Finnish EU presidency environmental calendar

Finland took over the six-month rotating presidency of the EU's council of ministers on Saturday and has set out the governmental agreements it expects to achieve during the term in a set of draft agendas for ministerial meetings.

At the presidency's first environment council on 23 October Finland wants to see political agreement on a first reading of the draftrevised EU air quality framework directive, following an outline deal achieved at the end of last month (EED 28/06/06 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/21261).

The same gathering is expected to reach agreement on new Euro 5 vehicle emission standards (EED 21/12/06 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/20083).  There should also be ministerial resolutions responding to recent European Commission plans for EU biodiversity policy (EED 22/05/06 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/21021) and preparing for a round of global climate change talks in Kenya in early November.

At the second environment council on 18 December Finland hopes to seal political agreement on the first reading of a revision to the EU's waste framework directive (EED 21/12/05 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/20082).  It will attempt a similar deal on a draft marine environment framework directive (EED 24/10/06 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/19682).

The same meeting will adopt a resolution on the EU sustainable resource use strategy. Ministers will also hold policy debates on a planned thematic strategy on sustainable pesticide use (EED 01/06/06 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/21081) and proposals to set water quality objectives for a series of dangerous substances (EED 20/06/06 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/21202).  Both are due imminently from the commission.

Competitiveness ministers will meet on 4 December to reach political agreements on two sets of proposed marketing and use restrictions: one on mercury in thermometers and other measuring devices (EED 20/06/06 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/21201) and on perfluorooctane sulphonates (Pfos) (EED 09/12/05 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/20002).

A meeting of the energy council on 23 November will reach a provisional political agreement on a revision to the Energy Star office equipment eco-label (EED 13/06/06 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/21155).  It will also adopt a non-legislative resolution on an energy efficiency action plan expected from the European Commission (EED 02/06/06 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/21091) and hold a debate on the promotion of renewable energy in the EU.

Agriculture ministers should reach political agreement on new rules for organic food production and labelling by their 20 November meeting. They will pass a resolution on the EU forest action plan on 24 October. They will also decide the fate of eight controversial pesticides on 18 July or 18 September (EED 14/06/06 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/21163).  They may reach a provisional agreement on promoting energy crops on 19 December.

On 28 November finance ministers are set to agree derogations from EU minimum energy tax rates.

Follow-up: Finnish EU presidency http://www.eu2006.fi/en_GB/,

plus agendas for council meetings one http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/fc/90296.pdf 

and two http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/fc/90297.pdf.

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