Press Release

EU takes steps towards resource protection

(Brussels, 26 January 2011) - The European Commission’s resource efficiency flagship initiative released today [1] is a step towards ensuring a sustainable economy and future for the EU and was welcomed by environmental group EEB.

The European Commission has recognised the need to conserve energy, natural resources and raw materials in order to drive innovation and the future competiveness of industry and economies [2]. EEB has long supported this aim and points to the fact that as it stands the EU is on a dangerously unsustainable path, consuming the equivalent resources of almost three planets.

John Hontelez, Secretary General of the EEB said: “It is good to see that the Commission is making the right choice for resource protection rather than resource grabbing. Resource efficiency is not only needed due to increasing market prices but to end our overuse of natural resources like forests and fish. The EU is taking its first steps towards sustainable resource management, and not a moment too soon.”

Hontelez continued: “The next steps need to ensure real reductions in resource use by the EU economy, including imported resources, and must set clear targets and timetables. It must also make the market work for the environment and remove environmentally hazardous subsidies and environmental tax reforms.”

The flagship is the last of seven key initiatives the Commission intends to take to make the Europe 2020 Strategy effective in promoting “smart, sustainable and inclusive growth”.

The EEB will be monitoring progress of future roadmaps to ensure all policies are as coherent as possible. This flagship will be followed up by a Low Carbon Roadmap for 2050 together with a White Paper on Transport and a new Energy Efficiency Action Plan, a new Biodiversity Strategy, and a Raw Materials Initiative (all in March).

In June a Resource Efficiency Roadmap, the concrete proposals for the new Common Agriculture and Fisheries Policies, a Cohesion Policy and the next EU Multi-Annual Financial Framework will be released.

“This year things get really serious: the EU has made the right first step and we sincerely hope this will be a taste of things to come,” concluded Hontelez.

Contacts

Simon Nazer, +32 (0) 496438469

Notes to editors

[1] http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/11/43&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

[2]http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:52009DC0647:EN:NOT