Climate to figure highly on Swedish agenda for its spring 2001 EU presidency
Sweden is already indicating its intention to review the integration of environmental issues in a number of sectors and steer EU heads of government toward a strategy for sustainable development at the European Council in Gothenburg 2001. 'Climate must be high on the agenda during the Swedish EU presidency, in the first half of 2001. Even if no directives or formal decisions are expected, we must follow up the November COP meeting in The Hague in order to bring about a ratification of the Kyoto protocol in 2002,' Swedish environment minister Kjell Larsson announced recently. The Swedish Minister has also highlighted the EU's sixth environmental action programme, the EU chemicals policy and its integrated product policy as the topics he wants to focus on at the Environment Council during Sweden's presidency. 'We must avoid protraction and not miss opportunities for good decisions,' he said. The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs has now published the agenda for around 80 meetings to be held in Sweden during the country's EU presidency. A list of the dates of these meetings will be available on-line from the end of April 2000 at: URL: http://www.ud.se(opens in new window)