Minister Schauvliege presents Belgian priorities at formal EU Environment Council in Luxembourg
At the European Council for environment ministers in Luxembourg, the competent Flemish minister Joke Schauvliege, officially presented the priorities for the upcoming Belgian presidency of the EU. From 1 July, minister Schauvliege will chair the EU Environment Council on behalf of Belgium. On 11 June 2010, she symbolically took the baton over from her Spanish colleague, Ms Espinosa Mangana.
Prior to the presentation of the Belgian priorities, Minister Schauvliege thanked the outgoing Spanish presidency. She referred, amongst other things, to the difficult economic context Spain had to work in over the past six months.
Our country is already taking over some pending legislative dossiers such as the guidelines for the separate collection and recycling of electrical and electronic waste, and the regulations for CO² reductions from delivery vehicles. Minister Schauvliege wants to strive for political agreement on these questions under the Belgian presidency.
The minister then presented the four priorities our country wants to place at the top of the EU Environment agenda. To begin with, sustainable materials management. “An important challenge but also an opportunity for the European economy,” according to the minister. Europe must use materials (raw materials, products, waste) in an efficient and environmental responsible way, and keep them in circulation. “It is our intention to use the notion of sustainable materials management as much as possible to contribute to a Europe that manages its resources efficiently.” From 12 to 13 July, an informal EU Environment Council meeting is taking place in Ghent.
A second theme is biodiversity. Minister Schauvliege wants to prepare an EU action plan with a view to the international conference on biodiversity from 27-29 October in Nagoya (Japan). Our country will also pay attention to the proposal for Genetically Modified Organisms from the EU Commission.
The preparation of the UN climate negotiations in Cancun, Mexico, on 29 November until 10 December 2010, is a third priority. Belgium wants a debate within the EU Council about the latest announcement from the EU Commission regarding the possible change in the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions from 20% to 30%. The debate is planned for 14 October. “We have asked the Commission to take the costs and benefits for the various member states and relevant sectors into consideration. This is necessary and useful”, according to minister Schauvliege. “We must also consider the step-by-step plan to 2050 and the development of low-emission strategies for the EU and the member states in these discussions.”
A fourth and final challenge is how existing European instruments can lead to a better European Environment Policy. This includes, amongst other things, better rules for the assessment of environmental effects, better application of maintenance and more streamlined reporting. In this framework, minister Schauvliege also wants to start the reflection on the continuation of the current European environment action programme that finishes at the end of 2012.