| Author (Person) | Smith, Emily |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.12, No.24, 22.6.06 |
| Publication Date | 22/06/2006 |
| Content Type | News |
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By Emily Smith Date: 22/06/06 The European Commission's environment and enterprise departments have run into a spat over a strategy to protect soil, according to Commission sources. Following high profile disagreements over energy and vehicle emissions policy, Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas and his enterprise counterpart Günter Verheugen are once again on opposite sides of the fence. A strategy on protecting soil from threats such as pesticides and subsidence was scheduled for publication on 24 May but has run into last-minute opposition from the commissioners for enterprise, trade and competition, as well as José Manuel Barroso, the Commission president. "This alliance came all of a sudden out of nowhere," said one Commission official. "The strategy has already been through inter-service consultation and there were some glitches, like worries about the cost for farmers, but we seemed to have sorted everything out," the official added. A spokesman for the enterprise department said that Verheugen was not the only one worried by the draft strategy. "Certain things still have to be thrashed out and I have no idea where they will land," he added. Disagreement is thought to centre on the scope and importance of pollution inventories required by the draft strategy. The environment department said that inventories should be drawn up for all polluted sites and remedial action taken. The enterprise department has said that only cross-border areas need to be reported. But environmentalists point out that polluted soil does not stop at national borders and that food raised in the soil of one member state can be sold throughout Europe. Article reports that a strategy on protecting soil from threats such as pesticides and subsidence which had been scheduled for publication on 24 May 2006 had run into last-minute opposition from the Commissioners for Enterprise, Trade and Competition, as well as José Manuel Barroso, the Commission President. |
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| Source Link | http://www.european-voice.com/ |
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| Countries / Regions | Europe |
