Annexes to COM(2003)131 - Developing an action plan for environmental technology - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2003)131 - Developing an action plan for environmental technology. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2003)131  |
| date | March 25, 2003 |
Table 1 provides a summary of the potential measures for discussion with stakeholders, breaking them down according to the different environmental issues.
Table 1: Potential Issues for Discussion with Stakeholders
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8.2. Questions for Stakeholders
One of the main aims of this Communication is to facilitate future discussion with stakeholders, and develop with them concrete proposals. Over the coming six months it will be necessary to broaden and deepen the analysis for all of the issues. This can best be done by taking advantage of the research community, the businesses that produce the technologies and the people who use them. This is why the Commission wants to work with stakeholders to develop the action points.
As one means of enabling stakeholders to contribute, key questions for discussion are set out below. Responses are invited to these questions, but do not need to be limited to them.
1. What conditions must be met to ensure that environmental technologies, in addition to providing increased environmental quality, also contribute to growth and employment?
2. What is the scope for action at EU level in the area of environmental technologies? What lessons can be learned from experiences at national and international level? How should action at EU level build on such initiatives?
3. Have we identified the right barriers for the development and uptake of environmental technologies? What other barriers should we examine? At which stage of the innovation cycle (R&D, demonstration, market penetration etc.) are the most important barriers located?
4. What should be the role of different stakeholders (the research community, business, households, and public authorities) in eliminating the barriers? Should co-ordination and co-operation between these actors be improved and if so how?
5. How can specific areas of public policy including EU and national environmental, R&D, innovation, industrial, education, employment, trade, regional and transport & energy policy contribute to promote environmental technologies?
6. Which potential measures and issues do we need to examine further? In particular:
a) How can we encourage business to invest further in the adoption of environmental technology?
b) How can we shift investment from end-of-pipe to cleaner (integrated) technologies?
c) What economic measures should we examine at the different stages of the innovation cycle?
d) What measures should we examine in the area of diffusion of environmental technologies both within and outside Europe?
e) How can we improve global technology transfer and promote global partnerships?
f) What incentives can be given to invest more private funds in research for environmental technology?
g) How can we ensure that there are adequate education and training facilities ?
Responses are invited to these questions by 15 May 2003 to:
European Commission
Environmental Technology Consultation
DG Environment
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200
B-1049 Bruxelles/Brussels
E-mail: env-technology@cec.eu.int
8.3. Next Steps
The Issue Groups will continue their analysis in line with the orientations set out in the Chapters above. For example, they will investigate further the reasons why markets are often biased against environmental technologies, the regulatory barriers to their uptake, and the ways to motivate business to adopt them. Responses to the questions above from the public will be fed into the discussions of the Issue Groups when they are received. In particular, responses will be discussed in the Issue Groups with the expert stakeholders.
As noted above, these Issue Groups will include experts - 20 to 30 expert/stakeholders maximum - from industry, the research community, NGOs and government. The input of these experts will allow the Action Plan to identify the problems and the real needs of producers and users of environmental technology.
The Issue Groups will provide their draft recommendations in the autumn of 2003. The Commission will then publish its proposal for an Action Plan towards the end of 2003.