9 December Environment Council

Date: 12/12/1996

ENVIRONMENT ministers urged the Commission to stick to its 18 December deadline for a decision on whether to allow a strain of genetically-modified maize to be released on EU markets. The Netherlands and Spain made especially strong calls for a rapid decision, after a number of delegations had criticised Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard for repeated delays. Bjerregaard put forward the idea of including some form of labelling requirement in the Commission's revision of a directive on the release of genetically-modified organisms. Austria and Luxembourg expressed unease over the import into the Union of genetically-modified soya, and in particular the absence of clear rules on the use, packaging and labelling of the product. Ministers also reached political agreement on the Commission's proposal to amend a directive on the contained use of genetically-modified organisms.

THE meeting failed to set targets for post-2000 reductions in the EU's emissions of carbon dioxide and other 'greenhouse' gases. Ministers were unable to agree either how far or how fast to go. The Irish presidency had put forward a paper suggesting 5-10&percent; cuts in emissions by 2005 and 10-20&percent; cuts by 2010, using 1990 levels as a starting point. Officials said member states were divided between those wanting tougher targets, which included Germany, Austria and Denmark, those supporting the text, such as the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Finland, and the others. France and Sweden wanted cuts to be based on tonnes per capita, while Spain, Portugal and Greece favoured less severe reductions.

MINISTERS threatened to impose an import ban on fur from animals caught in leghold traps, unless negotiators from Canada, the US and Russia accepted tighter humane trapping standards. A statement called on the Commission “to take the necessary steps as of 1 January 1997 for the introduction of an import ban to come into effect not later than 31 March 1997”. Ministers expressed concern that the draft deal on trapping standards negotiated over several months “would allow some form of leghold traps to continue to be used”. The statement, which Italy did not endorse, asked the Commission to reopen talks to find a “more satisfactory agreement”.

AGREEMENT was reached on new rules to tighten controls on the multi-billion-ecu trade in endangered animal and plant species. The new regulations, the result of ten years' work, are supposed to take account of looser border controls in force under the single market. They update promises made by the Union under the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The changes will introduce mandatory sanctions for wildlife traffickers caught by member state authorities and create EU-level bodies to monitor and control enforcement. The Commission and the World Wide Fund for Nature pledged to spend 900,000 ecu to raise awareness of the new rules.

A UNANIMOUS common position was reached on the Commission's proposal for a review of the Fifth Environmental Action Programme. The com-promise altered references to agriculture and access to justice, leading the Commission to criticise ministers for watering down some of the provisions. Ministers did not discuss any of the Parliament's proposed amendments.

MINISTERS agreed a resolution on the proposed modifications to the EU's waste strategy. The major debate surrounded the waste hierarchy of reuse, recycling and disposal. Two other waste issues were also discussed, on control procedures for exports of non-hazardous wastes destined for non-OECD countries, and final adoption of the proposed amendments to the 1993 regulation.

CONCLUSIONS were agreed for next year's United Nations General Assembly special session, which will be a follow-up to the Rio conference of 1992. Ministers heard reports on progress on the Auto-Oil proposals and the draft drinking water directive. The Commission reported on plans to promote non-governmental organisations working on environmental issues. The Council adopted the revised 'Seveso' directive on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances.