Brussels, 09/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - Recommendations for the Spring Summit and orientations for the fight against climate change beyond 2012 will be the two main dossiers for EU environment ministers on Thursday in Brussels. This will be done within the perspectives for sustainable development at the EU and at a global level. No formal decision is expected but the political debate at the Council on the degree of EU ambition for international negotiations on the second part of the commitments in the Kyoto Protocol will constitute an important part of the session. Ministers will also hold an exchange of views on the new boost to the sustainable development strategy adopted at Gothenburg in 2001, in view of its revision later this year. For the remainder, the Council will mainly be involved in preparing the EU's position at the decisive moments in the multilateral environmental agenda. Work will take place under the presidency of Lucien Lux, Luxembourg's minister for the environment. Stavros Dimas the Commissioner for the Environment will be attending. The session agenda is as follows:
European Spring Summit - the Council will finalise its contribution to the summit for 22-23 March by focusing on the environmental pillar in the Lisbon strategy, which is expected to be reinvigorated and on the future orientations for the sustainable development strategy. Conclusions include the three dimensions - economic, social, environmental - of the Lisbon strategy, are of equal importance and which mutually strengthen each other. They call for the European Council to recognise: the positive contribution of environmental policy and the significant potential of eco-technology in the process for growth and jobs as outlined in the Lisbon programme; the enormous cost of inaction in the environment. These conclusions set out the action priorities for the environment and call for the European Council to reaffirm the fundamental principles of sustainable development and to adopt a revised and ambitious strategy.
Revision of the sustainable development strategy: the Council will hold an exchange of views on the Commission communication (EUROPE 10 February p 6). This debate separates the recommendations of the Spring Summit and translates the will of the presidency for ending the confusion surrounding the sustainable development strategy and the Lisbon strategy. The former is not the environmental pillar of the latter but a body of principles that should inspire all EU policies.
Climate change: the Council will adopt conclusions on strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions for post2012 - resulting from a number of medium and long term objectives - objectives were requested by Heads of State and Governments during the March 2004 summit for preparing international negotiations next December between all the parties at the UN Climate Change Framework Convention. Council conclusions could be more ambitious than the Commission wants. At this stage the Commission does not want to annoy partners like the USA or China by the use of statistics. In its communication, “Overcoming Climate Change”, the Commission refers to the long term objective of the Framework Convention - keeping global temperature levels to 2° below the pre-industrial levels, which would mean at least a 15% reduction in emissions by 2050 - but no figures, are mentioned as it thinks this would be premature. (EUROPE 10 February p 8). The presidency is proposed that a global reduction level for green house gas emissions is set at between 15%-30% by 2020 and from 60% -80% by 2050, which would be negotiated by all parties. Certain countries have reservations (Italy, Portugal, Spain, Baltic States, Slovakia and Cyprus) about these figures: France, Belgium, Sweden and Hungary about the intermediate objective but most delegations could support this compromise. Nothing has been won but the presidency remains optimistic.
UN Commission on sustainable development: the Council will have an exchange of views on the thirteenth UN Commission session on Sustainable Development (New York, 11-22 April) with its president John Ashe.
Persistent Organic Pollutants: the Council will adopt conclusions for the first conference of the signatory parties to the Stockholm Convention (Punta del Este, Uruguay, 2-6).
Ahrus Convention: the Council will adopt negotiation directives for the meeting at the Convention on access to information, public participation in the decision-making process and access to environmental justice (Almaty, Kazakhstan, 25-27 May), which is expected to give an opinion on whether to extend public participation to decision on GMOs.
Community Civil Protection System: at lunch, ministers will look at the EU's response to the tsunami and environmental aspects to this disaster.
Chemical Products: similarly to their colleagues at the Competitiveness Council, ministers will be informed by the presidency about the progress of the Council ad hoc group on the REACH regulation legislation.