Brussels, 18/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - The contribution of eco-technologies to the improvement of the quality of the urban environment is the main them of the Austrian Presidency for the informal meeting of EU Environment Ministers in Eisenstadt/Rust on 19-20 May.
By linking environmental technologies to the problem of quality of life in the cities in Europe exposed to multiple and various sources of pollution, Josef Pröll, the Austrian Minister of the Environment chairing the session, intends to make progress with the EU's thematic strategy on the urban environment, presented last January by the Commission. The aim is to obtain a better quality of life and higher level of social wellbeing, by improving environmental performances in European cites and by promoting sustainable urban development. The EU is intending to assist Member States and local and regional in attaining this aim by obtaining synergies in different policies (transport, air quality improvement, soil care etc) and to encourage best EU practices in the highest performing cites in an effort to get them applied across the board.
Stavros Dimas Commissioner for the Environment, who is taking part in the conference on flood risk management on 18-19 May in Vienna with the Austrian Presidency, will be representing the Commission at the informal Council. In a press release published on Wednesday he declared, “environmental problems are increasing in many cities. Combating them requires efforts by everyone. I am delighted that the Austrian Presidency chose to make this issue and the thematic strategy we presented, a priority. Eco-technologies can play a decisive role in solving many urban problems, such as air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and waste”.