Meeting of Southern European Environmental Advisory Councils
at EXPO 98 in Lisbon, 12 July 1998

A special meeting on the role and activities of European Environmental Advisory Councils in the different EU member states with regard to EU environmental policy was held in the European Pavilion at EXPO 98. The position of Southern European councils was discussed. Members of the European Consultative Forum on the Environment and Sustainable Development explained their role and relationship to the European Councils.

Programme
Participants
Background paper

Summary and conclusions

Introduction

In his introduction Professor Mário Ruivo (Chairman, Portuguese National Council on Environment and Sustainable Development) outlined the background to the newly constituted Portuguese National Council on Environment and Sustainable Development. Formed at the end of March 1998, it has now established its future action plan. It is a Council of 32 members (1/3 government, 2/3 from other non-government sources including universities, industry and the trade unions). Currently a group of technical specialists is being put together to support the work of the Council.

Professor Ruivo emphasized the basic requirement for Councils to exchange information with an increase of mutual consent and working in specific areas. To facilitate this identification of specific areas, such as the "oceans", is important. Equally, the integration of society with the interests of the industrial and private sectors with the government is a key shift that should be made.

As Chair of the first session Sue Collins (Director, English Nature) reinforced this message. There is a clear need to reach out and engage more effectively with Southern European Environmental Advisory Councils to:

• strengthen the collaboration between north and south
• learn from each other
• reappraise and strengthen the role of the European Environmental Advisory Councils at the European Union level
• review the role of the different member states
• review the role of the European Consultative Forum on the Environment and Sustainable Development

The Focal Point for European Environmental Advisory Councils is a cost-efficient structure to facilitate such collaboration.

General Discussion

The discussion following the afternoon Tour de Table focused on the many institutional differences in transposing national legislation. A summary of the main points of the discussion is presented below:

It is important to realize that in Portugal conservation policy forms part of a social strategy for local and regional development related to population density and socio-economic development which in turn is related to landscape and natural areas.

It is important for southern countries to push for environmentally orientated agriculture – there is potentially significant benefit which is currently not fully recognized. Some small steps have been outlined in Agenda 2000 – continued cooperation over the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is now essential. The reform of Common Fisheries Policy is now the second greatest challenge and there is need to network and increase understanding of issues as they affect other countries.

Also discussed was the value of strengthened collaboration. Networking and collaboration between Councils is strengthening, how can links be drawn with the European Consultative Forum? The gap perhaps isn't so large. Both Advisory Councils and the Forum are taking a thematic approach to their work. There is clearly benefit from involvement in meetings of common interest. This should be viewed as a platform to discuss but not necessarily "harmonize" as the different experience remains important. A convergence in goals can be achieved but using a diversity of strategy and mechanism.

Conclusions

Hubert David (Chairman, MiNa-Raad, Belgium) summarized the debate and outlined the next steps for the European Environmental Advisory Councils in their collaboration between north and south and with the European Consultative Forum.

European Environmental Advisory Councils in Northern Europe have been actively strengthening their collaboration over the last five years. It is important to increase the involvement of Southern European Environmental Advisory Councils.

All countries are presented with a diversity of European environmental policy problems. These are dealt with in different ways by each country, from these experiences we can all learn. Importantly, Advisory Councils, through direct links, can bring about change at regional and national levels that can influence decisions at a European level. The role of the European Consultative Forum can be viewed as both complimentary and mutually beneficial to that of Advisory Councils.

This meeting brings closer together the integration of Southern Advisory Councils within the network. It is now important to continue the facilitation of this involvement particularly as the next enlargement (2000) approaches.

It is now important:

• to strengthen our links with the European Consultative Forum; formal links should be established between the homepages of the two networks. Publications should be available for both and the level of bilateral involvement should be increased through participation in each others annual meetings and, as appropriate, specialist working groups;
• for Southern Councils to provide information for the Focal Point homepage for Advisory Councils in particular highlighting how we can effectively cooperate;
• for Southern Councils to participate in the next annual meeting in Helsinki, in future annual meetings of Advisory Councils and specialist working groups.

The concept of East, West, North and South is becoming increasingly less relevant in Europe. The future of Europe relies upon us putting order in our own house. Europe should not be viewed in isolation; the issue of globalization is important and wider dialogue is essential.

Jonathan Larwood, 07-Aug-1998

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