Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-03-30-Speech-2-274"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20040330.11.2-274"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
".
I should like to thank the European Parliament and, in particular, the rapporteurs Ms Korhola and Ms Schörling, for making speedy progress with the proposals before us today. Adoption of this package of proposals will mean that we have passed a milestone in strengthening environmental democracy: the Århus Convention’s requirements on access to environmental information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters will be set to apply throughout the whole of the European Union.
We already have in place legislation concerning the Århus Convention’s first and second pillars – access to environmental information and public participation in environmental decision-making. The proposal for a directive on access to justice in environmental matters and for a regulation to apply the Århus Convention to the Community institutions and bodies will allow the Community to complete the package of legislative instruments aimed at effective implementation of the Århus Convention.
You will remember that the proposal on access to justice also fulfils a commitment from the Commission to the European Parliament when negotiating the Public Participation Directive. In addition, the Commission’s proposal for a decision on the conclusion of the Århus Convention by the European Community provides the means to live up to our political commitment by becoming a party to the Convention, further to its signature in 1998.
The proposal for a directive on access to justice aims to implement the third pillar of the Århus Convention by establishing minimum requirements for access to administrative or judicial proceedings in environmental matters. With its signature of the Århus Convention, the Community undertook to ensure that its requirements would be applied throughout EU territory. This can only be guaranteed by means of an EU-wide instrument with respect to access to justice in environmental matters setting the minimum conditions all Member States have to comply with. Furthermore, such an instrument will help to improve the implementation of Community law, and hence further the effectiveness of Community environmental policy.
Of course, it is important not only for the European Community to sign up to the Århus Convention, but also to cover its own institutions, alongside national authorities, so that they are also bound by its requirements. This is a point that we made clear, even at the negotiation stage. This commitment will fully materialise with the adoption of the proposal for a regulation on the application of the Århus Convention to the institutions.
It is hence not only another element for the implementation of the Århus Convention, but also crucial for our own credibility as regards Member States and internationally. We are, however, not starting from scratch. A number of instruments linked to the good governance process are already in place, and only need to be completed to fully live up to the requirements of the Århus Convention. I particularly refer to Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, and to the Commission’s communication of December 2002 establishing general principles and minimum standards for consultation of interested parties by the Commission.
I commend the proposals to the House and look forward to hearing your comments."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples