Sustainable development is at the very top of the international agenda. This week, the European Union is dedicating a whole Council meeting to it in Gothenburg. Next year, the international community will gather in Johannesburg, at the ‘Rio+10’ Summit, specifically in order to update its strategy for sustainable development. Let us not be under any illusions, however. The international frenzy about this fundamental idea – sustainability, which is the same as saying solidarity with the generations to come and solidarity between peoples – is more the result of complying with a timetable established several years ago than of having fulfilled a strategy. Ten years after the Earth Summit, which took place in Rio de Janeiro, and which instituted the worldwide commitment to a form of development that could bring together not only the economic and social dimensions but also the environmental dimension, we can still clearly see the signs of a lack of sustainability. From the increase in global warming to the reduction of the ozone layer. From a lack of food safety to the growing resistance to antibiotics. From the proliferation of chemical products, especially organically persistent ones, to the destruction of biodiversity. From the accumulation of industrial waste to congestion in the cities. And we must not, of course, forget that terrible sign of the lack of sustainability of our growth model: poverty and social exclusion. Given this context, the Gothenburg Council is of very special importance. It will have to both adopt new policies for sustainable development for the European Union and also launch the bases for the worldwide strategy that is to be adopted in Johannesburg. Before I state my political wish list for Gothenburg, I should like to briefly broach the institutional issue. The fact that the Swedish government has decided to end its Presidency of the European Union with a Council dedicated to sustainable development deserves our applause – it could be said, in fact, that in terms of the political agenda, this Presidency has been a genuine breath of fresh air. Equally worthy of applause is the document drafted by the European Commission as a basis for that Council, ‘a Sustainable Europe for a Better World’. It is unacceptable, however, that the European Commission’s extremely late submission of this document should have prevented the European Parliament from being able to contribute properly to this discussion. Coming back to political issues, I have three wishes for Gothenburg. 1) The Gothenburg Council must produce a global strategy for sustainable development. The European Union has an obligation to lead the worldwide debate on a new growth model, based on new methods of production and consumption. This must be a model that does not make economic growth and social wellbeing dependent on the intensive use of resources. Gothenburg is the appropriate setting to open this worldwide debate. It is not only absolutely ridiculous that the 15 Heads of State should dedicate themselves to contemplating the European Union’s navel a few months away from a World Summit, which is being held with the aim of putting this model of global development into perspective; it would also be a complete waste of time. In these times of globalisation, we need European policies and targets for sustainable development that are designed to support and strengthen worldwide policies and targets for sustainable development. It is to be hoped that in Gothenburg, people will be focussing on Johannesburg... 2) The Gothenburg Council must give a political commitment, with clearly defined targets and actions, to correct the lack of sustainability in the European Union. Gothenburg must be geared towards action, with clearly defined targets and timetables. I therefore hope that the Council adopts the following targets: - a 30% reduction from 1990 levels of European greenhouse gas emissions by 2020; - the elimination of subsidies for the production and consumption of fossil fuels by 2010; - in 2010, alternative fuels must represent more than 7% of all fuels used in road transport and, in 2020, this proportion must rise to more than 20%; - to implement, by 2004, the new Community policy for chemical products and ensure, by 2020, that all chemical products that are harmful to the environment and to human health are completely eradicated; - to adopt, before the end of 2001, a plan covering agricultural and health policies, to break down human resistance to antibiotics. - to fully stop the depletion of biodiversity by 2010; - to adopt legislation on allocating environmental responsibility by 2003; - to promote public road transport and rail and maritime transport so that, by 2010, levels of road transport use are lower than 1998 levels; - to encourage the use of renewable energy sources, with a view to achieving targets of 12% of energy coming from renewable sources by 2010, and 50% by 2040. 3) The Gothenburg Council must launch the bases for the ‘greening’ of the European Union’s common policies. There is little point in defining more ecological targets if policies, especially common policies, which are the means of achieving these targets, are inadequate. It is, therefore, crucial that the Council indicates ‘when and how’ the European Union’s common policies that lack sustainability will be reformed, starting, of course, with the common agricultural policy, and covering the fisheries, transport and energy policies too, as well as the rules for allocating sums from the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Funds.

Political group: PPE-DE