Transcript EIA slides

Greening the future Cohesion Policy
Thessaloniki, 16.07.05
Georges Kremlis,
Head of Unit, Cohesion Policy & Environmental Impact Assessments,
DG ENVIRONMENT
European Commission
E-mail: [email protected]
1
Sixth Environmental Action
Programme (6th EAP)
2002- 2012
 Full co-decision
 Four main priorities

»
»
»
»

Climate change
Biodiversity
Sustainable use of resources
Links with health
Seven thematic Strategies (Clean Air for Europe, Soil
Protection, Sustainable Use of Pesticides, Protection and Conservation
of the Marine Environment, Waste Prevention and Recycling,
Sustainable Use of Natural Resources, Urban Environment)
2
Environment and Lisbon (I)

Environment is a new “industry”
» Over 1.5 m jobs in Germany (more than car or food sectors), 1 in 6 jobs and
9% of GDP in Wales
» Over 2.2 m jobs in EU eco-technology industries
» EU is a world leader in eco-technologies – over €400mn trade surplus for air
and water in 2004



Waste prevention and efficient use of resources save
companies money
Environmental standards act as a strong dynamic for
“innovation”
High environmental standards are essential to maintain the
integrity of the single market - avoiding eco-protectionism
3
Environment and Lisbon (II)
 Postponing
action now will cost more in the
future
» Health costs of no further action on air - €50 -100bn
» Recent costs of extreme weather events - $27bn
global insured losses in 2004
» Insurance industry estimates of costs of climate
change - $100bn pa in 2010
4
Implementation deficit
Some 1200 open cases on environment
 25% of total Commission case load

–
–
–
–

Nature
Environmental impact assessment
Waste
Water
Pro-active approach to helping Member States
– Meetings
– Guidelines

Infringements / Court action / fines
5
New Member States
More than 10 years of alignment with
environmental acquis through pre-accession
strategies
 Rich in biodiversity (e.g. eastern Poland – Via
Baltica)
 Significant improvements have occurred in air and
water quality resulting in better health
 Investment needed of € 50-80 billion for
compliance with environmental acquis in EU 10
 Transition periods for investment heavy acquis

6
What we have achieved so far 2000-6
– environmental financing
 Around
16% foreseen for environment in Objectives 1
& 2 in EU15 2000-6 (“vertical” and “horizontal”
integration)
 50% of the Cohesion Fund (CF) set aside for
environmental infrastructure in EU25 (mainly
“vertical” integration) –
– but 50-50 share not always achieved in all countries
 Increase
by 75% of expenditure on environment from
1994-9 period in EU15
 Around €8 billion for EU12 2000-6 for environment
7
for SF, CF, ISPA, PHARE & SAPARD
What we have achieved so far 2000-6
– environmental compliance








Natura 2000 (Commissioner letter; complementary Guidelines 2003) precautionary approach applied for last 3 years in EU25 with need to provide
lists before potentially damaging projects implemented; commitment to cofinance Natura 2000 network
Nitrates Directive (Commissioner letter) - similar approach to Natura 2000 on
designating nitrate vulnerable zones
Waste plans (Guidelines of 1999) – e.g. requirements in Community Support
Framework for Italy in absence of agreed waste plan
Environmental Impact Assessment consolidation (acquis) – e.g. negotiation of
Operational Programmes sped up regional implementation in Italy
Urban wastewater Treatment (Commissioner letter) – Ireland/Cohesion Fund
due to lack of designation of sensitive areas
Dams (Commissioner letter) – Cohesion Fund for environmental purposes not
agricultural
Water Framework Directive (complementary Guidelines of 2003) – requirement
for water investments to be in line with WFD
Polluter Pays, Prevention and Precautionary principles (Treaty)
8
Environment in the future
Cohesion Policy





General Provisions Regulation – investments must reflect
Community environmental and sustainable development
priorities (Art. 3), respect of acquis (Art. 8), environmental
partners (Art. 10)
High priority to environment and risks in proposed ERDF
Regulation
Investment heavy environmental projects and sustainable
energy and transport projects in proposed CF
Capacity Building in ESF
Draft CSG Guidelines of 05.07.05 contain strong messages
throughout to invest in environment contributing to
renewed Lisbon Agenda and the Sustainable Development
Strategy
9
In particular CSG: Making Europe and its regions a more
attractive place to invest and work
 expand and improve transport infrastructure sustainable urban and inter-urban transport
 improving the environmental contribution to growth
and jobs




infrastructures for air, water, waste, nature and species
protection in Convergence regions
promoting landuse planning to reduce urban sprawl,
physical rehabilitation including natural and cultural assets
Investment to promote Kyoto commitments in addition to
those to promote sustainable energy and transport
Risk prevention through improved management of natural
resources, RTD, ICTs and public management policies
addressing Europe’s intensive use of traditional energy
sources – renewable energies and energy efficiency
10
DG ENV – investment priorities
in line with CSG for NSRFs and OPs







Water investments in line with Water Framework Directive
(urban wastewater treatment, water supply)
Waste management in line with agreed waste plans
Combating climate change (sustainable energy and
transport in Cohesion Fund), air pollution, Integrated
Pollution Prevention and Control
Urban transport/urban environmental policy
Natura 2000
Natural and Technological Risks
Coastal zones (EUROSION study)
– To be included as funding priorities
11
DG ENV – cross-cutting
principles for NSRFs and OPs











Article 6 of Treaty of European Union – environment as a
cross-cutting principle with a view to promoting sustainable
development
Respect of environmental acquis
Ensure NSRFs refer to 6th EAP and SDS
Regional Agenda 21 – regional sustainable development
Partnership principle - environmental partners (authorities
and NGOs involved in all stages)
Selection criteria – Bonuses, Integrated Product Policy, green
public procurement, sustainable construction
Evaluation requirements – SEA and EIA Directives
Indicators
Environmental capacity building
Environmental networks, Theme Managers
Synergies with other Community co-financing
12
– To be mentioned in the NSRFs and/or OPs
The SEA Directive (2001/42/EC)
and the future Cohesion Policy
Report due to Council and EP on relationship
between SEA Directive and Community cofinancing, December 2005 (Art. 12(4))
 Commission Methodological Working Paper on –
to be discussed with MSs on Ex-Ante Evaluation
18-19.07.05 contains annex on SEA
 Interreg IIIC (south-west UK led) Greening
Regional Development Programmes (GRDP)
SEA Handbook – to be discussed 18.07.05 and at
ENEA Plenary 12.09.05

13
SEA and the new Regulations –
does SEA apply in principle?
Current exclusion for Structural Funds and EAGGF (Art.
3(9)) not extended to the next programming period
 Plans and programmes co-financed by the European
Community are included in the scope of the SEA
Directive (art. 2)


SEA will be applicable to plans / programmes drawn up
under the new Regulations as to any other plan and
programme
14
SEA and the new Regulations –
to what will SEA apply?
 Plans
and programmes co-financed under new
Regulations will have to be checked against the
Directive’s « tests » (Art. 2, definition of plan/
programme and Art. 3, scope)
 If
they meet all criteria, they will have to be subject to
SEA
15
SEA - an important message
 The
SEA Directive invites to avoid duplication of
assessment, e.g. for plans which form part a hierarchy
When deciding on the « scope » of the assessment,
consider at what stage and level of the decisionmaking process the assessment should be best
carried out
Information obtained at other levels in the
decision-making process / through other EC
legislation may be used
16
European Network of Environmental
Authorities for the Cohesion Policy (ENEA)
Composed of EU Member States (mainly
environmental ministries), environmental NGOs,
international organisations (Regional
Environmental Center (REC), EEA, GRDP and
Commission services (REGIO, ENV, EMPL,
TREN, etc.)
 Meetings 08.09.04, 28.02.05, 12.09.05
 Website:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/integration
/structural_funds_en.htm

17
Conclusion: overall message
Mutual beneficial relationship between cohesion and
environmental policies:
1) Environment can be co-financed under all proposed
Objectives - Convergence, Regional Competitiveness
and Employment & Cooperation
 Cohesion policy finances environmental infrastructure and
improvements
 Environment is a key factor of competitiveness –
employment, investment, attractive environment (renewed
Lisbon Strategy)
2) Compliance with EC environmental legislation can
ensure sustainability
18
Thank you
for your attention!
19