Environment: 6th Community action programme 2001-2010

The Council's common position has significantly tightened up the original Commission's proposal in terms of objectives, time-tables, the development of thematic strategies, environmental integration, the relationship with candidate countries and the EU's global responsibilities for sustainable development. The common position also states that the environmental objectives should be achieved within ten years unless specified otherwise. Other changes to the text include the enhancing of Article 2 relating to the principles and overall aims of the Programme. The specific objectives of this Article have been moved to those Articles devoted to the four priority areas of the Programme. Further, in all relevant Articles, the Council has made more precise, and where possible, concrete targets and timetables regarding implementation. Of the 221 amendments proposed by the Parliament, the Council has incorporated 174. Whilst the large majority have been incorporated literally, the Council notes that on certain occasions, to make the text more readable, they have been covered either in substance or in principle. The sixth environment action programme, the Council concludes, needs to be both ambitious and comprehensive whilst at the same time remaining realistic and flexible. It feels assured that the common position reflects these ambitions.�