Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Mikkonen to attend meeting of EU Environment Council in Luxembourg – water reuse, sustainable chemical policy and EU climate targets on the agenda
Minister Krista Mikkonen will travel to Luxembourg to attend the meeting of EU Environment Ministers on 26 June. The Ministers will discuss, among other topics, the EU’s long-term climate targets, sustainable chemical policy and water reuse. To conclude the meeting, Minister Mikkonen will present the Programme for Finland’s EU Council Presidency to the EU Ministers of the Environment and Climate Change.
At the meeting, the Ministers intend to adopt a proposal for a decree on the reuse of water and accept the Council conclusions on sustainable chemical policy. The decree on water reuse concerns the use of municipal wastewater for irrigation. It aims to tackle the challenges caused by a limited water supply while also ensuring that water is reused safely. With the decisions on sustainable chemical policy, the Ministers will communicate to the new Commission that the Member States have a strong will to implement ambitious chemical policy that guarantees a high level of protection.
The Ministers will also discuss the EU’s long-term climate target. At its meeting last Thursday, the European Council was unable to reach an agreement on the target, which means that the matter will be settled during Finland’s EU Council Presidency beginning at the start of July.
“I am confident that we will reach common ground. The Member States are well aware that the future wellbeing and prosperity of the EU rests on our ability to solve the climate crisis,” Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Krista Mikkonen says.
Minister Mikkonen will also meet with the Commissioner responsible for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella and the Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Arias Cañete and participate in the meeting of the Green Growth Group (GGG) comprised of EU countries with ambitious climate policies.
In addition, Minister Mikkonen will present the Programme for Finland’s EU Council Presidency. Finland wants to bring the sustainability crisis and its solutions to the forefront of EU policy. The most important themes include ambitious climate targets, extending the circular economy well beyond waste management policy and curbing the loss of biodiversity.
After the meeting in Luxembourg, Minister Mikkonen will chair the next meetings of EU Ministers of the Environment and Climate Change, when Finland takes on the Presidency of the EU Council on 1 July. The informal Environmental Council will meet in Helsinki on 11–12 July.
InquiriesLiisi Klobut, Senior Ministerial Adviser, [email protected], tel. +358 295 250 131 (Environment Council)
Leena Ylä-Mononen, Director-General, [email protected], tel. +358 295 250 023 (chemical policy, water reuse)
Riikka Lamminmäki, Head of Communications, [email protected], tel. +358 29 525 0343 (requests for interviews)