Environmental issues in the intergovernmental conference
The European Commissioner for the environment, Mrs. Ritt Bjerregaard opened the hearing on the intergovernmental conference (IGC) and the environment on 27 January 1997, in Brussels. The purpose of the hearing was to exchange views on the environmental challenges of the intergovernmental conference with organizations from a range of economic sectors, non-governmental organisations, regional and local authorities as well as academic bodies. The hearing was organized with three objectives: - 1: To examine the state of play of the negotiations and set out the challenges for the future steps; - 2: To stimulate the generation of ideas, create debate and momentum on the issue; - 3: To give the floor to the citizens of Europe, as members and actors in the "civil society" to allow them the opportunity to put their views on the table. Commissioner Bjerregaard said that the "current process of revision of the Treaty provides a great opportunity to strengthen the commitment towards sustainable development and I hope that this becomes a reality". Commissioner Bjerregaard said that her main message, at this stage of the IGC negotiations, was the need to keep the pressure and the momentum to make the revision of the Treaty a success in relation to the environment and sustainable development by ensuring: - That there is a simplification and reduction of both general and specifically environmental decision-making procedures, and an increased use of qualified majority voting; - That the relevant sections of the Community Treaty on, for example, agriculture, transport and regional policy are amended to ensure that consideration is given to envrionmental protection, and; - That the right to a clean and healthy environment is included in the Treaty on European Union as a fundamental citizen's right.