European Union
Check against delivery
CSD 12
Tuesday 20th April, 2004 Conference Room 1
16 .30 - 18.00 hours
Mr. Chairman,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union . The acceding
Countries, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta,
Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, the Candidate Countries Bulgaria, and
Romania, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential
candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro align themselves with this statement .
We would like to express our gratitude to Secretary of State Beckett, both for her role
at the Regional Implementation Forum and for her comprehensive and succinct
Summary of the inputs to that Forum . The strength of this Summary is that it
encapsulates the key obstacles and constraints on progress towards the targets for
water, sanitation and human settlements with a penetrating analysis of challenges
that we face in addressing them .
The summary also outlines the main examples of best practice with wider
applicability and about which many countries shared their practical experiences. We
also note that many of the priorities identified were consistent with those identified in
other regions, and in particular Africa .
The Forum acknowledged the disparity in our region between wealth and poverty and
those without access to safe water and basic sanitation and those still living in slums
or without adequate accommodation, problems which are also shared with other
regions. What is most heartening is the assessment that the UNECE Region can get
on track to meet its commitments, as well as the strength of the sub-regional
1
Ireland 2004 Presidency of the European Union
processes for the promotion of sustainable development and making progress on
meeting their commitments .
The EU also recognises the major role the UNECE region has to play in global efforts
to achieve sustainable development .
We are strongly committed to meeting the MDGs in particular MDG 7 to ensure
environmental sustainability and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation(JPOI),
both within the EU and in assisting the sub regional processes and other countries of
the region, and a number 'of initiatives are already in place and/ or are being
developed to give practical effect to our commitments .
Secretary of State Beckett has given us a good synopsis of the outcome of the
Regional Implementation Forum and at the risk of repetition I would like to highlight a
number of priorities from the EU point of view .
WATER AND SANITATION
Integrated water resources management (IWRM) including ecosystem and river
basin approach is the priority and for which we have an ambitious legislative, time
based programme. We still have obstacles and challenges, including implementing
the programme and dealing with emerging issues such as flood management and
drought, particularly in the Mediterranean region . There is also a need to raise the
profile and priority attached to the provision of adequate sanitation by raising
awareness of the interlinkages between the three themes
Within the UNECE region
The main initiatives for the facilitating the application of IWRM and meeting the
agreed targets and commitments in an UNECE context are
?
participation by the EU in the implementation of the Helsinki Convention in
relation to transboundary waters, its protocols, and
?
the EU Water Initiative . The EU Water Initiative EECCA (Eastern European,
Caucuses and Central Asia) component is accepted as a partnership
between EECCA and EU in implementing the water aspects of the EECCA
Environmental Strategy . An assessment of the status of progress in the
EECCA region towards the IWRM and water efficiency plan target and of the
cost for the EECCA countries to comply with the water supply and sanitation
targets has been initiated .
2
HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
The highly urbanised character of most EU Member States reinforces the need to
prioritise sustainable urbanisation .
Despite our relative wealth, homelessness or inadequate housing remains a problem
for the most marginalized in parts of the EU . Economic growth and accompanying
patterns of production and consumption must be made more sustainable . We also
need to address the spatial dimension of urban settlements vis a vis rural
depopulation .
Fundamentally, the EU strongly favours a model of compact city planning, already in
evidence in many European urban centres, which aims for a high quality of life for
Europe's urban citizens . Under this model, effort is focused on hindering urban
sprawl, the implementation of transport policies which maximise the mobility of the
whole population through efficient public systems and non-motorised transport
means, improvgd environmental performance and the promotion of social integration .
These objectives were reflected in the European Commission's 1998
Communication, "Urban Development in the EU, a Framework for Action" , which has
four policy aims * strengthening economic prosperity and employment, social
inclusion and urban regeneration, improving urban environment, and good
governance and increased participation of local actors and citizens .
Currently, this policy framework is being reinforced through the development of a
Thematic Strategy for the Urban Environment, which will promote an integrated
holistic approach across EU policies affecting the quality of urban areas ."
Means of Implementation
In the wider global context as well as within the UNECE Region, means of
implementation, including the mobilisation of financing fnc .nm all sources remains a key
challenge. The adoption of sustainable development strategies by 2005 or poverty
reduction Strategy Papers which integrate the economic, social and environmental
aspects of sustainable development are critical in this regard . Adequate and
strengthened governance, including through capacity building and accelerated
technology transfer are also essential .
Poverty eradication, and protecting the natural resource base, changing
unsustainable patters of production and consumption, health, gender equality and
education are also important cross cutting issues .
(Further speaking point, if appropriate)
I am pleased to advise that on World Water Day, 22"dof March, the European Union
agreed, for its part, to set up a special facility to promote access to clean water and
sanitation for people in countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific regions . A
formal decision will be taken at the joint Ministerial meeting between the ACP
Countries and the EU in May . The suggestion is to have a first allocation of ?250
million approved with a commitment to decide on the mobilisation of a second
allocation of ?250 million by March 2005 at the latest .
CSD 12
Tuesday 20th April, 2004 Conference Room 1
16 .30 - 18.00 hours
Mr. Chairman,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union . The acceding
Countries, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta,
Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, the Candidate Countries Bulgaria, and
Romania, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential
candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro align themselves with this statement .
We would like to express our gratitude to Secretary of State Beckett, both for her role
at the Regional Implementation Forum and for her comprehensive and succinct
Summary of the inputs to that Forum . The strength of this Summary is that it
encapsulates the key obstacles and constraints on progress towards the targets for
water, sanitation and human settlements with a penetrating analysis of challenges
that we face in addressing them .
The summary also outlines the main examples of best practice with wider
applicability and about which many countries shared their practical experiences. We
also note that many of the priorities identified were consistent with those identified in
other regions, and in particular Africa .
The Forum acknowledged the disparity in our region between wealth and poverty and
those without access to safe water and basic sanitation and those still living in slums
or without adequate accommodation, problems which are also shared with other
regions. What is most heartening is the assessment that the UNECE Region can get
on track to meet its commitments, as well as the strength of the sub-regional
1
Ireland 2004 Presidency of the European Union
processes for the promotion of sustainable development and making progress on
meeting their commitments .
The EU also recognises the major role the UNECE region has to play in global efforts
to achieve sustainable development .
We are strongly committed to meeting the MDGs in particular MDG 7 to ensure
environmental sustainability and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation(JPOI),
both within the EU and in assisting the sub regional processes and other countries of
the region, and a number 'of initiatives are already in place and/ or are being
developed to give practical effect to our commitments .
Secretary of State Beckett has given us a good synopsis of the outcome of the
Regional Implementation Forum and at the risk of repetition I would like to highlight a
number of priorities from the EU point of view .
WATER AND SANITATION
Integrated water resources management (IWRM) including ecosystem and river
basin approach is the priority and for which we have an ambitious legislative, time
based programme. We still have obstacles and challenges, including implementing
the programme and dealing with emerging issues such as flood management and
drought, particularly in the Mediterranean region . There is also a need to raise the
profile and priority attached to the provision of adequate sanitation by raising
awareness of the interlinkages between the three themes
Within the UNECE region
The main initiatives for the facilitating the application of IWRM and meeting the
agreed targets and commitments in an UNECE context are
?
participation by the EU in the implementation of the Helsinki Convention in
relation to transboundary waters, its protocols, and
?
the EU Water Initiative . The EU Water Initiative EECCA (Eastern European,
Caucuses and Central Asia) component is accepted as a partnership
between EECCA and EU in implementing the water aspects of the EECCA
Environmental Strategy . An assessment of the status of progress in the
EECCA region towards the IWRM and water efficiency plan target and of the
cost for the EECCA countries to comply with the water supply and sanitation
targets has been initiated .
2
HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
The highly urbanised character of most EU Member States reinforces the need to
prioritise sustainable urbanisation .
Despite our relative wealth, homelessness or inadequate housing remains a problem
for the most marginalized in parts of the EU . Economic growth and accompanying
patterns of production and consumption must be made more sustainable . We also
need to address the spatial dimension of urban settlements vis a vis rural
depopulation .
Fundamentally, the EU strongly favours a model of compact city planning, already in
evidence in many European urban centres, which aims for a high quality of life for
Europe's urban citizens . Under this model, effort is focused on hindering urban
sprawl, the implementation of transport policies which maximise the mobility of the
whole population through efficient public systems and non-motorised transport
means, improvgd environmental performance and the promotion of social integration .
These objectives were reflected in the European Commission's 1998
Communication, "Urban Development in the EU, a Framework for Action" , which has
four policy aims * strengthening economic prosperity and employment, social
inclusion and urban regeneration, improving urban environment, and good
governance and increased participation of local actors and citizens .
Currently, this policy framework is being reinforced through the development of a
Thematic Strategy for the Urban Environment, which will promote an integrated
holistic approach across EU policies affecting the quality of urban areas ."
Means of Implementation
In the wider global context as well as within the UNECE Region, means of
implementation, including the mobilisation of financing fnc .nm all sources remains a key
challenge. The adoption of sustainable development strategies by 2005 or poverty
reduction Strategy Papers which integrate the economic, social and environmental
aspects of sustainable development are critical in this regard . Adequate and
strengthened governance, including through capacity building and accelerated
technology transfer are also essential .
Poverty eradication, and protecting the natural resource base, changing
unsustainable patters of production and consumption, health, gender equality and
education are also important cross cutting issues .
(Further speaking point, if appropriate)
I am pleased to advise that on World Water Day, 22"dof March, the European Union
agreed, for its part, to set up a special facility to promote access to clean water and
sanitation for people in countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific regions . A
formal decision will be taken at the joint Ministerial meeting between the ACP
Countries and the EU in May . The suggestion is to have a first allocation of ?250
million approved with a commitment to decide on the mobilisation of a second
allocation of ?250 million by March 2005 at the latest .