In a non-binding resolution adopted during the plenary on Thursday, April 10, the European Parliament has condemned the EU's slow implementation of its sixth environmental action programme. MEPs said the EU is behind schedule in its commitments to meet the programme's 2012 deadlines, despite European commission claims to the contrary. The resolution is based on a progress report prepared by Riitta Myller (PES, FI)  and was adopted with 599 votes in favour, 19 votes against and 19 abstentions.

MEPs say the EU is lagging on many of its environmental policy objectives, particularly on reversing biodiversity decline, increasing marine and soil protection, promoting sustainable pesticide use, and boosting energy efficiency.

MEPs also criticise a lack of ambition in measures to improve air quality and cut noise pollution, and in the commission's thematic strategies on natural resources and waste.

They demand a rapid revision of a directive setting national air pollution emission caps and concrete legislative measures on indoor air quality. The resolution also says a new water policy based on sustainable management is needed. MEPs are "extremely concerned" about the increase in transport emissions and reiterate calls for quantified green targets for this sector.

The report welcomed the Commission's green paper on market-based instruments for environment and related policy purposes, recognising that wider use of market-based instruments, taking the environmental impact of all production and distribution processes and consumption patterns into consideration is needed.

According to the document, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) has so far not led to reductions in CO2 emissions because of the overly generous allocation of emission allowances. It insists that the EU ETS for the post-2012 period should include a sufficiently stringent cap, full auctioning and a quantitative and qualitative limit of the use of certified emission reductions (CERs) and emission reduction units (ERUs).

Finally, health is given new prominence in the final text of the resolution and MEPs have inserted a recommendation for a sustainability clause to be added to World Trade Organisation agreements.  They also call for the Commission to put forward by the end of 2008 proposals to phase out environmentally-harmful subsidies.

The full text of the resolution is available here.