Current situation
The European Commission produces Environmental Action Programmes (EAPs) as an outline for the EU’s environmental policies over the next decade. The EEB assesses each programme and provides proposals to the Commission for their improvement. Effective implementation of the EAPs is another issue of crucial importance to the EEB.
The latest EAP produced by the Commission is the 6th Environmental Action Programme. This programme is particularly important, as it will function as the EU’s guide on environmental policy during the era of enlargement. The EEB has been instrumental in providing critical input on behalf of Europe’s environmental movement and in particular also from organisations from accession countries.
The EEB voiced strong criticism when the 6EAP came out about the lack of ambition.
There have been major differences of opinion between the EEB and the Commission about the need for, and possibilities of, setting targets and timetables, as well as the role that thematic strategies should play, and the mix of instruments that should be used.
The EEB worked closely with members of the European Parliament and had opportunities to present its views directly to the Environmental Ministers, who were quite receptive to its proposals. In the end, the Parliament and Council, followed the views of the EEB in part. In May 2002, the Council and the Parliament agreed on a resolution that insisted on slightly more ambitious and clearer objectives and a timetable for the completion of the central element of the 6th Programme and the seven thematic strategies.
At the end of 2002, the EEB produced an overview of the most important decisions laid down in the 6EAP, a programme that has to provide guidance for as long as 2012. The EEB itself has organised its work programme along the lines of the 6EAP.
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