33 Guiding principles for sustainable
development
| (26597)
9507/05
COM(05) 218
| Commission Communication: Draft Declaration on guiding principles for sustainable development
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| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 25 May 2005
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| Deposited in Parliament | 3 June 2005
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| Department | Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 16 June 2005
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| Discussed in Council | 16-17 June 2005
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared
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Background
33.1 In recent years, sustainable development has been one of
the key principles underpinning the Community's policies and actions,
and has found expression both internally, in the adoption of a
Sustainable Development Strategy in Gothenburg in 2001, and externally,
in the support given by the Community in 2002 to the conclusions
of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.
In this document, the Commission has set out a draft Declaration
on Guiding Principles for Sustainable Development as a means of
preparing for the renewal of the Sustainable Development Strategy,
on which it intends to present a proposal later in the year.
The current document
33.2 The Commission says that the Declaration reiterates the broad
long-term vision of sustainability, identifies the main objectives
of the Community's policies and actions, and describes the way
in which it wishes to achieve those objectives. More specifically,
it sets out a number of policy-guiding principles and key objectives,
as follows.
POLICY-GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Promotion and protection of fundamental rights
"Place human beings at the centre of the Community's policies,
by promoting fundamental rights, by combating all forms of discrimination
and contributing to the reduction of poverty worldwide.
Intra-and intergenerational equity
"Address the needs of current generations without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their needs in the Community
and elsewhere.
Open and democratic society
"Guarantee citizens' rights of access to information and
ensure access to justice. Develop adequate consultation and participatory
channels for all interested parties and associations.
Involvement of citizens
"Enhance the participation of citizens in decision making.
Promote education and public awareness of sustainable development.
Inform citizens about their impact on the environment and their
options for making more sustainable choices.
Involvement of businesses and social partners
"Enhance the social dialogue, corporate social responsibility
and private-public partnerships to foster cooperation and common
responsibilities to achieve sustainable production and consumption.
Policy coherence and governance
"Promote coherence between all Community policies and coherence
between local, regional, national and global actions in order
to increase their contribution to sustainable development.
Policy integration
"Promote integration of economic, social and environmental
considerations so that they are coherent and mutually reinforce
each other by making full use of instruments for better regulation,
such as balanced impact assessment and stakeholder consultations.
Use best available knowledge
"Ensure that policies are developed, assessed and implemented
on the basis of the best available knowledge and that they are
economically sound and cost-effective.
Precautionary principle
"Take a precautionary approach where there is objective scientific
uncertainty in order to avoid potential damage to people's health
or to the environment, and take preventive action.
Make polluters pay
"Ensure that prices reflect the real costs to society of
production and consumption activities and that polluters pay for
the damage they cause to human health and the environment.
KEY OBJECTIVES
Environmental protection
"Safeguard the earth's capacity to support life in all its
diversity, respect the limits of the planet's natural resources
and ensure a high level of protection and improvement of the quality
of the environment. Prevent and reduce environmental pollution
and promote sustainable production and consumption to break the
link between economic growth and environmental degradation.
Social equity and cohesion
"Promote a democratic, socially inclusive, cohesive, healthy,
safe and just society with respect for fundamental rights and
cultural diversity that creates equal opportunities and combats
discrimination in all its forms.
Economic prosperity
"Promote a prosperous, innovative, knowledge-rich, competitive
and eco-efficient economy which provides high living standards,
and full and high-quality employment throughout the European Union.
Meeting our international responsibilities
"Encourage the establishment and defend the stability of
democratic institutions across the world, based on peace, security
and freedom. Actively promote sustainable development worldwide
and ensure that the [Community's] internal and external policies
are consistent with global sustainable development and its international
commitments."
The Government's view
33.3 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 16 June 2005, the Minister
of State (Environment and Agri-Environment) at the Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Elliot Morley) says
that, in so far as the Communication outlines the principles which
are likely to form the basis of Commission proposals on the new
Sustainable Development Strategy, it does not have any direct
impact, though it may provide a stimulus to improve policy preparation
and co-ordination in the Commission and elsewhere.
Conclusion
33.4 Although this document is in fairly general terms, it
deals with an important area, and provides an indication of the
way in which the Commission intends to present a renewal of the
Sustainable Development Strategy. Consequently, whilst clearing
the document, we think it right to draw it to the attention of
the House.
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