The last under Greek Presidency Environment Council, chaired by Greek Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Yiannis Maniatis, is taking place in Luxembourg on 12 June. The Council is expected to reach political agreement on a draft directive amending directive 2001/18/EC as regards the possibility for member states to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified organisms within their territory.

An Informal Council of EU Environment Ministers, chaired by Greek Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Yannis Maniatis, convened today (14.5.2014) in Athens. Commissioners for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard, and Environment Janez Potočnik, participated at the meeting, along with the competent Ministers of Member States, candidate countries (including almost all Balkan countries) and countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

The EU has some of the world's highest environmental standards, but its environment policy had not always been a matter of high political importance. The developments on climate change and the challenges on energy issues, especially during the last decade, require access to and sustainable use of resources without causing environmental problems. The EU’s environmental policy has thus emerged as a vital area of EU governance.

The Permanent Representatives Committee of the Council today (19.3.2014) approved a compromise text provisionally agreed between the Greek Presidency of the Council and the European Parliament on a draft regulation on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species. It thereby endorsed the agreement reached between the Presidency of the Council and representatives of the European Parliament on 5 March.