The last Environment Council under the Slovenian presidency will take place in Luxembourg on 5th June 2008 on World Environment Day. Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas will represent the European Commission. The Council will hold policy debates on the Climate and Energy package presented by the Commission in January and the proposed regulation to reduce CO2 emissions from new cars. There will be an exchange of views on genetically modified organisms and a decision is expected for be taken on a common position on whaling.

Climate and energy package

The Council will hold a policy debate on the progress of the climate change and energy proposals presented by the Commission on 23rd January.The scope of carbon capture and storage (CCS), renewable energy targets, and the sustainability criteria of biofuels will also be discussed.

CO2 emissions from cars

Ministers will also hold a policy debate on the progress report on the Commission's proposal for a regulation to reduce CO2 emissions from new cars. A policy debate held in March supported the Commission's integrated approached. The policy debate will focus on a number of key issues. The debate on the utility parameter will be guided by whether ministers support the use of mass or footprint as the most appropriate parameter to encourage manufacturers to reduce the weight of cars. The debate will also focus on sharing the burden of reducing CO2 emissions between manufacturers, on the penalties to be imposed on manufacturers for exceeding emission objectives, on how the revenue from the penalties will be allocated, and on the starting year of the legislation and the setting of long-term objectives.

Genetically Modified Organisms

The Council is also expected to have an exchange of views on genetically modified organisms. The exchange will focus on a number of issues such as reinforcing the evaluation process of GMOs – particularly on the environmental aspects, how scientific expertise can be improved, the labelling thresholds of GMO seeds, and Member States' room to manoeuvre in controlling the cultivation of authorised GMOs.

Whaling

The Council is due to decide on a European Union common position at the 60th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Chile at the end of June. The Commission’s December 2007 proposal for a common EU position on whaling would only be valid for this year's IWC meeting.