PRESS RELEASE

EU ENVIRONMENT MINISTERS CALLED UPON FOR EFFECTIVE SOIL PROTECTION

(Brussels, December 10, 2007) - Ahead of the EU Environment Ministers Council meeting on December 20th, the EEB[1] has presented its key demands[2], in particular on soil and aviation legislation.

John Hontelez, EEB Secretary General, said, "The EU needs a robust soil protection policy. Pollution, erosion, desertification, land degradation, land-take and sealing together affect soils in large parts of the EU, with negative impacts on agriculture, water quality and biodiversity. Many of these effects are directly linked to common pressures, so we need common answers. In many Member States, progress in environmental policy is dependent on explicit, targeted and timetabled EU legislation. We are glad that there is no longer opposition against the directive as such, but we call upon the Council not to weaken the content of the Commission's proposal."

On adoption of the Soil Framework Directive EEB is urging Environment Ministers to reach a political agreement which includes a common approach to identifying contaminated sites, application of the most stringent provisions in case of overlap between existing legislation and the Soil Directive, preference to prevention over cleanup, mandatory chemical analysis of sites and no exemptions for peat when addressing organic matter loss.

Regarding aviation, Europe's fastest growing greenhouse gas emission source, EEB is calling for adoption of the EU Emission Trading Scheme no later than 2010, and that it apply to all flights, not just those starting and ending in the EU.

The EEB letter also addresses the work on a Fuel Quality Directive, which is on the agenda of the Ministers only in the form of a progress report. In light of Parliament's recent vote in favour of linking the Fuel Quality Directive with stringent greenhouse gas reduction targets for transport fuels, EEB wants the Environment Council to voice similar views in the revised Directive, including outlining criteria for life cycle analysis and sustainability standards which may be further developed under the coming Renewables Directive.
Finally, the EEB is touching upon the implementation of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS), which is on the agenda of the European Council this Friday. The EEB calls on the  Environmental Ministers to make the EU SDS the lead framework for the determination of future EU Budgets, ensuring it is discussed in the upcoming 2008/2009 Budget review. .

Notes for editors:-

[1] The EEB is a federation of over 145 environmental citizens' organisations based in EU Member States and most accession countries. The main aim of the EEB is to protect and improve the environment of Europe and to promote knowledge and understanding of EU environmental and sustainable development policies amongst the general public in the EU to enable them to play their part in achieving that goal.

[2] See attachment for a copy of the letter sent to the Environment Council from EEB on 28 November 2007.

For further information please contact:-

John Hontelez, EEB Secretary General, hontelez@eeb.org; +32 (0)486 512 127
Vanessa Bulkacz, EEB Press & Publications Officer: press@eeb.org; Tel: +32 (0)2 289 1309