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Environment Work Programme

Environment Work Programme. 8 January 200 9. Environment Programme presentation - Prague , 8 Jan 200 9. Czech Presidency 2009. Motto „ Europe without Barriers “ Key issues – „3E“ : Economy - Competitiveness, the Four Freedoms, and Liberal Trade Policy Energy and climate change

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Environment Work Programme

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  1. Environment Work Programme 8 January 2009

  2. Environment Programme presentation - Prague, 8 Jan 2009 Czech Presidency 2009 • Motto „Europe without Barriers“ • Key issues – „3E“: • Economy - Competitiveness, the Four Freedoms, and Liberal Trade Policy • Energy and climate change • Europe – open and secure

  3. Environment Programme presentation - Prague, 8 Jan 2009 Main environment priorities 1. Climate change 2. Protection of human health and the environment 3. Sustainable consumption and production 4. Biodiversity protection

  4. Environment Programme presentation - Prague, 8 Jan 2009 Climate change Negotiations with key global partners • Negotiations with key global partners - outreach activities with the USA, China, Brazil, India, Japan and others be carried out in Troika format; participation at G8, G20, MEM and other fora. The objective of CZ PRES is to prepare necessary elements for reaching an agreement in Copenhagen, December 2009 on binding targets of keeping the rise of the average global temperature below 2 degreesCelsius (IPCC recommendation) • Agreement at EU level on the financial arrangements = EU contribution to the envisaged agreement in Copenhagen • Adaptation to Climate Change - debate on approaches and instruments across Europe at informal Council

  5. Environment Programme presentation - Prague, 8 Jan 2009 Protection of human health and the environment Industrial emissions and integrated prevention and pollution control • The objective is to widen the scale of the sectors included, esp. combustion installations 20 – 50 MW, waste and waste water treatment as well as production of wood-based panels • It is necessary to intensify the role of the Best AvailableTechniques by the clarification of the role of the BAT reference documents (BREFs) • Some competences of the European Comission in the proposal would go to the national level (subsidiarity principle) • We aim to reach a political agreement on the EU Environment Council levelon the Directive on Industrial Emmissions (IPPC)

  6. Environment Programme presentation - Prague, 8 Jan 2009 Protection of human health and the environment • National emission ceilings (NEC) • After the agreement on climate/energy package we requested the European Commission to submit the proposal on revision of the NEC directive to start negotiations soon • High importance for all member states - air quality is one of the most serious problems of the European environment • New emission ceilings for NOx, SO2, VOC and NH3 related to 2020 are needed to reduce acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone. Particle air pollution is very problematic and has significant health impacts. Therefore we particularly welcome that the directive will include also emission caps for PM2,5. • We want to start the discussion and have a policy debate in June Environment Council.

  7. Environment Programme presentation - Prague, 8 Jan 2009 Protection of human health and the environment Ozone depleting substances (ODS) • The main objective of the Recast is to simplify and to streamline the Regulation to remove obsolete sections and to address future challenges • Revised regulation will limit the extent of exceptions for certainODS (i.e. methylbromide or CFCs in laboratories). • Ban four new ODS not covered by the Montreal Protocol (risk of future increases in consumption)will be introduced • Objective: to achieve first reading agreement with the European Parliament or at least political agreement in the Council.

  8. Environment Programme presentation - Prague, 8 Jan 2009 Protection of human health and the environment Waste management • We will discuss the issue of management of bio-waste based on Commission’s Green Paper and adopt Council Conclusions to guide follow-up work (including legislative) in this area. • Aiming to unify bio-waste management practice in the EU member states (eg. emission limits, technical requirements, etc.). • The Commission has proposed revision of two directives concerning WEEE (waste electric and electronic equipments), including proposals for new collection targets. We will open discussion on this issue in the 2nd half of our Presidency. • We will discuss at March Environment Council also the situation on the recycled waste market in light of the global economic crisis.

  9. Environment Programme presentation - Prague, 8 Jan 2009 Protection of human health and the environment International level - chemicals • We will do utmost at the 25th UNEP Governing Council meeting in February in Nairobi to reach an agreement on the need of legally binding instrument on mercury to reduce its negative impact to the environment and health worldwide. • We will also head the EU delegation at the Stockholm Convention 4th COP in May in Geneva. Main task of the conference will be listing new substances into Annexes of the Convention (POPs Review Committee recommends 9 new substances to be incuded). • The International Conference on Chemicals Management (SAICM) in Geneva is to také stock in progress and give guidance for future implementation of the sound chemicals management globally.

  10. Environment Programme presentation - Prague, 8 Jan 2009 Sustainable Consumption and Production Revision of Ecolabelling Scheme • The aim is to give a real chance and opportunity to EU citizens and consumers to choose green in much larger scale of products • Simplification of procedures, lowering costs and higher cohesion among the European scheme and national ones will help producers to participate on the ecolabelling program • Objective: To achieve the first reading agreement with the European Parliament or at least political agreement in the Council.

  11. Environment Programme presentation - Prague, 8 Jan 2009 Sustainable Consumption and Production Revision of EMAS Regulation • Now we have about 6000 EMAS certified organisations in the EU. Revised Regulation could result in 17 000 more organisations certified by 2015 • Revision should bring simplification of annual auditing of certified organisations but also strenghten the role of inspectional bodies. • Revised Regulation will bring new instrument for enterprises – reference documents which can be used then as well understandable guidelines ; the general objective is to raise attractivity of the instrument. • Objective: to achieve first reading agreement with the European Parliament or at least political agreement in the Council.

  12. Environment Programme presentation - Prague, 8 Jan 2009 Biodiversity Protection Soil Directive • Efficient protection of soil is closely connected to the human health, maintaining biodiversity and fighting climate change (both adaptation and mitigation) – CZ PRES favours adoption of the Soil Directive. • We need common rules how to manage the soil to protect it against erosion, contamination and other degradation. • We aim to reach a political agreement of the EU member states by trying to find mutually acceptable compromises on remaining sensitive issues (e.g. soil contamination).

  13. Environment Programme presentation - Prague, 8 Jan 2009 Biodiversity Protection Trading in Seal Products • Despite of absence of seals in the Czech environment, we have a very long and succesful tradition in nature and biodiversity protection. • Therefore we can serve as a good and independent moderator of the negotiations on this Regulation in the Council and with the European Parliament. • Czech Presidency aims to reach a first reading agreement between the Council and the Parliament.

  14. Environment Programme presentation - Prague, 8 Jan 2009 Important Events : Towards eEnvironment Conference • 25th - 27thMarch 2009, Prague Wilderness Conference • 27th - 29thMay 2009, Prague Informal Environment Council • 12th - 13th June 2009, Prague

  15. THANK YOU!

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