Negotiations in the Environment Council
The Environment Council takes decisions in the environmental field on the proposal of the Commission. Decisions on legislation in the environmental field are taken together with the European Parliament. The Environment Council meets four times a year. EU environment ministers also meet at informal ministerials, normally twice a year.
In the Government Offices the Ministry of the Environment has the main responsibility for the coordination of environmental matters in the EU. A large part of this work is done in cooperation with government agencies. Before Council meetings the Government meets the Riksdag in the Committee on European Union Affairs and informs the Riksdag Committee on Environment and Agriculture. The Committee on Environment and Agriculture also holds discussions with the Government on its position ahead of negotiations on new proposals from the Commission.
Before Council meetings there are intensive negotiations between officials from member countries in both Coreper and the Council environmental working group. When representatives of member countries begin to reach a common position, negotiations with the Parliament get under way. In EU environmental work all legislation is adopted in consensus between the European Parliament and the Council.
Coreper means the "Committee of Permanent Representatives" and consists of the EU ambassadors of the member countries and their deputies. Coreper tries to reach agreement on a question before passing the matter on to the Council for decision. Before a question comes to Coreper it is considered in detail in the Council's environmental working group. On average, the environmental working group meets 3-4 times a week. In addition, there is a Council working group for international environmental questions where the EU coordinates its actions in international negotiations.
