Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - Integrating environment and sustainable development into economic and development co-operation policy - Elements of a comprehensive strategy
Date: 2000-05-18
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: ACP countries, cooperation policy, economic integration, environmental policy, sustainable development

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 18.05.2000
COM(2000) 264 final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE ECONOMIC
AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE

Integrating environment and sustainable development into economic and
development co-operation policy

Elements of a comprehensive strategy

Table of Contents

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Executive summary...................................................................................................... 4

Background.................................................................................................................. 5

Policy coherence in promoting sustainable development .............................................. 6

Challenges and opportunities for environment integration ............................................ 7

4.1.

Sustainable economic and social development........................................................ 7

4.2.

Integration into the world economy and private sector development ....................... 9

4.2.1.

Trade ............................................................................................................ 9

4.2.2.

Private Sector Development........................................................................ 10

4.2.3.

International investment.............................................................................. 11

4.3. Campaign against poverty .................................................................................... 11

Obligations under multi-lateral environment agreements and processes...................... 12

Integrating environment into the programming and project cycle ............................... 14

6.1. Allocation of financial resources to environmental programmes ........................... 14

6.2. Country and regional strategies and programming ................................................ 15

6.3.

Programme and project cycle ............................................................................... 17

7.

Advancing and evaluating the integration process ...................................................... 18

7.1. Human resources.................................................................................................. 18

7.2.

In-house capacity building, training and knowledge sharing ................................. 20

7.3. Evaluating performance of the environmental integration..................................... 21

2

8.

Conclusions ............................................................................................................... 21

ACRONYMS .......................................................................................................... 23

ANNEX I: LEGAL TEXTS ON INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENT AND
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INTO EC ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT CO-
OPERATION .......................................................................................................... 25

ANNEX II: INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENT INTO SELECTED EC ECONOMIC

AND DEVELOPMENT CO-OPERATION POLICY DOCUMENTS SINCE 1992.............. 26

ANNEX III: COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENT

AGREEMENTS (MEAS) AND PROCESSES .............................................................. 29

ANNEX IV: REGIONAL BREAKDOWN OF FUNDING TO DIFFERENT
ENVIRONMENT THEMES AND PRINCIPAL EC, EIB, AND EBRD FUNDING
INSTRUMENTS FOR THIRD COUNTRIES................................................................ 35

ANNEX V: OECD DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE WORKING SET OF

CORE INDICATORS............................................................................................... 39

ANNEX VI: SET OF INTERNAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS .................................... 43

3

1.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In response to the commitments made by the Cardiff European Council in
June 1998, this paper outlines elements of a strategy to ensure that the natural
environment is a key element in the European Union's support to developing
countries.

Developing countries themselves have primary responsibility for identifying and
responding to environmental
integrating environmental
considerations into their policies. The EU's programmes of economic and
development co-operation should support developing countries’ efforts to
protect their own environment and the shared global environment.

and for

issues

this objective, special attention must be given to strengthening
To meet
countries' institutional and administrative capacity to manage the environment
effectively. They must be able to formulate and put into place the necessary
regulations and monitor their enforcement. It is essential that developments in
the public and private sector reflect environmental concerns.

All EC policies should be coherent in relation to third countries and the impacts,
including environmental impacts, of EC policies on developing countries should
be analysed.

The EU's efforts to help developing countries integrate into the world economy
should also reflect the commitment to environmental sustainability, especially in
the context of the next World Trade Organisation (WTO) round.

More widely, the EU and the developing countries are both parties to a wide
range of environmental agreements and processes at international level. The EC
should support the efforts of developing countries to participate fully in relevant
negotiations and to develop appropriate policies and measures which enable
them to implement the agreements they enter into. The Commission for its part
is putting particular emphasis on the major UN Environmental Conventions on
climate change, biodiversity and desertification, and the role which developing
countries can play in these global environmental issues.

environment. Therefore,

EC funding which is specifically targeted on the environment
is relatively
modest compared to the overall flows of EC aid. The key challenge is to
mainstream the
environmental
considerations into the use of all EC aid and into the programming and project
cycle must be continued and strengthened. The revised guidelines on integration
of environmental issues are of particular importance. Commission staff needs to
mainstream the assessment of projects and programmes. However, the longer-
term aim is to enable partner countries’ to assume their responsibility for
environmental protection.

integration

of

There is a continuing need to assess the environmental impact of EC aid through
built-in indicators and regular evaluation exercises.

4

2.

BACKGROUND

Development
democratic and pluralistic, socially equitable and environmentally sound.

is sustainable when it

is economically efficient, politically

Integration of environmental protection requirements into EC policies is a
fundamental obligation under
the Treaty of Amsterdam. Promotion of
sustainable development is also a central objective of EC development co-
operation1. This is reflected in the Lomé Convention as well as in regulations on
co-operation with different groups of developing countries (see Annex I). At an
international level, it has also been agreed within the OECD Development
Assistance Committee (DAC) Strategy 'Shaping the 21st Century'
to work
towards reversing negative environmental trends by 2015.

the EU level,

the Cardiff European Council

At
in June 1998 made firm
commitments with respect to the integration of environment and sustainable
development into EC policies and invited all relevant formations of the Council
to establish their own integration strategies. In December 1998, the Vienna
European Council asked the Development Council, along with other formations
of the Council, to further develop this work.

In preparation for the last meeting of the Development Council in May 1999, the
Commission prepared an information paper “Progress in integrating sustainable
development into EC development and economic co-operation with particular
reference to the environment”. On the basis of an earlier evaluation2 this paper
identified areas for further improvement. It served as a basis for conclusions, in
which the Council calls on the Commission “…to prepare, in consultation with
the Member States, elements of a comprehensive strategy, including a timetable
for further measures, an analysis of resources and a set of indicators for the
Development Council in November 1999.”

Developing countries have primary responsibility for identifying and responding
to environmental
issues that are of relevance to them and for integrating
environmental considerations into their policies. All countries have committed
themselves at the Special Session of the UN General Assembly in 1997 ('Rio
plus 5') to prepare national strategies for sustainable development by 2002. EC
economic and development co-operation should support developing countries’
efforts to protect their own environment and the shared global environment. The
EC must work with partner countries through an increased dialogue on
environmental issues.

1

2

Article 177 of the Treaty establishing the European Community.
Environmental Resources Management (ERM). Evaluation of the Environmental Performance of
EC Programmes in Developing Countries. Brussels. 1997.

5

3.

3
POLICY COHERENCE IN PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

In systematically promoting sustainable development, there must be coherence
between policies on economic and development co-operation and other EU and
Community policies. This is particularly so with regard to policies on trade,
industry, agriculture and fisheries as well as other policies such as the Common
Foreign and Security Policy, and on migration, economic and monetary,
environment.
consumer,
Environmental
issues also have a role in the concept Linking Relief,
Rehabilitation and Development, the policy implications of which are currently
being developed by Commission services.

development

technology

research

and

and

As yet the coherence of EU and EC policy and the impact on developing
countries have not been systematically analysed. This issue needs to be
discussed further by the Council and the European Parliament and guidance
given on how to address it. Consideration could also be given to discussion of
this issue by specific formations of the Council.

The environmental impacts of policies differ from one developing country to
another and are thus difficult to estimate. Studies on the environmental impacts
of trade policies have been carried out in some developing countries.4 Although
the results are often mixed, such studies are essential in making more informed
choices for policy design and implementation, and they are an important input in
designing country and regional programmes and projects to counteract negative
environmental impacts. Such studies should be continued, therefore, particularly
in regard to identifying the economic implications of environmental issues.

The EC Treaty requires the Community to take account of the development co-
operation objectives in policies likely to affect developing countries5. Therefore,
such considerations should be systematically included in review of Commission
proposals to the Council and the Parliament, particularly in the policy areas
listed above. The new structure of the Commission should provide further
opportunities for improving policy coherence with regard to EC economic and
development co-operation.

Developing countries should have more opportunities to express their views on
the coherence of EC policies. The Lomé Convention, for instance, states that
ACP States should be timely informed of any Community measures that might
affect their interests, and that where necessary, ACP States may request such

3

4

5

regularly on progress in improving coherence,

This section draws from the Commission non-paper on policy coherence presented to the
Development Council in May 1999. Council resolution of June 1997 requests the Commission to
including any specific procedural
report
arrangements.
‘The environmental and socio-economic impact of sugar cane and banana production in
Colombia’, 1996. ‘EU trade policy,
the horticultural sector and the
‘Development co-operation objectives and the beef protocol:
environment Kenya’, 1996.
Economic analysis of the case of Botswana’, 1996. Brewster, Dwarika, Pemberton, 'EC trade
policy. The Lomé Convention and the third world environment: a study of the economic
environment linkages through trade in the Windward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago’, 1997.
Article 178 of the Treaty Establishing the European Community.

the Lomé Convention,

6

information.6 Consideration should be given to using this procedure more
frequently and also to incorporating similar procedures into the agreements with
other groups of developing countries. Various forums should also be used to
discuss policy coherence with major groups of the developing countries.

An important opportunity for improving the overall coherence of EU policies
with regard to environment and sustainable development is the ongoing process
of preparing strategies on environment integration by the different formations of
the Council. In accordance with the EC Treaty, the potential effects of these
strategies on developing countries should be considered in the overall
integration process, for example by the Helsinki Summit and particularly in
implementing various sectoral strategies.

4.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENVIRONMENT INTEGRATION

The three major development objectives under the Amsterdam Treaty
present challenges for the integration of environment in economic and
development co-operation.

4.1.

Sustainable economic and social development

Sustainable long-term economic development is compatible with environmental
sustainability. To ensure this, environmental sustainability needs to be taken
systematically into account in formulating economic and social policies. In order
to achieve long term economic development, many countries have adopted
drastic measures in the form of structural adjustment. These structural
adjustment and sectoral policies can have both positive and negative
environmental effects through changes in relative prices with subsequent
substitution effects and changes in production, and through changes in the
regulatory and institutional framework. Whether the environmental effects of
structural adjustment are positive or negative often depends on the state of the
economy before the introduction of the adjustment programme, and the extent of
mitigating measures taken.

Potential negative environmental impacts of structural adjustment include:

• Higher consumption of renewable and non-renewable resources as result of
increased economic activity which can be accompanied by increasing levels
of pollution and waste, and by unsustainable management of natural
resources;

• Increased exploitation of natural resources as a result of liberalisation which

could imply risk of environmental degradation; 7

6

7

Article 12 of the Lomé IV Convention.
Many African countries have allowed logging activities to increase in tropical rainforest areas in
order to raise their export income. Deregulation in the mining sector has led to increased small-
scale mining,
in countries such as Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Zimbabwe with detrimental
environmental effects (mercury pollution, erosion of river banks, health hazards due to limited
work safety measures).

7

• Budgetary cutbacks that affect the institutional framework and reduce often
law

environmental monitoring

already limited allocations
enforcement, and public awareness and education.

and

for

There is a continuing need to integrate environmental concerns into structural
adjustment policies in order to achieve sustainable economic growth without
environmental degradation. The likely risks and opportunities with regard to the
environment need to be carefully assessed in the preparatory studies. Such
assessment can also indicate the changes needed in the overall approach to make
environmental policies more effective and cost-efficient. Moreover, Public
Expenditure Reviews and Public Sector Reforms are important entry points for
strengthening the environmental regulatory functions of Governments. Pilot
activities will
include the preparation of such assessments for Structural
Adjustment Programmes.

While other EC development co-operation policies are also highly relevant to
the sustainable development of developing countries,
to which
environmental considerations can be integrated varies. Some policies already
have a fully integrated approach to sustainable development and most policies
do identify the importance of environmental considerations for the design and
implementation of activities (Annex II).
In some policy areas, sectoral
guidelines have been prepared and strategic studies on environment and
sustainable development have been carried out to guide policy implementation.

the extent

In many cases, however, environmental considerations could be analysed more
systematically and reflected more in policy recommendations, especially in
policies with indirect environmental links. More reliable analysis would allow
suggestions to be made for better integration of the environmental dimension
and would reveal gaps in the policy framework. To this end, an in-depth policy
analysis will be included in the comprehensive evaluation of environmental
performance of EC co-operation programmes to be initiated in 2000. In addition,
more in-depth discussions on integrating environment into sectoral co-operation
policies should be initiated within the Community, taking account of experience
in the EU Member States. Emphasis will be given to sector-wide reform
programmes, which provide important opportunities for strengthening the
integration of environmental issues in various economic and social sectors in the
partner countries.

The effects and costs of environmental degradation have to be borne in many cases
by future generations or by disadvantaged groups of society. Governments have
special responsibilities to ensure sustainable management of the environment and
equitable allocation of benefits and costs of environmental protection measures.
Long-term success depends on the efforts of the developing countries, private-
sector investment as well as more efficient pricing and cost recovery with
emphasis on the Polluter Pays Principle.

Development co-operation should include supporting long term measures which:

(1)

Promote enabling activities for and increase environment management
capacity of both public and private sector in developing countries;

8

(2)

(3)

Facilitate regulatory and market-based approaches to natural resources
management and environmental protection,
taxes, voluntary
agreements and phasing out of harmful subsidies;

such as

Promote environmental awareness and training, and develop networks of EU
and developing countries in Environmental Research and Technology
Development and other joint research activities.

4.2.

Integration into the world economy8 and private sector development

Developing countries can be integrated into the world economy through trade
and regional economic integration, facilitated by development of the private
sector and by domestic and foreign investment. Trade and environment need to
play a mutually supporting role in this respect.

The EC can contribute by seeking to establish fair conditions for production and
competition in globalised markets and in balancing trade and environmental
risks. The Community has affirmed that negotiations in this area should take full
account of the needs of developing countries and of the objective of sustainable
development.

4.2.1.

Trade

The Community is seeking to include a trade and environment component in the
next World Trade Organisation (WTO) Round9 with the aim of clarifying:

(1)

(2)

(3)

the legal relationship between WTO rules and trade measures taken pursuant
to Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). Consensus should be
sought on the accommodation of these measures within WTO rules and on
the types of multilateral agreements which constitute MEAs.

the relationship between WTO rules and Non-Product Related Process and
Production Methods requirements and particularly WTO compatibility of
eco-labelling schemes.

the relationship between multilateral trade rules and core environmental
principles, notably the precautionary principle. It is necessary to maintain the
right of WTO Members to take precautionary action to protect human health,
safety and the environment while at the same time avoiding unjustified or
disproportionate restrictions.

The Round should reach a clear understanding that, subject to the necessary
there is scope within WTO rules to use market based, non-
safeguards,
environmental
discriminatory,

non-protectionist

instruments

achieve

to

8

9

Article 177 of the EC Treaty specifies that the EC development co-operation policy shall foster
"the smooth and gradual integration of developing countries into the world economy".
Community objectives for the next WTO Round were elaborated in the July 1999 Commission
Communication on the New Round -‘The EC approach to the WTO Millennium Round’,- which
also includes more extensive discussion on the overall role and needs of developing countries.
Similar issues were discussed in Commission Communication COM(96) 54 final on Trade and
Environment.

9

objectives and to allow consumers to make informed choices. These objectives
should be pursued without prejudice to European trade interests and
environmental legislation, or to the legitimate interests of developing countries.
the EC has initiated an environment and
To prepare for the negotiations,
sustainability review of the Round and other WTO Members intend to undertake
similar studies.

issue of importance to many developing
Another trade and environmental
countries are trade related intellectual property rights (TRIPS). Consideration
needs to be given to the relationship between the WTO TRIPS Agreement and
the intellectual property rights provisions of the UN Convention on Biological
Diversity. The Commission will help to strengthen the capacity of developing
countries to identify and seek their legitimate rights in relation to the provisions
of the Biodiversity Convention in the biodiversity action plan currently under
preparation (see also Section 5).

The trade related objectives of EC co-operation policies are pursued through
formal trade arrangements, such as in the Lomé Convention, with co-operation
partners and through trade promotion schemes. A concrete example of
incorporating environment into trade agreements is Protocol 10 to the Lomé IV
Convention. It is the first formal international agreement acknowledging the
need for forest-certification systems for trade in tropical wood, based on
internationally harmonised criteria and indicators.

that

treatment

to countries

respect minimum social

Furthermore, the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) allows for additional
and
preferential
environmental standards. Opportunities need to be identified for more frequent
use of this arrangement, which is fully compatible with WTO rules.10 Efforts
must be made to avoid negative impacts on relative preferences for trading
partners under the GSP scheme as well as Lomé and other regional agreements.
This is one of the elements to be taken into account in the negotiations in order
to avoid unacceptable reduction of margins of preferences in key sectors of
developing countries. One implication of the negotiations could be the need to
increase current GSP preferences, including those under the environmental and
social incentive components.

Tariff initiatives in the next WTO round must take account of the specific
concerns of the least developed countries. The Community has proposed an up-
front commitment from all developed countries to implement duty free access
for essentially all products from least developed countries no later than the end
of the Round.

4.2.2.

Private Sector Development

Increasing globalisation and the need for developing countries to improve their
competitiveness increases the need for development of the private sector. This
requires a stable macro-economic framework and a well functioning framework

10

EC Regulations No. 3281/94 and 1256/96 and Commission Communication COM(97)534/4
'Special
rights and environmental protection',
October 1997.

incentive arrangements concerning labour

10

of policies and institutions, including those designed to ensure protection of the
environment and sustainable use of natural resources.

Against this background, support to the development of the private sector is a
key area of EU development co-operation policy. Particular attention should be
the private sector operators integrate environmental
given to ensure that
considerations
into their operations. This could include promotion of
environmental management systems, environmental auditing and reporting and
adherence to internationally agreed codes of conduct. Privatisation of
environmental services, such as waste management, sanitation and wastewater
treatment, could also improve economic and environmental efficiency.

4.2.3.

International investment

Internationally operating companies have experience in introducing and
implementing environmental management systems and cleaner production
methods and technologies. EC industrial and economic co-operation policies
should seek to promote the role of international companies in this respect and to
disseminate good practises.

In terms of international investment, developing countries have traditionally
been mostly host countries. Investment flows between developing countries
have been growing but are still relatively modest and unevenly spread. There is
a need to establish a multilateral regulatory framework governing international
investment which addresses access to investment opportunities and non-
discrimination, and protection of investment. To be conducive to sustainable
development, the regulatory framework should preserve the ability of host
countries to regulate transparently and in a non-discriminatory way, the activity
of the investors, foreign and domestic alike, on their respective territory and to
pursue a stable business climate. This is particularly important to developing
countries. In this respect,
traditional provisions on special and differential
treatment, such as exemptions and exceptions, or longer transitional periods, for
developing countries may no longer suffice. Rather,
the environment and
sustainable development should be built into the regulations so that they can be
implemented and applied by all countries.

4.3.

Campaign against poverty11

In exploring more systematically the highly complex relationship between
poverty and environment, the Commission is actively participating with other
donors in two major initiatives.

In 1998, UNDP and the Commission launched an initiative on Poverty and
Environment. In support of this initiative, a review of sectoral studies was
undertaken which concluded that there are many promising policy approaches
that foster poverty alleviation through improvement of the environment and vice

11

Article 177 of the Treaty Establishing the European Community sets the campaign against poverty
as one of the three main objectives of the EC development co-operation.

11

versa.12 The review also contributed to better understanding of policies that
potentially lead to undesirable trade-offs between poverty reduction and
environmental enhancement. The lessons from this systematic screening
exercise were discussed in September 1999 by a Forum of Ministers jointly
chaired by the Commission and UNDP. This forum will continue discussions
and exchange of experience so that the results can be fed into the on-going
co-operation programme,
the annual meetings of the UN Commission on
Sustainable Development, and into events related to the major UN Conferences.

The Commission is an active member of
the Development Assistance
Committee (DAC) Poverty Network and is co-chairing the Working Group on
Policy Coherence. This working group focuses on coherence of policies on food
security, trade and debt with development co-operation, and it is also hoped to
work on environmental policy, thus building on the previous study.

Furthermore, an Action Plan on Capacity Building for Poverty Reduction is
currently being prepared by the European Commission within the post-Lomé
systematic
negotiation
objective
in policy
acknowledgement of linkages between poverty and environment
dialogues with partner countries and build positive linkages in these two areas
into co-operation programmes and projects.

process. The

should

ensure

be

to

5.

OBLIGATIONS UNDER MULTI-LATERAL ENVIRONMENT AGREEMENTS AND
PROCESSES

The European Community is party to 37 environmental Conventions, Protocols
and Amendments and has signed a further 15. The most relevant agreement and
protocols are listed in Annex III. In addition there are other types of agreements
with major effects on natural resources and the environment, such as the
agreements establishing the Regional Fisheries Organisations and the UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea, as well as ongoing negotiations on new
environmental agreements.

and

Developing countries are parties to a wide range of environmental agreements
and processes. Participation in such agreements
and
implementation should be addressed by the EC in policy dialogue and
important measures are
programming with partner countries. The most
identifying country specific priorities and addressing them within national
strategies for sustainable development. Other activities should include capacity
building for designing and implementing policies and measures, and for
training, monitoring and progress reporting, and collaboration on research and
technology development. The Community needs,
to identify
opportunities:

therefore,

processes

• to strengthen the capacity of developing countries to negotiate emerging

environment agreements;

12

Sectoral studies on macro-economic policies and trade, agriculture, forestry, water, urban
development, energy on linkages between poverty and environment in these sectors. For more
information, see http://www.undp.org/seed/pei.

12

• to participate fully in international forums such as the United Nations
Environment Programme and the United Nations Commission on Sustainable
Development, and

• to prepare their negotiating positions within like-minded groups, for instance,

the Alliance of Small Island States.

The Commission puts emphasis on supporting developing countries to respond
to global environmental issues and to implement the major UN Environmental
Conventions on climate, biodiversity and desertification. The requirements of
these Conventions are mainstreamed into EC economic and development
policies and also in other sectoral policies and programmes through the
elaboration of strategy papers, particularly:

• The Commission Working Document “EC economic and development co-
operation: responding to the new challenges of climate change” and the
forthcoming Council Conclusions on this issue.13

• A Biodiversity Action Plan being prepared for EC development co-operation
as a part of the overall EC Biodiversity Action Plan (based on the EC
Biodiversity Strategy launched in 1998)

• The Commission Staff Working Paper on “The European Community’s
Policies, Programmes, Financial
Instruments and Projects Relating to
Combating Desertification in Developing Countries and EU Member States”,
which is now being revised for the fourth Conference of the Parties to the UN
Convention to Combat Desertification to be held in 2000.

Although of central importance, these global issues and Conventions are part of
a wider range of environmental issues and agreements requiring attention and
resources from the Community and the partner countries. In addition, new
obligations may also come into force, such as binding commitments of
developing country parties under the Montreal Protocol. Moreover, new MEAs
are constantly under negotiation and being completed, such as those on chemical
management and the possible negotiations on a global instrument on forests.

The EU promotes as high a level of environment integration as possible, and
thus should use its full weight in all aspects of international environmental
negotiations. For instance, opportunities to better co-ordinate EU objectives
should be fully explored in relation to the operation of the various international
funds, including those designed to implement MEAs.

13

Climate change has also been identified by the Vienna Summit as a priority area of the overall
environment integration process.

13

6.

INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENT INTO THE PROGRAMMING AND PROJECT CYCLE

6.1.

Allocation of financial resources to environmental programmes

€

Commitments and disbursements to ACP and ALA-MED countries for
environmental projects and environmental components of other projects totalled
1,339 million) of all funds committed between 1990 and 1995.14 The
8.5% (
proportion of funds allocated to environmental projects differed considerably
between regions. Whereas in the Asia and Latin America region, 15% of
financial and technical budget lines were committed (meeting the 10% target of
the ALA Regulation), only 5% of MED Budget Lines15 and 3% of EDF VII
were committed to environmental projects. EC financial contributions to
environment in ACP and ALA-MED countries in the period 1996-1999 are
currently being reviewed.

€

From the Tacis Programme,
environment between 1995 and 1997, of which environment
approximately
under the OBNOVA Regulation for the republics of the former Yugoslavia.

347 million was allocated to nuclear safety and
represented
67 million. Environmental programmes have also been initiated

€

Priority environment themes for funding are stated in the Lomé Convention, the
Barcelona Declaration and the Short and Medium Term Priority Environmental
the Commission Communication: “Europe-Asia Co-
Action Plan (SMAP),
operation Strategy in the Field of Environment”16, and the relevant Regulations.
For ACP-ALA-MED, the environment themes receiving most funding during
the period 1990 to 1995 were land resources,
forests, urban
institutional strengthening, biodiversity, marine resources and
environment,
technology transfer. Furthermore, research actions under the Fifth Framework
Programme
global
the Key Action ‘Global Change and
environmental
Biodiversity’) and specifically the ‘Confirming the International Role of
Community Research’ programme are relevant.

and Technology Development

issues (for example,

for Research

tropical

on

EC funding for specific environmental purposes remains modest compared to
the overall
flows of EC aid (see Annex IV). However, allocation of
environmental funding to regions, countries or themes does not necessarily
reflect the magnitude of the problems. Other factors include limited political
commitment and weak administrative and management capacities in host
countries leading to relatively low demand for environmental projects. In the
dialogue with partner countries, the EC must put more emphasis on raising the
issues in the political agenda, as developing
importance of environmental
countries not only have the key role in tackling environmental problems but also
in allocating resources according to their own priorities.

14

15

16

This evaluation considered only budget lines and funds managed by DGIB and DGVIII and
therefore did not include environment-related funding of other DGs, such as DGXI (environment)
and DGXII (research).
From the Financial Protocols and from the MEDA Programme. Significant additional assistance
has been provided to environmental projects and programmes in the Mediterranean through the
Mediterranean Environmental Technical Assistance Programme, and through loans and interest
subsidies made by the European Investment Bank (EIB).
Commission Communication COM(97)490.

14

Cost effectiveness is an important consideration in the allocation of funds
towards environmental programmes. Equally consideration of costs and benefits
related to environmental aspects should be integrated into assessment of
activities which primarily address other aspects of sustainable development. The
Commission aims to obtain maximum impact from available resources by
assessing cost effectiveness at both programme and project level. The major part
of environmental funding will continue to come from the main geographical
financing instruments as part of regular co-operation activities. It is therefore
essential to continue integrating environmental considerations into all EC aid
instruments and to ensure that the environmental impacts are assessed.

‘Environment

in Developing
A strategically important Budget Line is
Countries’, a specific instrument to implement pilot activities and strategic
studies. It can be used to respond flexibly to up-coming environmental issues.
Capacity building efforts must be stepped up for environmental issues and
integration of environment and sustainable development
into social and
economic policies. The focus will continue to be on a small number of priority
themes for improved efficiency and dissemination of results. In particular, the
results and lessons learned will be used in the overall evaluation of the
environmental performance of EC aid.

Accounting of environmental expenditures needs to be improved to facilitate
comparison between regions and with the environmental expenditure in EU
Member States' economic and development co-operation. To this end,
the
OECD/DAC marker system for accounting contributions towards international
and programme
environmental agreements will be
evaluation should help to measure cost-effectiveness of environmental spending.

introduced. Project

6.2.

Country and regional strategies and programming

Programming is the initial planning process for a broad group of co-operation
activities through dialogue with stakeholders in the partner country or region,17
and provides thus an appropriate opportunity to ensure that co-operation
activities fit into national or regional strategies for sustainable development.

At the 1997 Earth Summit + 5, all countries made a commitment to prepare
national strategies for sustainable development by 2002. In the DAC, all
bilateral donors have committed themselves to helping developing countries to
implement such strategies by 2005 with the aim to start reversing environmental
degradation trends by 2015.18 Sustainable development strategies are country
specific, participatory processes aimed at ensuring that policies and policy
implementation take account of environmental considerations in socio-economic
development objectives. The strategies can provide a framework for integrated,
comprehensive and coherent approaches that are owned by the developing

17

18

During programming, the national and sectoral situations are analysed to identify problems,
constraints and opportunities that could be addressed by development co-operation activities.
OECD/DAC Development Partnership Strategy “Shaping the 21st Century: The Contribution of
Development Co-operation”, May 1996. The objective was further clarified by the 37th DAC High
Level Meeting (11-12 May 1999) in document DCD/DAC(99)11 'Clarifying DAC targets and
strategies: National strategies for sustainable development'.

15

countries and also provide a framework for all partners to work coherently.
Guidelines for donors on supporting such strategies are being prepared by the
DAC Task Force on national strategies for sustainable development, co-chaired
by the United Kingdom and the Commission. The Commission will continue to
support
for
sustainable development and will make appropriate use of the DAC guidelines.

the development and implementation of national

strategies

regional projects and programmes are likely to have cross-border
Major
environmental effects.
should be placed on
In such cases, emphasis
complementarity between national and regional indicative programmes to avoid
overlaps and gaps. Furthermore, regional groupings, such as the Small Island
Developing States (SIDS), might face similar environmental problems that can
be addressed more cost-effectively through regional co-operation or other forms
of South-South co-operation.

Country Strategy Papers and Regional Strategy Papers as currently developed
improving coherence of EC
for ACP, ALA and MED countries aim at
development co-operation policies towards these countries. At present,
the
programming exercise is being harmonised and the same environmental
integration procedures should be used for all regions at the different stages of
programming. A manual with revised guidelines for
the integration of
environmental aspects
in policies and programming is currently under
preparation.

Environment integration during programming serves two objectives:

• to identify and avoid harmful direct and indirect environmental impacts of
co-operation programmes that can undermine sustainability and counteract
achieving development co-operation objectives,

• to recognise and use opportunities for enhancing environmental conditions,
thereby bringing additional benefits to development and economic activities
and advancing EC priority environmental issues.

Under the revised guidelines, environmental integration will be achieved in a
three-step process. In the first step, a Country Environmental Profile19 and
relevant external performance indicators (such as the ones described in Section
7.3) should serve as an input to the country strategy document. The second step
is the systematic assessment of the risks and opportunities of the proposed
programme on the basis of the Environmental Profile.20 The third step is the
improvement of the overall quality of the integration of environmental aspects
through Quality Support Groups. Quality Support Groups have produced
promising results in EU-ACP co-operation.

19

20

There are environmental profiles for many countries (e.g. http://www.afdb.org/about/oesu-
cep.html), and these are up-dated regularly. The profiles contain a compilation and analysis of
environmental conditions, including key environmental issues, trends and pressures, and the
government and civil responses, the status of regulatory reforms and the institutions involved.
This strategic review will provide decision-makers with information on key environmental
consequences and opportunities of a proposed programme and its alternatives.
It should
recommend measures for reducing potential conflict between programmes, and new areas for
funding priorities to be included in programme documents.

16

These steps simplify assessment of environmental impacts during programme
preparation and implementation, and ensure that programmes are more likely to
contribute to sustainable development. This procedure also reduces the need to
evaluate alternatives during formulation of individual projects. A further step to
improve country programming would be the inclusion of a short environment
chapter in each country report.

6.3.

Programme and project cycle

The success and sustainability of development programmes and projects is
influenced by how they interact with and depend on environmental resources.
therefore, need to be considered during project preparation
These factors,
(identification and formulation) and implementation to prevent or foresee
environmental problems that could hamper achieving the objectives, cause
delays, or result in unexpected costs. A preliminary environmental screening of
all projects helps to determine the extent of environmental action needed. For
those projects requiring further action, Environmental Impact Assessments
(EIA) address the integration of environmental concerns throughout the project
cycle.

Assessment procedures will
include an analysis (e.g. by use of a logical
framework) of how the actions proposed are expected to lead to the anticipated
outputs, taking the possible effects of external influences and the conditions
needed for
sustainability into account. While environmental assessment
procedures for programmes and projects are mandatory in EC economic and
development co-operation, there is still room for improvement. The revised
guidelines take account of changes in the EC approach to economic and
development co-operation, particularly through the increased number of sector-
wide support programmes for which Strategic Environment Assessments will be
conducted. As mentioned above, Quality Support Groups could also ensure the
overall quality of the integration of environment into project preparation. For
projects that require specific environmental action, scrutiny by the responsible
unit should be a mandatory part of the approval process.

Project and programme evaluation reports are presently made available for
consultation21 on a systematic basis, such as by theme or geographical area.
Their findings should be incorporated into future projects and programmes. In
addition, public consultation will be facilitated through an electronic database of
information on Strategic Environment Assessments and Environment Impact
Assessments. Learning and improving through comparison, standardised access
to relevant information and increased transparency and accountability should be
promoted.

21

http://europa.eu.int/comm/scr/evaluation/index.htm.

17

7.

ADVANCING AND EVALUATING THE INTEGRATION PROCESS

7.1.

Human resources

Staff dealing with environmental issues related to economic and development
co-operation is spread over several Directorates-General
thus facilitating
integration of environmental issues into different policies and programmes

18

(see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Human resources and environment in EC economic and development co-operation

Partner country and project staff, external consultants

Staff in Delegations

Geographical and sectoral desks in headquarters

Part-time environment & development staff in headquarters

Full-time environment & development staff in headquarters

Effective environment integration requires networking between the core groups
- between those who work full or part-time on environment in economic and
development co-operation, and the other staff of the Commission. This is
achieved across the Directorates-General through Inter-Service groups, such as
Integration correspondents, Core Group Environment and Development, and
within a Directorate-General through task teams.

In total, 24 full- and 38 part-time officials in seven Directorates-General and
Services are dealing with environment
in economic and development co-
operation. Their work covers international environmental negotiations, EC
environment policy formulation and implementation, preparation of guidance,
monitoring of environment assessments, as well as preparation and monitoring
of environmental projects. Some of the tasks are also supported through external
consultants. Technical assistance is used to prepare and implement Community
financed environmental projects in developing countries. The Commission
maintains a supervisory function through headquarters and an extensive network
of EC Delegations in the countries.

The 'Evaluation on the Environmental Performance of EC Programmes in
Developing Countries' (1997) concluded that staff resources in the ALA-MED
and ACP regions in relation to commitment levels were considerably lower than
in other major donors organisations.22 The issue of limited staff resources,
particularly for environmental issues, should be carefully examined given the

22

€
€

ACP:
DfID:
Source: ERM (1997).

1300 million of total aid per staff member; ALA-MED:
166 million per staff member; World Bank:

600 million per staff member;
180 million per staff member (1995).

€

€

19

tight overall spending targets on personnel agreed by the EU Member States in
the Agenda 2000. Furthermore, efforts need to concentrate on strengthening the
capacity of Commission Services and partner country administrations to
improve the environmental performance of EC aid. The following avenues exist
within the current mandate of the environmental units:

• To build capacity in the partner countries to assume greater responsibility in

implementing environmentally sound co-operation programmes,

• To increase the capacity of staff to integrate environmental aspects in the
economic and development co-operation programmes (see next section),

• To streamline internal procedures to incorporate environmental
systematically and to share the tasks among a larger number of staff,

issues

• To establish a simple system to continuously monitor and improve the quality

of the output, for instance by keeping relevant statistics.

7.2.

In-house capacity building, training and knowledge sharing

As already mentioned, capacity building and training is a major strategic activity
to further integrate environment and sustainable development into economic and
development co-operation policies. A series of two-day courses23 will be
organised during 1999 and 2000 in headquarters and in Delegations in the ACP
and ALA-MED regions. Afterwards, regular environment training should be
extended to cover all co-operation areas. This training should be mandatory for
all geographic desk officers and thematic staff, with priority given to those
dealing with environmentally sensitive programmes and projects.

A comprehensive training needs assessment will be carried out in 2000 to
quantify the number of staff requiring further environmental training and to
determine the environmental aspects to be covered in the training sessions. The
needs assessment will also include identification of potential opportunities for
training courses.24 Clear
integrating environmental components into other
objectives and indicators to measure the success of such training should be
established.

Besides formal training, networking on environmental issues is very important,
particularly in EU development co-operation where there is a wide diversity of
experience. In the partner countries where environmental expertise is most
thinly spread, a more systematic exchange of views among Member States on
environmental issues would be beneficial.

Information dissemination has been greatly facilitated through the rapid
telecommunications and the internet. The creation of a
expansion of

23

24

The training comprises four modules: (i) introduction to environmental problems and EC
commitments to multi-lateral environmental agreements, (ii) environmental policy dialogue and
programming, (iii) environmental integration into the project cycle, (iv) environmental economics.
Such as training in Project Cycle Management, Financial and Economic Analysis, Poverty and
Gender.

20

Commission web site by the end of 1999 on Environment and Development Co-
operation will make access to key documents and sites easier.

7.3.

Evaluating performance of the environmental integration

The overall environmental performance of EC aid is evaluated regularly. The
next comprehensive assessment to be undertaken in 2000-2001 will assess
progress in implementing the recommendations of the previous evaluation in
1997 and the environmental performance of EC aid during the period
1995-2000, from an external as well as an internal perspective.

The external perspective will examine country- or region-specific environmental
indicators to identify the magnitude and direction of environmental trends. Such
indicators are being developed by a DAC Working Group on sustainable
development (Annex V). These general indicators will be used to adjust and
focus EC co-operation programmes and policies as required and will be included
in relevant reports. They can be used to assess global trends and progress of
individual countries towards sustainable development objectives and to guide
regional and country planning and programming. Since the DAC indicators only
include a few core indicators for each sphere of sustainable development, other
sets of indicators25 and sources of data will also have to be used in order to
obtain a more precise picture of development trends in a country or region.

The shortage of internationally comparable data in environment for developing
countries hinders policy making and meeting the reporting requirements of
multilateral environmental agreements. A co-ordinated assistance effort to build
capacity in environmental statistics in developing countries needs to be pursued
by the EC and Member States and with partners in the DAC and in the World
Bank and the United Nations System.

In addition to assessing progress at the global level and in the developing
countries, there is a need to assess internal progress in integrating environment
and sustainable development into EC economic and development co-operation.
For this purpose, the set of objectives, specific actions for the period 2000 to
2002, and related indicators presented in Annex VI will be used.

8.

CONCLUSIONS

Responsibility for identifying and responding to environmental issues and for
integrating environmental considerations into policies lies primarily with
developing countries themselves. Their national strategies for sustainable
development will play a key role in this context. There are many opportunities
and options for EC policies to support
integrating
environment into EC economic and development co-operation. A number of

their efforts and for

25

Such sets are, for example, the Human Development Index, Sustainable Development Indicators
being developed by the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, Minimum National Social
Data Set of the United Nations Statistics Division, and the General Data Dissemination System of
the IMF.

21

these opportunities and options have already been identified in earlier internal
documents.

these are credibly and transparently
The main challenge is to ensure that
developed and that the integration process advances at a steady pace. Three
basic elements are essential in this respect. Firstly and foremostly, there must be
political commitment to environmental integration at each level of the hierarchy.

Secondly,
the integration process needs to be firmly formalised in the
organisational structure and given sufficient institutional priority. Many private
and public organisations, not only those concerned with development co-
operation, are currently battling with similar issues, particularly in the broader
perspective of the integration of sustainable development issues. For instance,
OECD and the World Bank have decided to give this broader integration
process more weight and visibility within their organisational set-up and have
created special units at high level to oversee the integration process. The
Commission will examine to what extent organisational aspects can be
improved in the near future, in order to better integrate the environment.

Thirdly,
there must be sound management of the overall quality of the
integration process. The most credible avenue in this respect is certification and
accreditation of the environmental integration process in accordance with an
internationally acknowledged and standardised environmental management
system.26 Independent certification would give the process transparency and
visibility. The Commission will explore the ramifications of obtaining such a
certification in the coming months.

26

The most important are the International Standardization Organization ISO 14001 Standard and
the European Community Eco-Management and Audit Scheme EMAS. An environmental
management system is a management tool enabling an organisation to control the impact of its
activities, products or services on the environment. An environmental management system makes
a structured approach to setting environmental objectives and targets, to achieving these and to
demonstrating that they have been achieved possible. The standards aim at providing a framework
for an overall, strategic approach to organisation’s environmental policy, plans and actions along
with a commitment to continuous improvement.

22

ACRONYMS

ACP

ALA

CEE

DAC

DG

ECE

EBRD

EMAS

EC

EDF

EIB

EIA

FAO

GSP

ISO

MEA

MED

NIS

NSSD

African-Caribbean-Pacific

Asia and Latin America

Central and Eastern Europe

Development Assistance Committee

Directorate General

Economic Commission for Europe

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

European Community Eco-Management and Audit Scheme

European Community

European Development Fund

European Investment Bank

Environmental Impact Assessment

Food and Agricultural Organisation

Generalised System of Preferences

International Organization for Standardization

Multilateral Environment Agreement

Southern Mediterranean, Near and Middle East

New Independent States

National Strategy for Sustainable Development

OBNOVA

A Serbo-Croatian word for reconstruction

OECD

Organisation for Economic and Co-operation and Development

SEA

SIDS

Strategic Environmental Assessment

Small Island Developing States

TRIPS

Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights

UNCSD

United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development

UNDP

UNEP

WTO

United Nations Development Programme

United Nations Environment Programme

World Trade Organisation

23

ANNEXES

24

ANNEX I: LEGAL TEXTS ON INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INTO EC ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT CO-OPERATION

COMMITMENT

PROVISIONS/COMMENT

Treaty establishing the European Community

Article 6: “Environmental protection requirements must be integrated into the definition and implementation of the Community policies
and activities referred to in Article 3 [which lists EC policies], in particular with a view to promoting sustainable development.”

Lomé IV Convention (1990-2000)

Contains the strategic objective of achieving a "sustainable balance between economic objectives, the rational management of the
environment and the enhancement of natural and human resources". A title on the environment lays out the principles, priorities and
procedures for action.

Council Regulation 443/92 on financial and technical assistance
to, and economic co-operation with, the developing countries in
Asia and Latin America

Protection of the environment and natural resources, and sustainable development are set as long-term priorities.10% of financial
resources to be set aside from budget lines for technical and financial assistance to ALA regions for the protection of the environment
and natural resources

and technical
Council Regulation 1488/96 on financial
measures to accompany (MEDA) the reform of economic and
social structures in the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean
partnership

The Regulation states that “the Community shall ...reform economic and social structures and mitigate any social or environmental
consequences which may result from economic development”.

Council Regulation 1279/96 concerning the provision of
assistance to economic reform and recovery in the New
Independent States and Mongolia (TACIS)

Environmental considerations have to be taken into account when designing and implementing programs. Environmental considerations
have been applied on an ad-hoc basis for projects and programs likely to have an environmental impact. Projects to address
environmental problems introduced on a systematic basis from 1996. In 1999 a new Tacis Regulation will be adopted covering 2000-
2006. The Commission has proposed to strengthen the environment aspects of the programme, including environmental integration.

Council Regulation 722/97 on environmental measures in
developing countries in the context of sustainable development

Sets out the framework for Community assistance from the ‘Environment in Developing Countries’ Budget Line (B7-6200) aimed at
enabling developing countries to integrate the environmental dimension in their development process. Projects supported are pilot
actions and strategic studies. Proposal for a new regulation currently under discussion.

Council Regulation 3062/95 on operations to promote tropical
forests

Sets out the framework for Community assistance from the ‘Tropical Forests’ Budget Line (B7-6201) aimed at supporting the
conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests in developing countries. A Manual on Forest Sector Development Co-
operation is available. The new regulation currently under discussion will include other types of forests in addition to tropical forests.

Council Resolution of 28 May 1996 on Environmental
Assessment in Developing Countries

States that Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, is one of the most important tools for environment integration and the aim is to fully
integrate environmental concerns in the project and programme preparation as well as at the strategy and policy levels.

Council Directive 90/313/EEC on the freedom of access to
information on the environment

The objective is “to ensure freedom of access to and dissemination of information on the environment held by public authorities”.
Although directed to Member States it is also a principle that the Commission is expected to apply to other countries.

25

ANNEX II: INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENT INTO SELECTED EC ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT CO-OPERATION POLICY DOCUMENTS SINCE 1992

Unless otherwise indicated, all the policy documents referred to are Commission Communications.

SECTOR OR
ISSUE AREA

YEAR

ESTIMATED DEGREE OF ENVIRONMENT INTEGRATION / OTHER COMMENTS

Energy

(2000) Orientation note in preparation. Emphasis will be on renewable energies and environmental concerns will be taken into

consideration.

Structural
Adjustment

Trade

(1999) Communication in preparation. Draft communication discusses environment only in relation to health issues.

1999 Environment integrated into the policy. “The EU approach to the Millennium Round” discusses developing country and
environmental issues extensively. They are also prominent parts of the EU Submission to the WTO 1997 High Level Meeting
on Trade and Development and Communication on Trade and Environment in 1996.

SECTO-
RAL
GUIDE-
LINES

STRATEGIC

STUDIES

Energy as tool for
Sust. Dev. in ACP

Macroeconomic
reforms and Sust.
Dev. In Southern
Africa

Studies on certain
countries, see
footnote 7

Urban development

Sectoral guidelines in preparation. Will include environment as a cross cutting issue to be integrated to all urban development
activities. ACP-EU Joint Assembly Resolution on Urban Development in ACP Countries (1997) calls for Commission
strategies to address urban problems and opportunities.

2000 An evaluation of

past projects

Rural development

Rural Development Policy for Developing Countries under preparation. Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries policies under
preparation. Agriculture, livestock and fisheries guidelines under preparation.

1998
(IPM)

Fisheries

1999 Environment integrated into the policy. However, the Communication is mainly focused on Europe and the CFP. A policy
document is in preparation on coherence between fisheries agreements and fisheries, which has a special emphasis on more
sustainable resource use.

Pest

Integrated
Management
(IPM)

SIFR27 1992

EU-ACP Dia-
logue on Fisheries
Research
Initiative –95-97

27

A Study of International Fisheries Research by the World Bank, EC, UNDP, FAO, 12 bilateral donors and one industry organisation.

26

Private Sector
Development

1999 Environment partially integrated into the policy. Communication limited to ACP countries. Focus on economic development.
Identifies technical support for environmental protection as one of the elements of support to governments to devise and
implement “second generation” reforms. Respect for social and environmental standards is identified as one of the areas for
dialogue with the European and ACP private sector.

Tourism

Transport

Forestry

1999 Environment fully integrated into the policy. Seeks to ensure that the principles of sustainable development, that respect the
social, cultural and environmental background, form part of tourism development strategies and schemes and that the positive
effects of tourism on growth and employment are maximised.

Draft
1999

Draft
1999

Environment fully integrated into the policy. Communication focused on to the ACP countries. Provides a strategy aimed to
deliver sustainable transport, which is safe, economically, financially and institutionally sustainable as well as environmentally
sound and socially aware.

1996

Environment fully integrated into the policy. Reaffirms commitment to sustainable economic and social development while
fostering environmental protection. Pursues the goal of maintaining the multifunctional role of forests through activities both
at the policy and field level.

Biodiversity

1998 Environment fully integrated into the policy. The strategy includes a section on development and economic co-operation

1996

Forestry
evaluation 97-98

Sourcebook -98

EC/DfID
'Biodiversity
Development'
Project

in

Democratisation,
rule of law, human
rights and good
governance

Microfinance and
poverty reduction

1998 Environment partially integrated into the policy. Communication limited to ACP countries. Good governance defined as
transparent and accountable management of all a country's resources, including natural resources, for its equitable and
sustainable social development.

1998 Environment partially integrated into the policy. Focus on economic sustainability. Environment identified as one of the areas
of impact evaluation. It is also noted that environmental considerations should become a more prominent part of international
donor co-ordination and practice.

(Micro-
finance)

1998

Indigenous peoples

1998

Commission Working Document. Environment fully integrated into the policy. Aims to enhance indigenous peoples’ right and
capacity to control their own social, economic and cultural development and capacity for sustainable management of
biological resources.

Fresh water
management

Environment fully integrated into the guiding principles of the sectoral guidelines “Towards sustainable water resource
management”.

1998

27

Scientific and
Technological
Research

1997 Environment integrated into the policy. Underlines the strategic role that Research and Technology Development (RTD) has to
play in promoting sustainable development in the developing countries and achieving the Community's development co-
operation objectives.

Several within the
5th RTD Frame-
work Programme

Human and social
development

Relief, Rehabilita-
tion and Long-term
Development

Regional economic
integration

1996 Commission Working Document. Environment partially integrated into the policy. Natural capital identified as one form of

capital, the sustainable management of which is a fundamental precondition to human and social development.

1996 Environment partially integrated into the policy. Sustainable development addressed as an overall objective and environmental

impacts of crisis situations identified as an area requiring action.

1995 Environment partially integrated into the policy. Focus on economic sustainability, environmental degradation identified as

one issue requiring increased regional co-operation.

Gender issues

1995 Environment partially integrated into the policy. Focus on social and economic sustainability. The role of women in the

sustainable management of natural resources is emphasised.

Health

1994 Environment partially integrated into the policy. Focuses on the need to create an environment favourable to health.

Environmental health not separately addressed.

Food security

1994 Environment or sustainable development not explicitly mentioned. Focus on co-ordination between the Community and the

Member States.

Education

1994 Environment or sustainable development not explicitly mentioned. Focus on co-ordination between the Community and its

Member States on education and training schemes.

Campaign against
poverty

1993 Environment partially integrated into the policy. Focuses on social and economic sustainability, environment mentioned in

passing.

Family planning

1992 Environment partially integrated into the policy. Focus on social and economic development. States that current rates of

population growth will increase the pressure on scarce resources such as water and on the environment in general.

Run-up to 2000

1992 Environment integrated into the strategy, e.g. global environment identified as a new form interdependence and important area

of co-operation in all geographical regions

Health and
Environment in
ACP Countries

EC/UNDP
Poverty and
Environment
Initiative

28

ANNEX III: COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENT
AGREEMENTS (MEAS) AND PROCESSES

The European Community is very active in Multilateral Environmental Agreements and
has been a driving force in many of the negotiations in the current framework of
international environmental
law. The Community’s own experience in reaching
agreement amongst 15 Member States at rather different levels of development has often
been crucial in the search for compromises on the wider stage. In turn international
agreements have helped to shape the Community’s internal legislation.

Equally the work of the Council and its subsidiary Groups means that Union participants
have a unique experience of international dialogue. This has often been used to push
forward international processes such as Environment for Europe, the Euro-Mediterranean
Partnership, the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme, the
UN Commission on Sustainable Development,
the WTO Committee on trade and
Environment, the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests, the Global Plan of Action on
Land-based Sources of Marine Pollution (Washington GPA), or the Intergovernmental
Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS).

The European Community is a party to 37 environmental Conventions, Protocols and
Amendments, of which all but 5 are in force, and has signed another 15. In all, these
represent some 26 distinct agreements, which fall into several groups. The ones relevant
for developing countries and EC economic and development co-operation are listed
below. Other types of agreements with major effects on natural resources and the
environment, such as those establishing Regional Fisheries Organisations and the UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea, are not included in these totals.

Not all the environmental agreements cover ACP or ALAMED countries since many are
regional agreements for Europe. Nevertheless, this does not mean that these countries
have no interest in them. For example, the Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE)
Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution and its many Protocols have
been noted as potential models for other regions in wider international fora including
UNEP and the UN Commission for Sustainable Development.

Six of the basic agreements to which the Community is party concern European river
basins. Four deal with the seas around Europe. The Community took part
in the
negotiation of other regional seas agreements such as the Cartagena Convention on the
Wider Caribbean Region and the Nairobi Convention on the East African Sea and in
some cases signed them, but has not
taken action to conclude the agreements or
participate in the Conferences of the Parties.

Of the seven distinct agreements to which the Community is party on nature protection,
three have world-wide coverage - the Convention on Biological
flora and fauna,
Diversity (CBD),
the Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) and the Bonn
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species. In addition, the UN Convention
on the Law of the Sea is a global convention. The Community is not a party to another
world-wide nature conservation agreement,
the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
However, the Hague Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory
Waterbirds, which concerns a developing region, has been signed but not yet concluded
by the Community.

Of the three distinct agreements on air and atmosphere, two are global - the Vienna
Convention and its Montreal Protocol as well as the UN Framework Convention on

29

Climate Change (UN FCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol. Two of the four agreements on
industry, hazardous substance and waste have world-wide coverage – the Basle
Convention on Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and the UNEP/FAO
Rotterdam Convention for the Application of Prior Informed Consent Procedure for
Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides
(the PIC
Convention).

in International Trade,

The two general or institutional agreements, the Espoo Convention on Environmental
Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context and the Aarhus Convention on Access to
Environmental Information, Public Participation in Environmental Decision-making and
Access to Justice were both negotiated under UN ECE auspices and their content reflect
the concerns and institutional capacities of industrial countries. Nevertheless both
translate universal principles which were endorsed by the world community in the Rio
Declaration into legally binding forms and could be useful models for other regions.

The Community has participated in a further eight completed negotiations but has yet to
sign or approve the resultant agreements. These include three of world-wide interest of
which two cover a sector different from all those mentioned above. The Convention on
the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of Transboundary Watercourses took decades to
agree and is not yet in force, but will provide a legal framework for sharing the resources
of international rivers and is thus of major interest to many countries. The International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Convention on Nuclear Safety and the IAEA Joint
Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive
Waste may be of more limited application but the Small Island Developing States at least
have taken an interest in the latter although they are not signatories to it.

The Community is currently party to the negotiations of another 4 international
agreements of which two are of interest here. The Biosafety Protocol of the CBD is
primarily intended to facilitate the safe transboundary movement of Living Modified
Organisms. The UN Global
Instrument on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs
agreement) is expected to ban at least 12 toxic chemicals which are largely used by
developing countries. Furthermore, the Commission actively participates in discussions
on a possible global legally binding instrument concerning management and protection of
all forests. Such a global instrument could provide a strong incentive for improved
implementation and enforcement of policies and legislation established by sovereign
nations in order to inter alia (i) raise necessary financial resources for Sustainable Forest
Management; (ii) develop instruments for internalising the environmental and social
costs and benefits; (iii) reduce illegal trade and promote good governance in the forest
sector.

In addition the Community takes part in the work of the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and has implemented the required internal
legislation, but has not yet become a party because the Amendment allowing
participation by Regional Economic Integration Organisations is not yet in force.

30

ENVIRONMENT AGREEMENTS MOST RELEVANT FOR EC ECONOMIC
AND DEVELOPMENT CO-OPERATION

I. Multilateral environmental agreements and protocols to which the EC is a
contracting party or a signatory

WATER - INTERNATIONAL RIVERS AND LAKES

1. Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and

International Lakes (1992) (UN-ECE)

2. Convention on the Co-operation for the Protection and Sustainable Use of the

Danube (1994, Sofia)

3. Convention on the International Commission for the protection of the Oder from

pollution (1996, Wroclaw)

OCEANS AND SEAS

4. Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area

(1974, Helsinki)

5. Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution (1976,

Barcelona) (UNEP)

6. Protocol concerning Co-operation in combating Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea
by oil and other harmful substances in case of emergency (1976, Barcelona) (UNEP)

7. Protocol for the prevention of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by dumping from

ships and aircraft (1976, Barcelona) (UNEP)

8. Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution from land-

based sources (1980, Athens) (UNEP)

9. Protocol concerning specially protected areas of the Mediterranean Sea (1982,

Geneva) (UNEP)

10. Amendments to the Barcelona Convention (1995, Barcelona)

11. Amendments to the Protocol for the prevention of pollution of the Mediterranean Sea

by dumping from ships and aircraft (1995, Barcelona)

12. Protocol concerning specially protected areas and Biological Diversity of the

Mediterranean Sea (1995, Barcelona)

13. Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area
(1992 Revised Helsinki Convention) (1992, Helsinki) (Not yet in force – Once in
force it will replace the 1974 Helsinki Convention)

NATURE PROTECTION – FLORA AND FAUNA

14. Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)

(1979, Bonn) (UNEP)

31

15. Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (1979,

Bern) (Council of Europe)

16. Convention on Biological Diversity (1992, Rio) (UN)

17. Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (1995,

The Hague)

18. UN Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas

(1992, New York)

19. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing

Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (1994, Paris)

AIR AND ATMOSPHERE

20. Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (1979, Geneva) (UN/EC)

21. Protocol concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or

their Transboundary Fluxes (1991, Geneva)

22. Protocol on Long-Term Financing of the Co-operative Programme for Monitoring
and Evaluation of the Long-range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe (EMEP)
(1984, Geneva) (UN/EEC)

23. Protocol concerning the control of emissions of nitrogen oxides or

their

transboundary fluxes (1988, Sofia)

24. Protocol to the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution of 1979 on
the further Reductions of Sulphur Emissions (S02) (1994, Oslo) (Not yet in force)

25. Protocol on Heavy Metals to the Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air

Pollution

26. Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants to the Geneva Convention on Long-range

Transboundary Air Pollution

27. Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1985, Vienna)

28. Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer (1987, Montreal) (UNEP)

29. London Amendment to Montreal Protocol (1990, London)

30. Copenhagen Amendment to Montreal Protocol (1992, Copenhagen)

31. Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992, New York) (UN)

32. Protocol to the Climate Change Convention (1997, Kyoto)

INDUSTRY / HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES AND WASTES

33. Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and

their Disposal (1989, Basle) (UNEP)

32

34. Convention on Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents (1992, Helsinki) (UN-

ECE) (Not yet in force)

35. European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental

and other Scientific Purposes (1986, Strasbourg) (Council of Europe)

36. (UNEP/FAO) Convention for

Informed Consent
Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade
(PIC Convention – 1998, Brussels)

the Application of the Prior

GENERAL

37. Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary context (1991,

Espoo) (UN-ECE)

38. (UN/ECE) Convention on Access to Environmental Information, Public Participation in

Environmental Decision-making and Access to Justice

II. Multilateral agreements, the negotiation of which is finished but not signed by
the community

1. Convention on the Law of
Watercourses (1997, New York)

the Non-navigational Uses of Transboundary

2. Agreement for the Conservation of cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black

Sea (under the Bonn Convention) (1996, Monaco)

3. Agreement for the Conservation of Bats in Europe (under the Bonn Convention)

4. Protocol on the Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste in the Mediterranean

(1996, Izmir)

5. Amendments to the Protocol

to the Convention of Barcelona relating to the
Protection of the Mediterranean Sea from pollution from Land-based sources (1996,
Barcelona)

III. Principal multilateral agreements in final phase of negotiation

1. Protocol on Biosafety to the Biodiversity Convention

2. 2nd Protocol Nox to the Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air

Pollution

3. UN Global Instrument on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

4. Protocol on Water and Health to the UN-ECE Convention on Transboundary

Watercourses

5. Liability Protocol

to the Basle Convention on Transboundary Movements of

Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal

***

33

Note: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES): The
Community, not being a Party for the moment to the Convention, plays an essential role
even though it is only as Observer.

34

ANNEX IV: REGIONAL BREAKDOWN OF FUNDING TO DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT
THEMES AND PRINCIPAL EC, EIB, AND EBRD FUNDING INSTRUMENTS FOR THIRD
COUNTRIES

28

Table IV.1 Funding to environment themes in ACP countries during 1990 to 1995

Funding committed from EDF VII to different environment themes

€

€

Theme

Million

Urban environment

Institutional strengthening

Land resources

Biodiversity

Marine resources

Tropical forests

Climate change

Technology transfer

Pollution control

64,4

32,8

31,6

29,9

13,1

8,3

3,1

1,9

1,6

Theme

Million

Tropical forests

Land resources

Institutional strengthening

Technology transfer

Biodiversity

94,0

90,8

25,8

23,3

8,3

% of funding for
environment

31

16

15

14

6

4

2

1

1

% of funding for
environment

31

30

17

8

3

Table IV.2 Funding to environment themes in ALA countries during 1990 to 1995

Funding committed to Asia and Latin America from B7-3001 and B7-3001 (Asia)
to different environment themes

28

Similar thematic breakdown for New Independent States (NIS) is not currently available. An
evaluation of the Tacis Interstate Environment Programme is currently being conducted.

35

Table IV.3 Funding to environment themes in MED countries during 1990 to 1995

Funding committed from Mediterranean Budget Lines to different environment
themes
€

Theme

Million

% of funding for
environment

Land resources

Marine resources

Pollution control

Urban environment

Technology transfer

57,3

19,1

5,4

4,6

4,3

57

19

5

4

4

Table IV.4 Funding to environment and energy sub-sectors in CEE countries during 1990
to 1998

Funding committed to CEEC countries from the Phare Programme to
environment and energy sub-sectors

Sub-sector

Pollution reduction

Energy supply

Energy saving

Water services1

Biodiversity

Other2

€

Million

% of funding for
environment and energy

159,6

119,7

114

102,6

17,1

57

28

21

20

18

3

10

1 Includes waste water (industrial waste in included in pollution reduction)

2 Includes projects classified with multiple or unknown objectives

Source ERM Inventory Database

36

Table IV.5 Principal EC, EIB and EBRD funding instruments

Type

Region

Instrument

Amount
€
mill

Africa, Caribbean, Pacific

8th European Development Fund (1995
- 2000)

12,96
7

of which:

- bilateral country programmes (NIP)

- regional co-operation (RIP)

- Structural Adjustment

- STABEX

- SYSMIN

- Emergency/refugee assistance

- risk capital (EIB)

- Interest rate subsidies (EIB)

48 %

10 %

11 %

14 %

4 %

2 %

8 %

3 %

European Investment Bank (1995 -
2000)

1,658

Community Budgetlines (1999 annual provisions)

127.5

314

438

1,094

835

200

16

45

15

605

1,444

485

332

33

Official
Development
Assistance

Southern and South Africa

Latin America

Asia

Mediterranean, Near &
Middle East

All

All

Food and Humanitarian Aid

Co-financing NGO's

Developing countries

Environment in developing countries

tropical countries

All

CEEC

CIS

ex-Yugoslavia

Tropical forest

Rehabilitation

Others

PHARE

TACIS

OBNOVA

EBRD

Official Aid

Community Budgetlines (multi-annual provisions)

Other grants

These programmes are to a
certain extent open for
third country participation.
The total amount of
funding for third countries
has not necessarily been
fixed.

SYNERGY (1998 - 2002)

5th Framework Programme
2002),

(1998 -

of which

-

-

-

Environment

ENERGIE

Co-operation with developing countries

SAVE (1996 - 2000)

ALTENER II (1998 – 2002)

15

14,96
0

7 %

7 %

3 %

45

22

37

Accession countries (54 %)

European Investment Bank (EIB)

4,410 (*)

Mediterranean (20 %)

ACP (13 %)

South Africa (3 %)

other CEEC (2 %)

Latin America (5 %)

Asia (3 %)

Eastern Europe, CIS

Loans

(*) 1998 commitments

of which:

- transport

- energy

- private sector

- water

- industry

- others

European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (EBRD)

of which

- private sector

- energy

- transport

- communication

37 %

18 %

13 %

10 %

7 %

15 %

2,373 (*)

40 %

17 %

10 %

8 %

6 %

38

ANNEX V: OECD DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE WORKING SET OF CORE
INDICATORS

The OECD Development Assistance Committee’s working set of core indicators is based
on “Shaping the 21st Century”, the Development Partnerships Strategy launched in May
1996. The Strategy selected a few, key goals from recent UN conferences. These
quantitative goals cover the areas of economic well-being, social development and
environmental sustainability and regeneration (the goals chosen are presented in the table
below in connection to the indicators). In addition, it was recognised that qualitative
factors would be essential to the attainment of these goals (participatory development,
democratisation, good governance, human rights). While the Strategy recognised that the
goals needed to be set country by country, it noted the need for monitoring progress at
the global level as the main purpose of the OECD DAC indicators.

The list of indicators is the outcome of a process of collaboration between DAC donors,
experts from the World Bank and the United Nations system and policy makers and
statisticians from developing countries. A joint OECD/UN/World Bank meeting in
February 1998 reached a broad agreement on the working set of core indicators.

Some indicators provide a direct measurement of the goal (e.g. goal: reduce extreme
poverty by half; indicator: incidence of extreme poverty: population below $1 per day),
while other capture other dimensions (e.g.: reduce extreme poverty by half; indicator:
inequality - poorest fifth’s share of national consumption). A limited number of other
indicators, while not directly related to any of the selected goals, are included to give a
fuller picture. They include some social composites such as life expectancy and some
economic measures such as aid receipts and external debt.

There is need for further work to refine some of the measures and their coverage,
particularly for the environmental indicators, and to advance work on indicators of the
qualitative factors of participatory development and good governance. The set will
therefore be continuously developed. For example, work is underway to propose
indicators
(such as deforestation and
desertification), and air pollution.

the marine environment,

land use

for

The approach used for this core set of indicators is related to their focus on goals.
Countries can be put into groups according to their relative distance from the selected
goals. The 171 aid recipients on the DAC List are split into five groups (quintiles) with
34 countries in each (China and India are shown separately, given the size of their
populations). Thus the first quintile shows the 34 developing countries furthest away
from the development goals. The 33 countries in the fifth quintile as a group have
development
indicators which equate roughly to developed country levels. Seven
indicators related to the selected goals have been used to create these groupings in order
to capture the multi-dimensionality of development: GNP per Capita, Child Malnutrition,
Net Enrolment in Primary Education, Under 5 Mortality Rate, Maternal Mortality Ratio,
Total Fertility Rate, and Access to Safe Water

Thus a country which might score well on GNP per capita may be in a lower group
because of health or education indicators which are below the "norm" for that income
group. This same method could be used to set and to monitor national goals. Showing the
distance from development goals at intervals would show progress over the period and

39

highlight differences in the rate of progress in closing these gaps on each of the five
dimensions included.

A review of the indicator set is planned in the year 2000 to examine progress and identify
needs for further action with respect to indicators.

40

THE OECD DAC WORKING SET OF CORE INDICATORS

Goals

Economic well-being

Reducing extreme poverty

Indicators

The proportion of people living in extreme poverty in

1. Incidence of Extreme Poverty: Population Below $1 Per Day

Developing countries should be reduced by at least one-
half by 2015. (Copenhagen)

2. Poverty Gap Ratio: Incidence times Depth of Poverty

3. Inequality: Poorest Fifth’s Share of National Consumption

4. Child Malnutrition: Prevalence of Underweight Under 5 years

Social development

Universal primary education

There should be universal primary education in all

5. Net Enrolment in Primary Education

countries by 2015. (Jomtien, Beijing, Copenhagen)

6. Completion of 4th Grade of Primary Education

7. Literacy Rate of 15 to 24 Year-Olds

Gender equality

Progress towards gender equality and the empowerment

8. Ratio of Girls to Boys in Primary & Secondary Education

of women should be demonstrated by eliminating gender

9. Ratio of Literate Females to Males (15 to 24 Year-Olds)

disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005 .

(Cairo, Beijing, Copenhagen)

Infant & child mortality

The death rates for infants and children under the age of

10. Infant Mortality Rate

five years should be reduced in each developing country

11. Under 5 Mortality Rate

by two-thirds the 1990 level by 2015. (Cairo)

Maternal mortality

The rate of maternal mortality should be reduced by
three-fourths between 1990 and 2015. (Cairo, Beijing)

12. Maternal Mortality Ratio

13. Births Attended by Skilled Health Personnel

Reproductive health

Access should be available through the primary health-
care system to reproductive health services for all

Individuals of appropriate ages, no later than the year

14. Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

15. HIV Prevalence in 15 to 24 Year-Old Pregnant Women 1

2015. (Cairo)

Environmental sustainability & regeneration

Environment 2

development,

There should be a current national strategy for
sustainable
of
in every country by 2005, so as to
implementation,
ensure that current trends in the loss of environmental
resources are effectively reversed at both global and
national levels by 2015. (Rio)

process

the

in

16. Countries with National Sustainable Development Strategies

17. Population with Access to Safe Water

18. Intensity of Freshwater Use

19. Biodiversity: Land Area Protected

20. Energy Efficiency: GDP per Unit of Energy Use

21. Carbon Dioxide Emissions

General Indicators

Other selected indicators of development

GNP per Capita

Aid as % of GNP

For reference: Population

Gross National Product

Adult Literacy Rate

External Debt as % of GNP

Total Fertility Rate

Investment as % of GDP

Life Expectancy at Birth

Trade as % of GDP

41

This list is neither exclusive nor comprehensive and some elements (e.g. environment) remain under discussion. It reflects progress to
date in identifying core indicators that are relevant to the development goals selected from the series of UN Conferences held in the
1990s, and which now form a wide consensus on development priorities. The goals were selected because they were important in their
own right and as meaningful proxies for broader development goals. The selection does not imply any diminished commitment to other
goals accepted by the international community, at international conferences or elsewhere. The list reinforces other indicator initiatives,
such as the Minimum National Social Data Set of the United Nations Statistics Division, and the General Data Dissemination System of
the IMF.

Like the goals, the indicators are inter-related and should be seen as a whole. It constitutes a core set reflecting key aspects of economic
and social well being and environmental sustainability. Thus some indicators address more than one goal, but for brevity are shown only
once; for example: child malnutrition is also an indicator of health status; attended births also indicate access to reproductive health
services; literacy is a key determinant of economic well-being and health; while freshwater is an environmental resource, access to it
directly affects the quality of women’s lives and the health of their children. Moreover,
the majority of the indicators can be
disaggregated by gender to measure the extent of inequality.

There are many sources for indicators. This set will be published annually in the OECD’s DevelopmentCo-operationReport, and put
in the context of other indicators in the Human Development Report published by the United Nations Development Programme and
WorldDevelopmentIndicators published by the World Bank. Those interested in more detail of development issues and indicators are
referred to these publications or to the following website: http://www.oecd.org//dac/Indicators/htm/list.htm

1 Until satisfactory data coverage is achieved on this indicator, the prevalence of HIV infection in all adults will be used.

2 Indicators for land use, marine environment and air quality will be added to the list later.

42

Objective

Result

Indicators

Source of Data and Verification

ANNEX VI: SET OF INTERNAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

1. Coherence among EC policies
with external effects and
consideration of environmental
issues in this context

2.

3.

Integration of environment into
EC policies in the field of
economic and development co-
operation

Integration of environmental
dimensions into policy dialogue,
regional and country strategies,
programmes and reviews

4.

Integration at project level

All relevant EC policy formulation
processes take impacts on developing
countries into account

All Commission Working Documents
and Communications consider the
integration of environmental issues

Component addressing environmental
integration incorporated into all:

• Regional and country strategies,

•

Indicative programmes,

• Country reviews and

• Country reports

by the end of 2002.

Environmental screening and
assessments of co-operation programmes
and projects systematically undertaken:

• Screening of all EC co-operation

programmes

• EIA or SEA of all EC co-operation
projects that meet the criteria for
“High environmental risk” of
environmental screening conducted

Policy studies, and policy assessments in
the Commission Reports on Coherence

Policy assessments in connection to the 5
yearly evaluations of environmental
performance of EC aid (see objective 7)

1. Number of regional and country

Country strategies

strategies, programmes and reviews
with an explicit environmental
component

2. Number of Annual Country Reports
with a brief environment chapter
(First Environment Chapters will be
prepared centrally in order to reach
a uniform approach. The chapter
will be updated by the EC
delegations annually).

Indicative programmes

Country reviews

Annual country reports

1. Number and percentage of projects

1. Project Screening Forms

in A, B and C categories

2. Number of EIA or SEA on category

A EC co-operation projects

3. Number of public consultations in

2. Commission project data bases (PIS)
(an annual listing of EIA and SEA
of EC co-operation policies,
programmes and projects)

connection with EIA or SE

3. EIA and SEA reports

43

5.

Improved capacity to integrate
environmental aspects

Commission staff trained in
environmental integration procedures:

• Training Needs Assessment

conducted by the end of 2000

• Every official in key policy areas or
geographical responsibility in
headquarters and Delegations ,
identified in a training needs
assessment, will have attended
environmental training by 2002

1. Number of officials in key policy

Training Needs Assessment

areas or geographical responsibility
in headquarters and Delegations that
have attended environmental
training

2. Number of contacts annually to the

Helpdesk

3. Number of assignment made by the
Environment Helpdesk annually

Training Report

Individual notation reports

Invoices of framework consultant
contract

• Specific

technical

for
environmental assessments provided
and utilised

support

6.

Increased transparency and
visibility of EC actions in the field
of environment

Real-time access by the end of year 2000
to:

1. Expenditure on primary
environmental projects

• EC commitments and disbursements
on primary environment projects

2. Expenditure on major multilateral

environment agreements

Commission project data bases

Project Screening Form

Public access by the end of year 2000 to:

• All environmental screening results

• One page summaries of EIA and SEA

OECD/DAC Marker System for
accounting expenditure on environmental
agreements introduced

7. Quality control of environmental

integration

Five-yearly independent evaluations of
environmental performance of EC aid

Indicators identified above will used in
the evaluation.

44