On 1 October 2003, the European Commission has published its communication Towards a Thematic Strategy on Sustainable Use of Natural Resources. The resources strategy is one of the seven thematic strategies called for in the 6 th Environment Action Plan (6EAP), which was adopted in 2002 and outlines the EU's environmental policy priorities until 2010.

Article 8 of the 6EAP establishes the following priority actions on the sustainable use and management of resources:

(a) an estimate of materials and waste streams in the Community, including imports and exports for example by using the instrument of material flow analysis;

(b) a review of the efficiency of policy measures and the impact of subsidies relating to natural resources and waste;

(c) establishment of goals and targets for resource efficiency and the diminished use of resources, decoupling the link between economic growth and negative environmental impacts;

(d) promotion of extraction and production methods and techniques to encourage eco-efficiency and the sustainable use of raw materials, energy, water and other resources;

(e) development and implementation of a broad range of instruments including research, technology transfer, market-based and economic instruments, programmes of best practice and indicators of resource efficiency.

The publication of the Communication (COM(2003)572) marks the first step in the development of the resources strategy, which should become operational in 2005.

Aims:

• The realisation of absolute decoupling between natural resource use and GDP, motivated by the multiple environmental benefits this will have. Environmental organisations have developed or supported concepts like environmental space, ecological rucksack or footprints, in order to illustrate the dimension of change needed. The challenge now is to transform those general ideas into policy action.

• Active and pro-active participation in the development of the EU Thematic Strategy on ‘sustainable use of resources’. Identify priority resources to focus on and suggest strategies and measures towards those reduction targets, to contribute to the up-front and down-front debates on resource efficiency.

The EEB’s general objective is to promote the realisation of absolute decoupling between natural resource use and GDP.

Action should focus on:

1. Absolute decoupling;

2. Eco-efficiency;

3. Equity (burden shifting, as 40% of the material input to EU economy is now imported).

The precautionary principle should lead the decision-making process.