EU Environment Council

Thursday 1st March 2018 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Dr Thérèse Coffey)]

I will attend the EU Environment Council, which takes place on 5 March in Brussels.

Following the adoption of the agenda, the list of “A” items will be approved.

Under non-legislative activities, Council will exchange views on delivering the circular economy action plan, including; a) European strategy for plastics in a circular economy, b) monitoring framework for the circular economy and c) implementation of the circular economy package: options to address the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation.

The following items are currently on the agenda to be considered under “Any Other Business”:

Regulation on C02 standards for cars and vans;

Developments regarding shipping and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO);

21st European Forum on Eco-innovation for air quality (Sofia, 5-6 February 2018);

Global Pact for the Environment;

Implementation of the regulation on invasive alien species.

The UK has additionally tabled an AOB with France calling on the EU and its member states to ban commercial trade in raw ivory within the EU to tackle the current elephant poaching crisis.

Two further AOB items have been added to the agenda on the elimination of deforestation from the supply chain and the 24th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24, Katowice, 3-14 December 2018).

A lunchtime discussion will then be held on enabling eco-innovation transition towards a circular economy.

Council will conclude with an exchange of views on Greening the European Semester. This will address the integration of environmental considerations of the European Semester with the implementation of environmental policy, linking to the Environmental Implementation Review and Environmental Compliance and Governance Action Plan.

Until the UK leaves the European Union, the UK remains a full member of the EU and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. The outcome of our negotiations with the EU on the future partnership will determine what arrangements apply in relation to EU legislation in future.

[HCWS499]