmental information and public participation in environmental decision-making in EU Member States were adopted in 2003. These built upon existing directives covering these areas. The proposed Regulation to apply the Aarhus Convention to Community institutions and bodies builds upon a 2001 Regulation on access to documents of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, but extends it to all EU institutions and bodies. Under the new Regulation, any applicant will be entitled to obtain environmental information upon request, subject to limited and well-defined exceptions. In addition, all EU institutions and bodies will have to provide early and effective opportunities for public participation when they prepare plans and programmes relating to the environment. Lastly, the agreement provides the possibility for certain environmental NGOs to ask EU institutions and bodies to reconsider administrative acts taken under environmental law. Peter Van Geel, who chaired the meeting, welcomed the agreement, which means the EU can attend the Aarhus Convention meeting in Kazakhstan in May 2005. Commissioner Stavros Dimas also welcomed this progress in improving the quality of daily life, adding that a third Directive, on access to justice in environmental matters, was proposed by the Commission in October 2003 and is still under discussion within the Council.
As Europe went to press, the Council was discussing REACH legislation (on chemicals), before turning to climate change (also briefly discussed over lunch). With an eye to the Spring Summit, the Council considered the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy and sustainable development in the presence of industry and NGO representatives. On the initiative of the Dutch Presidency, the Council launched formal consultations on a partnership for a clean, intelligent and competitive Europe. Europe will return to this.