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16 june 2001
gothenburg
no vision, no targets, no
timetables:
eu leaders fail to deliver on sustainable
development strategy
While being strong on the Kyoto Protocol ,
EU leaders failed today to deliver a vision
for the EU's Sustainable Development
Strategy.
Martin Rocholl, Director of Friends of the
Earth Europe said: "This Sustainable
Development Strategy is full of good
intentions but fails to deliver on targets
and measures. Wherever the Commission sought
concrete action, the heads of government
either weakened or ignored the proposal."
Among the Commission proposals which were
dropped are:
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Phase out of fossil fuel and tobacco
subsidies
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European energy product tax
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EU legislation on environmental
liability
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Use of public procurement to favour
environmentally friendly products and
services
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Timetabled strategy to reform the
Common Agricultural Policy
Martin Rocholl: "It is now up to the Belgian
presidency to take the Sustainable
Development Strategy further and deliver
targets, timetables, concrete measures and
legislation. So far we mainly got nice
words."
Duncan Mc Laren, Friends of the Earth
England, Wales and Northern Ireland: "It is
highly disturbing to see how slow progress is
on Sustainable Development within the
European Union while at the same time, the EU
is pushing aggressively on a neo-liberal
trade agenda without accounting for negative
world-wide environmental and social
impacts."
FoE urges journalists to listen to the
tens of thousands of peaceful demonstrators
and not be distracted by a violent minority.
FoE is opposed to all forms of violence, no
matter where it comes from. We are therefore
extremely saddened and angered by the
violence that has occurred on the streets of
Gothenburg. However, FoE will continue to
support peaceful protest and resistance.
Friends of the Earth Europe (FoE Europe)
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