MEPs champion tougher ‘green’ inspection rules

Date: 29/06/2000

By Renée Cordes

MEPs are demanding new laws to force member states to carry out environmental inspections of major industrial sites instead of introducing non-binding rules, as proposed by the European Commission.

A report set to be approved by the European Parliament at its plenary session next week argues that the Commission's proposal is "unsatisfactory" given the urgent need to ensure that EU environmental legislation is applied uniformly in all member states.

The Commission's plan is aimed at encouraging governments to monitor implementation more effectively. But MEPs are worried that without the force of law, it will do little to ensure better enforcement of green laws.

"A recommendation has no force and has no element of compulsion," said UK Conservative MEP Caroline Jackson, head of the environment committee. "The equivalent of a recommendation might be to ask environment ministers of the 15 member states to go to the cathedral of St. Michel in Brussels and pray together, because a recommendation expresses an aspiration with no guarantee of success."

But Commission officials say the institution will continue to argue in favour of a recommendation instead of binding legislation, insisting that a softer approach is more realistic given the great disparity between member states' inspection systems and resources.

MEPs are demanding new laws to force Member States to carry out environmental inspections of major industrial sites instead of introducing non-binding rules, as proposed by the European Commission.