Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-05-13-Speech-2-057"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2003-05-13"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Simplification and improvement of the regulatory environment2
dcterms:Language	"fi"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20030513.3.2-057"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2003-05-13-Speech-2-0582
lpv:speaker	lp:Eija-Riitta Korhola2
lpv:spokenAs	member; EPP-ED (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Suomen kristillisdemokraatit rp (2001-05-30--2004-07-19)3 member; Delegation to the EU-Latvia Joint Parliamentary Committee (2002-02-07--2004-04-30)3 member; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, Commissioner, the report now before us is an important contribution to the aim of simplifying and improving environmental legislation in the Community. For this special thanks go to my colleague, Mr Sacconi. The feedback hitherto on environmental agreements has shown that a significant number of environmental and civil society players have viewed voluntary agreements with suspicion, even when the act of making the agreement in itself has been voluntary (although the agreement itself is binding). On the other hand, it has been the wish of industry to spread the practice of making voluntary agreements in order to achieve positive results from the point of view of flexibility, and so also, hopefully, that of the environment. As I see it, the gap is now becoming well and truly bridged. The report works on the assumption that voluntary agreements may be applied when the impact can be assessed using an integrated method and the added value for civil society can be measured using indicators of sustainable development. Secondly, we have to be able to define our objectives and set clear deadlines for them. In addition, we must insist on the agreement being representative. In practice this would mean that badly organised sectors or those that provide opportunities for ‘free riding’ would not be suitable for inclusion in any voluntary agreement. With voluntary agreements it is just as necessary as it is with legislative measures to take account of public participation and to guarantee the transparency of agreements. In addition we must ensure the binding nature of any agreement, the assessment of results and possible penalties. With these conditions in place there is no risk attached to the use of voluntary agreements. The conditions mentioned will guarantee that an agreement will produce a better end result than legislative instruments, from the point of view of the environment and society. I must also therefore say that the amendment proposed by my colleague, Mrs Oomen-Ruijten, should be supported. The procedure for concluding an agreement generally instils a sense of genuine commitment to the objective in the party to that agreement. It often goes deeper than the wording of the agreement or the letter of the law. Thus, operators will not be using up their resources looking for loopholes; instead, they will be seeking ways to effectively implement the objective."@en1

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