§ Mr. John MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the outcome of the Pan-European conference of Environment Ministers held in Sofia on 23 to 25 October; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerThe Sofia conference reaffirmed the political framework and programme of action agreed in Lucerne in 1993 for pan-European co-operation to improve the environment, with particular reference to central and eastern Europe. Steps will be taken to strengthen the links between this process and the Helsinki environment and health process. The decisive role of domestic finance and policy reforms in achieving greater environmental investment in central and eastern Europe and the role of external finance as a catalyst to help bring this about were stressed. The importance of an effective dialogue between business on environmental matters was also strongly emphasised. The conference endorsed the strategy prepared by the Council of Europe as a framework for the conservation of pan-European biological and landscape diversity. It also endorsed the environmental programme for Europe which makes recommendations for long-term action on some of the findings of the pan-European state of the environment report published in September 1995. The conference reaffirmed the importance of public participation including the role of non-governmental organisations. It called for the development of a regional convention on public participation to be considered. The next "Environment for Europe" conference will be held in Denmark in 1998.