The Cities Toward European Union Compliance Award honours cities in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) for outstanding progress made in the fields of water, air quality, access to information and waste management. It also raises awareness of the local challenges of EU enlargement and assists local governments in addressing those challenges. Last November 26, Bourgas (Bulgaria), Elblag (Poland), Kecskemet (Hungary), Maribor (Slovenia), Parnu (Estonia), Ramnicu Valcea (Romania), Spisska Nova Ves (Slovakia) and Svitavy (Czech Republic) received the award at a ceremony in Brussels presided over by EU environment commissioner Margot Wallstrom. The ceremony took place during the fifth informal meeting between the EU's environment directorate and environment ministers from the 10 EU candidate countries. The remainder of the informal meeting focused on views and information about environmental policy and the current state of the enlargement process. By including the award ceremony in the meeting, Wallstrom stressed the importance of local level involvement in the accession process, reported an EC press release. "The European Union is not only a union of countries," said Wallstrom. "It also consists of ever increasing networks of regions and urban centres which cooperate closely in almost all areas of human activity." She noted to the Mayors: "If you sometimes have to twist the arms of your ministers present here for pursuing new ideas and better achievements, you can also count on my support." Most of the heavy investments needed for EU compliance will be needed at the local level, which is also where most of the EU's environmental legislation - the environmental chapter of the EU's "acquis" - will have to be implemented. A recent commission report states that some of the awarded cities still have to improve areas such as traffic management, energy efficiency, sewerage systems, wastewater treatment plants and waste management. Municipal provisions for access to environmental information and public participation in environmental decision-making also need more progress. The report further concluded that cities need to become more involved with the EU accession process and that cooperation between cities and their national governments should be strengthened. During the Third European Conference on Sustainable Towns and Cities in Hannover, Germany, Feb. 9-12, Wallstrom launched the City Towards EU Compliance Award 2000 for cities in 13 EU candidate countries. The award will recognise cities with exceptional progress made toward urban health, focusing on the policy issues of urban air quality, hazardous waste, drinking water and wastewater.

Back to the cover page of this issue Leave your comment