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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on a Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment

COM(2005) 718 final — {SEC(2006) 16}

(2006/C 318/15)

On 11 January 2006, the Commission decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under Article 262 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the abovementioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 11 July 2006. The rapporteur was Mr Pezzini.

At its 429th plenary session, held on 13 and 14 September 2006 (meeting of 13 September), the European Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 194 votes to two with six abstentions.

1.   Conclusions and recommendations

2.   Reasons

2.2   The Commission proposal

2.3   General comments

Brussels, 13 September 2006.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Anne-Marie SIGMUND

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(1)  OJ C 65/02/2006, point 5.2.2 (rapporteur: Heinisch) and OJ C 65, 2006 (rapporteurs: Wolf and Pezzini).

(2)  Article 37: Environmental Protection — ‘A high level of environmental protection and the improvement of the quality of the environment must be integrated into the policies of the Union and ensured in accordance with the principle of sustainable development’.

(3)  ‘So let us choose to unite the power of markets with the authority of universal ideals. Let us choose to reconcile the creative forces of private entrepreneurship with the needs of the disadvantaged and the requirements of future generations.’ — The Secretary General of the United Nation, Kofi Annan, announced the Global Compact in a statement at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January 1999 and formally presented it at the UN in July 2000. The Global Compact calls on businesses to adopt nine universal principles of human rights and labour and environmental standards.

(4)  The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises were published in June 2000 and target international corporations.

(5)  Charter of Corporate Values drawn up by the IBS — (see Appendix II).

(6)  With a population of over 50 000 inhabitants.

(7)  Asterisks denote that the area has already been covered by a Directive.

(8)  COM(2005) 446 final.

(9)  COM(2005) 505 final.

(10)  COM(2005) 667 final.

(11)  COM(2005) 670 final.

(12)  Directive 2002/49/EC.

(13)  COM(2005) 634 final.

(14)  Global Monitoring for Environment and Security.

(15)  COM(2004) 60: Towards a thematic strategy on the urban environment.

(16)  www.aalborgplus10.dk.

(17)  The Bristol Accord, December 2005, www.odpm.gov.uk, Product code 05 EUPMI 03584. The Bristol Accord identifies 8 basic characteristics for a sustainable community 1) Active, inclusive and safe; 2) Well run; 3) Well connected; 4) Well served; 5) Environmentally sensitive; 6) Thriving; 7) Well designed and built; 8) Fair for everyone.

(18)  EP(2005)0272, 21 September 2005.

(19)  The European Social Fund (COM(2004) 493) could be used to support public administration training at various levels. The new Life+ programme could also play an important role.

(20)  COM(2004) 494 and 495.

(21)  COM(2005) 1.

(22)  See footnote 18.

(23)  The contribution of the European Investment Bank (EIB) in this field is substantial.

(24)  See Annex F of the Commission Staff Working Document SEC(2006) 16.

(25)  See the Renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy (Council document 10117/06, 09.06.06, paragraphs 29 and 30).

(26)  JESSICA (Joint European Support for Sustainable Development in City Areas: Community support for sustainable investments in urban areas) aims to provide solutions to financing problems for urban restructuring and development projects and social housing projects through a combination of subsidies and loans.

(27)  With electric motors.

(28)  The study group chaired by Mr Mendoza Castro was able to verify on site, at the invitation from the city's Deputy Mayor, Mr Buffetaut, the concept, structure and development of the local urban development plan for Versailles in the context of Agenda 21, which was decided by the city's municipal council in 2003 (See appendix 3).

(29)  EMAS, Regulation 1836/93, amended by Regulation 761/2001.

(30)  The new ISO 14064 standard on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) and Directive 2003/87/EC.

(31)  ESPON (European Spatial Planning Observation Network).

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