EU Council of Ministers Conclusions on the World Summit on Sustainable Development

The Council, 

1. Welcomes the decision of the UN General Assembly in Resolution Al55/199 convening the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 to review progress in the implementation of the outcome of the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), Rio de Janeiro, 1992), and welcomes that the third and final substantive preparatory session of CSD

10 at ministerial level will be hosted by Indonesia and that the Summit will be hosted by South Africa in Johannesburg; 

2. Welcomes that this event will be held at the highest political level; 

3. Welcomes the Commission Communication "Ten Years after Rio: Preparing for the World. Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002"; 

4. Confirms its strong commitment to contribute to a comprehensive, effective and transparent ten-year review of the implementation of Agenda 21 and the other outcomes of UNCED, and to identify measures for the further implementation, including sources of funding; 

4a). Recalls its conclusions on the subject of international environmental governance adopted on 18 December 2000; 

5. Looks forward to continued dialogue and cooperation with partners in all regions, as well as with major groups, to find constructive approaches to the further implementation of Agenda 21 and in meeting the new challenges that have emerged since UNCED, also taking into account other United Nations processes such as the high level event on Financing for Development; 

6. Recognises the importance of regional preparatory processes, such as the UN ECE regional conference in Geneva in September 2001, as well as the elaboration of national sustainable development strategies and preparatory activities at the local level in implementation of Agenda 21 and recognises thereby that the concept of multi-level governance is of key importance; 

7. Emphasises the links and synergies between the EU preparations for and follow-up to the World Summit and other relevant EU processes, such as the forthcoming EU Sustainable Development Strategy, the development and implementation of sectoral strategies to integrate the environment in all policy areas as well as the sixth environmental action programme, and also underlines the need to ensure that they are complementary and mutually reinforcing; 

8. Welcomes the outcomes of the UNEP Governing Council 21/Global Ministerial Environment Forum, including its decision 21/21 to establish an inter-governmental group of ministers or their representatives to present options in advance of the Summit for strengthened international environmental governance, including the financing of UNEP; 

9. Stresses that the Summit must reinvigorate the political commitment to sustainable development, including in partnership with major groups, ensuring a balance between economic development, social development and environmental protection, and emphasises that the agenda of the summit should be focused and forward-looking; 

10. Pledges to intensify its efforts to implement already agreed commitments at UNCED, and recommends that five strategic objectives should guide EU preparations for the Summit: 

-increased global equity and an effective partnership for sustainable development,

-better integration of policies and improved coherence of international co-operation for sustainable development,

-ratification and effective implementation of conventions and protocols adopted since UNCED and aiming at sustainable development,

-endorsement and adoption of environment and development targets to revitalise and sharpen the political commitment,

-more effective action and follow-up at national, regional and international level;

11. Agrees, as mandated by the European Council meeting in Nice, to elaborate further proposals for the European Council meeting in Goteborg in preparation for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.