16-17 June Environment Council

Date: 18/06/1998

AFTER marathon talks, ministers finally agreed on the specific cuts in greenhouse gas emissions which each member state will have to make in order to meet the EU's overall reduction targets. At last December's international climate change conference in Kyoto, the Union pledged to reduce its emissions of six greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide (CO2) to 8&percent; below 1990 levels by 2012. The new burden-sharing deal revises a provisional agreement reached between EU governments last March.

THE new figures are: Germany 21&percent; (previously 25&percent;), Denmark 21&percent; (25&percent;), UK 12&percent; (10&percent;), Austria 13&percent; (21&percent;), Belgium 7.5&percent; (10&percent;), the Netherlands 6&percent; (10&percent;), Italy 6.5&percent; (7&percent;), France 0&percent; (0&percent;), Finland 0&percent; (0&percent;) Luxembourg 28&percent; (30&percent;). The five countries which will be allowed to increase their greenhouse gas emissions are: Ireland 13&percent; (15&percent;), Portugal 27&percent; (40&percent;), Greece 25&percent; (30&percent;), Spain 15&percent; (17&percent;) and Sweden 4&percent; (5&percent;).

MINISTERS also reached broad agreement on a raft of measures designed to protect the Union's water supplies. The plan for a 'framework water directive' drawn up by Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard aims to bring together the current patchwork of EU legislation which covers the quality of the Union's lakes, rivers and coastal waters under one clear set of rules. A concept known as 'river basin management' is central to Bjerregaard's approach. In essence, this means policy should cover water as it flows from springs, through lakes and rivers and into the sea. Ministers will not formally approve the plan until they have received the European Parliament's opinion.

THE Council held a first policy debate on a proposal to update EU procedures for approving new crops containing genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). Bjerregaard put forward her plans to modify existing Union legislation (Directive 90/220) following criticisms that the current approval procedures are too secretive. Ministers hope that they will be able to reach a 'common position' on the rules at their meeting in December.

CARBON dioxide emissions from cars were also discussed with ministers giving a cautious welcome to the latest offer from EU automakers' lobby ACEA. It has pledged that new vehicles produced after 2008 will emit an average of 140 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre. However, the Council said other parts of ACEA's offer needed further clarification and asked the Commission to produce an analysis of the carmakers' commitment to CO2 cuts by early September.

LOOKING ahead to next week's pan-European environment conference to be held in Aarhus, Denmark, ministers stressed the need to step up cooperation with central and eastern Europe and the former USSR. The Council emphasised the importance of the numerous schemes taking place under the 'Environment for Europe' programme.