Deal likely on emission cuts

Date: 15/06/2000

By Gareth Harding

EU ENVIRONMENT ministers are expected to adopt targets next week for slashing emissions of gases which cause smog and acid rain.

The goals likely to be agreed are marginally more ambitious than those which the Union signed up to at a United Nations-sponsored conference last autumn, but considerably weaker than those proposed by the European Commission.

Under the Commission's plans, member states would cut emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2) by 78%, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by 60%, oxides of nitrogen (NOx) by 55% and ammonia by 21% by 2010.

At a meeting of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) last September, Union governments agreed to less demanding national emissions ceilings for these pollutants and many ruled out the prospect of going beyond the UN protocol. However, it now looks likely that most member states will agree to more challenging targets than those approved in Göteborg in the face of fierce lobbying by MEPs and the Commission.

Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström refused to sign the protocol on behalf of the EU executive because she was disappointed with the the UN forum deal. Ministers are also aware the European Parliament will not accept a watered-down proposal. "We have to present MEPs with something that goes further than Göteborg," said one diplomat.

The chances of a ministerial deal being reached next Thursday (22 June) have been boosted because of the link being made between the proposals and planned legislation on emissions from large combustion plants which is also expected to be agreed at the quarterly meeting.

The Commission's original proposal only dealt with emissions from new plants, but MEPs and most EU governments have called for the scope of the planned directive to be extended to cover existing power stations as well. Opponents of the national emissions ceiling proposal, such as the UK, France and Spain, say they would be prepared to accept stricter targets for the four gases in return for more leeway in deciding on how to cut emissions from existing power plants.

Although the number-crunching has still to be done, this trade-off is likely to be rubber-stamped by ministers next week and would mean member states would be allowed to draw up their own plans for reducing emissions from large power stations. Ageing plants would also be granted an opt-out from the scheme under the compromise proposal.

Environmental groups have, however, already criticised the deal, claiming it would give Europe's dirtiest power stations carte blanche to carry on polluting the atmosphere until they are decommissioned. However, diplomats insist it is the only way to unblock discussions on the proposal, which ran into fierce opposition from Germany at December's meeting of environment ministers.

EU environment ministers are expected to adopt targets for slashing emissions of gases which cause smog and acid rain at a meeting on 22.6.00. Under the Commission's plans, Member States would cut emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2) by 78% , volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by 60% , oxides of nitrogen (NOx) by 55% and ammonia by 21% by 2010.