The Cologne Report on Environmental Integration
Mainstreaming of environmental policy
SEC (99)777
The European Commission adopted a Report on the progress in mainstreaming the environment addressed to the European Council at its meeting in Cologne on 3-4 June. Though the integration of the environment into other policies has made some progress in certain areas, such as those covered by Agenda 2000, much needs to be done in sectors such as transport, energy, industry, internal market or development co-operation. The Commission insists on the urgent need for action and the responsibility of Member States in this process. The aim of integration is to ensure that environmental considerations become part of any new initiative in all policy sectors. It is clear that, for instance, the success on the Kyoto process will depend on this.
Background
The process of environmental integration started at the Luxembourg Summit in December 1997. There it was stated environmental protection requirements must be integrated into the European Union's (EU) policies and activities to promote sustainable development.
This process was carried further at the Cardiff Summit in June 1998. In Cardiff the Commission presented an integration strategy, entitled "Partnership for Integration" outlining guidelines for integrating the environment into individual policy areas. Reacting to this Communication the European Council invited the Transport, Energy and Agriculture Councils to start the process of establishing their own environmental strategies. In Vienna, the Heads of State and Government invited the Council to develop this work further and included EU policies, thereby involving the Development, Internal Market and Industry Councils. Results are due for the Helsinki Summit.
In Vienna the European Council also invited the Commission to submit a progress report on mainstreaming of environmental policy for the Cologne Council. In Helsinki the European Council will review overall progress on integrating environment and sustainable development. The aim is to link the sectoral strategies developed by the various Councils. The Commission intends to present a co-ordinated report on indicators and the global assessment of the 5th Environmental Action Programme. Sustainable development is the "development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (Brundtland Report).
Key messages of the Cologne Report
Climate change is one of the major environmental challenges and a key issue for integration. Therefore the Cologne Report on Integration is closely linked to the separate report by the Commission on a Climate Change strategy for the EU adopted on 19 May 1999 . Decisions on integrating environmental concerns into transport and energy policy will be essential if the EU is to begin to take steps to meet its ambitious target. This would also offer economic advantages and employment opportunities.
Six sectoral Councils - Agriculture, Transport, Energy, Industry, Internal Market and Development - were invited to develop integration strategies for the Helsinki Summit. The Commission was asked to present a report on indicators. In addition the Commission is currently preparing the Global Assessment, a review of the 5th Environment Action Programme also for Helsinki.
Applied environmental integration of Agenda 2000 and in the Employment sector is evaluated in the Cologne Report. The Millennium Round of the World Trade Organisation offers the EU the opportunity to pursue environmental integration in an international context.
The Commission is developing new integration initiatives both inside and outside of the Commission. One internal goal is to have a "Green Administration" and to green its budget. To ensure that the Commission's own new policy initiatives are subject to an assessment of their environmental impact new integration strategies are being developed that offer appropriate means for the different policy sectors.
Following the adoption of the Cologne Report, Commissioner Bjerregaard said, "Environmental integration is a major challenge. Progress so far has been slow, and the Council in its different formations now has a special obligation to come to grips with it. The message today is that we need a much bigger effort by the Council in the run-up to Helsinki. And that it is the duty of the Member States to make use of the environmental opportunities given in Agenda 2000. This process is about preserving the environment for future generations and to ensure that environmental responsibility and challenges are taken seriously and result in real actions".
The "Amsterdam Treaty" gives special momentum to environmental integration. It entered into force on 1 May. Its Article 6 is a major environmental achievement. According to this Article the environment has to be integrated into all Community policies and activities.
The Cologne Report on environmental integration
Aim: to remind the sectoral Councils of the work to be done for Helsinki. To present the state of play of the Commission's own integration initiatives.
Content: A political appeal to the Council in view of the Helsinki
Summit. Outlines climate change, Agenda 2000 and the millennium round as well as
development co-operation as key areas of integration. Presents Green Housekeeping (green
administration) and the Commission's intention to participate in EMAS (Eco-management and
audit scheme) as one of the Commission's in-house integration efforts apart from the
effort to replace the Green Star System by new integration strategies.
Annex: focuses on environmental integration within Commission's 1999 Work Programme and gives examples for integration initiatives of the Commission.
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