RESOLUTION of the Council and of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Communities, meeting within the Council of 3 October 1984, on the link between the environment and development (84/C 272/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL,

Whereas, in the resolution of 7 February 1983 (1) on an action programme of the European Communities on the environment (1982 to 1986), one of the priorities for action is cooperation with developing countries;

Whereas the link between the environment and development was taken into account in the previous (1977) action programme on the environment (2);

Whereas environmental problems can provide a focus for greater collaboration and solidarity with the developing countries to the benefit not only of those countries but also of the Member States;

Whereas the Council has already held an exchange of views on whether to draw up for Community undertakings a code of conduct towards developing countries and on whether to exercise greater control over exports of pesticides to such countries;

Whereas there is a need to coordinate both Community and other endeavours to preserve and improve the environment in the developing countries,

Note the resolution of the European Parliament of 20 May 1980, notably on the World Conservation Strategy,

State that the inclusion of ecological criteria must be an important aspect of development policy strategies,

Welcome the fact that the Member States will do their utmost to incorporate appropriate ecological measures into their cooperation with developing countries,

State that the Community must consider environmental protection as an integral part of its development cooperation policy,

Welcome and support the Commission's increasing efforts to give an environmental dimension to the Community's development aid policy,

Note with interest the establishment by the United Nations of a Special Commission (the World Commission on Environment and Development), and by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) of the Intergovernmental Intersessional Preparatory Committee on the Environmental Perspective to the year 2000 and beyond,

Declare their adherence to the principles of the Declaration of 1 February 1980 of Environmental Policies and Procedures relating to Economic Development, signed by UNEP and 10 multilateral development financing institutions,

Consider that Member States should follow the principles of this Declaration when implementing bilateral development aid programmes,

Consider it desirable to continue with and to step up in an appropriate manner participation in the work of (1) OJ No C 46, 17.2.1983, p. 1. (2) OJ No C 139, 13.6.1977, p. 3. the Committee of International Development Institutions for the Environment (CIDIE), in order to implement this Declaration in accordance with the relevant guidelines laid down in the Community action programme on the environment, particularly as regards the conservation of tropical forests, the campaign against desertification, water management, the setting up of agricultural systems and energy utilization systems compatible with the environment, Request the Commission to examine the possibilities for achieving closer convergence of the Community efforts to integrate the environmental dimension in development aid and to submit any appropriate proposals to the Council as soon as possible.