1st Environment Council under Cyprus EU Presidency takes place Thursday

The EU Environment Ministers will discuss the Council Conclusions for the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, which will take place in Doha, from November 26 to December 7.

The Presidency will seek a common EU position for the Doha Summit bearing in mind the objections raised by some countries, especially Poland.

The Council, which will be chaired by Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment, Sofocles Aletraris, is expected to adopt Council Conclusions on the results of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 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 Environment Ministers will also discuss the regulation proposed by the Commission in March on the dismantling and recycling of ships. This will be the first orientation debate on the regulation which calls on EU countries to validate or join the Hong Kong Convention, which outlines how ships should be recycled in a safe and environment friendly manner.