18 December Environment Council

Date: 21/12/1995

EU environment ministers reached a political agreement to extend the range of projects requiring environmental impact assessments (EIAs) before they are approved for development. The updated rules, which are due to come into force from the start of 1998 but still require European Parliament approval, extend the number of project categories requiring mandatory EIAs. Development requests submitted before 1 January 1998 will continue to be assessed according to the old rules. New sectors covered by the directive will include road-widening schemes, non-hazardous waste dumps, water abstraction and diversion schemes, petrol and gas extraction and pipeline projects and dam construction. The Council also agreed on a long list of projects for which EIAs will not be mandatory, but could be required depending on the results of initial assessments. These cover sectors such as forestry, mineral extraction, energy, chemical processing, food, textiles and tourism.

MINISTERS reached a unanimous accord on new emission standards for commercial vehicles weighing less than 3.5 tonnes, bringing rules for commercial vehicles into line with those applying to private cars. They will only last until the year 2000, when there will be a general revision of the EU's approach to vehicle pollution.

UK minister John Gummer criticised the European Commission's decision to delay implementing the import ban on furs caught using jaw-type leghold traps. He received support from Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands.

THE Council also agreed conclusions on coastal zones, EU water policy, climate change, acidification and biodiversity. It rubber-stamped decisions on the recognition of norms for environmental audit and management systems operated by Ireland, Spain and the UK. Ministers noted progress on the draft directive on biocides.