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PRESS RELEASE CALL FOR DECISIVE POSITION ON FUTURE EU ENVIRONMENT POLICIES (Brussels, 15/1/02), Seven of the largest European environmental organisations today called on the European Parliament to substantially strengthen the new EU Environmental Action Programme. In a joint letter, they said the Parliament should confirm its demands for clear objectives, unambiguous targets and timetables. In this way, the organisations say, the Parliament would recognise "the responsibility of the EU Institutions to show political leadership and produce a framework for decisive action over the coming 8 years."The Sixth Action Programme was proposed by the Commission a year ago. It was criticised by the Parliament in its first reading for its absence of clear targets and timetables. Parliament also insisted on the inclusion of important principles relating to the new chemicals policy, subsidies and taxation-reform. The Council did not sufficiently take up Parliament’s recommendations, and now the Environment Committee of the Parliament has asked Parliament to confirm which are its most important demands.The seven NGOs - Birdlife International, Climate Network, EEB, Friends of the earth, Friends of Nature International, T&E, WWF -believe the Environment Committee’s amendments are vital, since the Council and Commission’s position postpones decisions in many key areas for five years - the period envisaged for the development of specific thematic strategies. The NGOs broadly support the proposals of the Environment Committee. They not only establish concrete targets and timetables in major areas, but also lay down firm principles for environmental policy, including prevention, precaution, substitution, reversal of burden of proof. With regard to chemicals policy, the Committee reconfirms the principles for an entirely new approach, which is under heavy attack by the chemicals industry. The Committee also wants to see specific strategies finalised within three years, so that they can have a concrete impact in this decade. However, the NGOs oppose the Environment Committee’s target proposal for greenhouse gas reductions after 2012 (Kyoto date), as the target is insufficient. They also oppose an amendment tabled by the Christian Democrats, which aims to weaken the initial message of the Parliament on chemicals. The second reading of the 6th Action Programme will be discussed on Wednesday, and voted on this Thursday. For further information please contact: |