Whether it will detail the matters discussed at the Environmental Council meeting on 8 March 2001, attended by the Minister for Environment…

Sam Galbraith attended the Environment Council meeting on 8 March as part of the UK delegation along with the DETR Environment Minister Michael Meacher. This was the first Environment Council under the Swedish Presidency. It was held in Brussels under the chairmanship of the Swedish Environment Minister, Mr Kjell Larrson.At the council, there was lively a policy debate
- open to the public
- on the Sixth Environmental Action Programme, which was proposed by the Commission in January. When agreed by the council and European Parliament this will set out the EU's environmental priorities for the next ten years with four priority areas for action
- climate change, nature and biodiversity, environment and health and sustainable management of natural resources and waste. The negotiations on this issue will proceed throughout the remainder of the Swedish Presidency with the aim of achieving a Common Position at the June Council.There was an exchange of views on the Commission's Communication on Bathing Water policy. On this the council adopted Conclusions which are favourable to the UK, particularly in their insistence on the need for the Commission to undertake a thorough assessment of the costs and benefits before proposing a revised Directive.There was also a policy debate on the Commission's recently adopted White Paper on an EU chemicals strategy. The aims of the strategy are to maintain a high level of protection of human health and the environment, to raise the confidence of the public in chemicals management and to ensure compliance with the regulations of the internal market. On this the UK supported the Commission's White Paper but stressed the need to identify and phase out chemicals that pose an unacceptable risk. The UK also advocated improved public access to information and the need to minimise animal testing. A Common Position was also reached on a proposal for a Directive on emissions from motorcycles. This will provide better air quality while at the same time protecting the particular interests of small UK motorbike manufacturers.In addition to this, council Conclusions on Climate Change, and on Preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio+10) were agreed. On Climate Change, the council reaffirmed the EU's commitment to reaching agreement on the Kyoto Protocol at the resumed COP6. On the World Summit, the UK strongly supported the Commission's plans for preparing for the Summit, which are in tune with our own plans for stakeholder involvement that Mr Galbraith announced in the Scottish Parliament on 28 February.Finally, we reviewed progress on a range of issues. The Commission and Presidency updated council on progress on an EU Sustainable Development Strategy, and the Commission presented their Green Paper on Integrated Product Policy, which seeks to address the environmental impact of products at all stages of their life-cycle. The Presidency also reported on progress on several environmental Directives on which they aim to make substantial progress and which will fall to the Scottish Executive to implement. These include a revised Directive on Access to Environmental Information, the proposed Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, and a Decision establishing a list of priority substances discharged into the aquatic environment. We shall of course be fully involved in developing the UK line on these and other environmental issues during the weeks and months ahead.