Verwachte belangrijke beslissingen in Raad over klimaat en milieu (en)

Important issues such as the Council Conclusions on Rio+20, the preparation for the Doha Summit on climate change and the draft Regulation for the recycling of ships, are on the EU Environment Ministers agenda for the Council meeting taking place on October 25 in Luxembourg. Cyprus’ Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment, Mr Sofoclis Aletraris, will chair the Environment Council of the EU, which is the first under the Cyprus Presidency.

The ministers are expected to adopt Council Conclusions on the results of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) Summit, which took place last June in Rio. The Conclusions regard the evaluation of the results of the Summit, as well as the preparation of European positions for the post-Rio era.

The ministers will also discuss the Council Conclusions for the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol i, which will take place in Doha, from November 26 to December 7. These Conclusions will outline EU’s the position for the Doha Summit.

Ship recycling

The proposed regulation for the dissolution and recycling of ships will be the main topic of an orientation debate between the Environment Ministers. This is the first discussion after the European Commission submitted its proposal last March. The Regulation calls on Member States to validate or join the Hong Kong Treaty, which outlines how ships should be recycled in a safe and environment friendly manner, signed in May 2009. The orientation debate will be based upon questions prepared by the Cyprus Presidency.

Additionally, the Council will be informed on the proposed Regulation about the implementation of measures of the Nagoya Protocol i on access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilisation, the importance of EU regulation in achieving the environmental goals and the timeline for the EU Emissions Allowances Auction.