13 Sustainable Development Strategy
| (27116)
15796/05
COM(05) 658
| Commission Communication: On the review of the Sustainable Development Strategy — A platform for action
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| Legal base | — |
| Department | Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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| Basis of consideration | SEM of 25 May 2006
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| Previous Committee Report | HC 34-xvii (2005-06), para 1 (1 February 2006)
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| To be discussed in Council | June 2006
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared
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Background
13.1 According to the Commission, sustainable development is a
fundamental objective under the Treaty, and the Community first
set out its commitment in this area at the Gothenburg European
Council in June 2001, which adopted the EU Sustainable Development
Strategy (SDS). This was followed by a Commission Communication[44]
in 2002, which focussed on the external dimension, and which was
endorsed by the European Council in Barcelona ahead of the World
Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg
that year.
13.2 These texts together now form the basis of the
comprehensive EU Sustainable Development Strategy, and, since
there has been an undertaking that a new Commission will review
the Strategy at the start of each term in office, the current
Commission accordingly produced in February 2005 a Communication[45]
which provided an initial stocktaking.
13.3 It subsequently sought in December 2005 to take
that process forward in this document, which identified the key
issues where it believed a stronger impetus was needed. These
were set out in paragraphs 1.5-1.10 of our Report of 1 February
2006, and included climate change and clean energy; public health;
social exclusion, demography and migration; management of natural
resources; sustainable transport; and global poverty and developmental
challenges. The Communication also proposed ways of measuring
progress and reviewing priorities.
13.4 In its Explanatory Memorandum of 9 January 2006,
the Government said that the Communication did not have direct
regulatory impact, but rather consolidated existing policy approaches,
objectives and targets. Also, although there were some proposals
for new targets, these were limited in scope (though some of the
specific targets — for example, the proposal that national
Sustainable Development Strategies should be reviewed by 2006
— would present difficulties for the UK and other Member
States if they were adopted). The Government also pointed out
that the European Council in December 2005 had reiterated a desire
to see an ambitious and comprehensive strategy, comprising targets,
indicators and an effective monitoring procedure, and that it
wished to see the Community's sustainable development priorities
and objectives brought together within a clear, coherent strategy
which can be communicated simply and effectively to citizens.
13.5 In commenting that this document largely consolidated
existing approaches to sustainable development, and that the proposals
for new targets were limited in scope, we nevertheless noted the
Government's view that some of the specific targets could present
difficulties for the UK. In view of this, we said that we would
reserve a final view until we had received the Regulatory Impact
Assessment which the Government had promised to provide, but that
we were in the meantime drawing the document to the attention
of the House.
Supplementary Explanatory Memorandum of 25 May
2006
13.6 We have now received from the Minister of State
(Climate Change and the Environment) at the Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs (Ian Pearson) a supplementary Explanatory
Memorandum of 25 May 2006, enclosing an initial Regulatory Impact
Assessment. This says that the additional financial or other costs
arising from the Communication would in fact be minimal as these
are a reflection of existing and already planned policies and
initiatives. On the other hand, it suggests that, although the
benefits are unquantifiable, they will be significant, since the
publication of a renewed Sustainable Development Strategy in a
single document will considerably aid its coherence and communicability
to the public. It adds that the revised governance arrangements
—
including greater emphasis on the links between Community and
national strategies, as well as closer consideration of the international
dimension —
will contribute towards more effective delivery and monitoring
of the Community's sustainable development commitments at all
levels.
Conclusion
13.7 In the light of this further information
provided by the Government, we are content to clear the document.
44 (23325) 6524/02; see HC 152-xxiv (2001-02), para
13 (17 April 2002). Back
45
(26380) 6433/05; see HC 38-xii (2004-05), para 9 (23 March 2005). Back
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