Call for a greener EU charter
European Union environment ministers on Saturday concluded a two-day informal summit on the southern outskirts of Athens expressing concern that environmental issues might not be fully addressed under the new European constitutional charter that is under draft. Ministers from the 15 European Union member states and the 10 new members meeting in Lagonissi decided that Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister Vasso Papandreou, who chaired the meeting, should forward the informal summit’s concerns to the chairman of the European Convention. «We had substantive talks and we are particularly happy to be able to agree that we disagree with the proposals by the Convention regarding the environment,» Papandreou said. «We will do all we can to ensure that the new charter is, if no better, then at least no worse.» Meanwhile, anti-globalization and environmentalist groups staged a march on Saturday to protest against European Union environmental policies.
