The operating requirements (including new emission limit values) established under the Ministerial Order of 20 September 2002 entered into force for existing incinerator plants.
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 87 (to be published in mid-January 2006).

By decision of the European Commission, a High Level Group on Competition, Energy and the Environment was established. Its task is to provide advice to policy makers at EU and national levels and industry and NGOs.

The European Environment Agency (EEA) published a report on agri-environmment indicators under the IRENA (Indicator Reporting on the Integration of Environmental Concerns into Agricultural Policy) operation. The report includes a chapter on climate change and air quality.

The European Commission presented a proposal for a directive aimed at promoting public procurement of clean road vehicles . It sets a quota of 25% of clean vehicles to be purchased by public authorities out of total annual procurement.

The European Commission officially presented a proposal for a regulation aimed at tightening Euro 4 emission standards for cars and light vehicles (these Euro 4 standards entered into force on 1 January 2005 ). The proposal for new standards (Euro 5) gives priority to reducing particulate and NOx emissions.
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 87 (to be published in mid-January 2006) and n° 85 p.4.

17^th meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (1987) on substances that deplete the ozonelayer (Dakar, Senegal) attended by over 400 participants representing governments, as well as UN agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, academia, industry and agricultural interests. The discussions focused inter alia on the requests for critical use exemptions for methyl bromide.

The high-level group CARS 21 adopted a roadmap setting out recommendations for making cars less polluting and safer and for simplifying the legal context in which European car manufacturers operate. The recommendations put forward by CARS 21, established in January 2005 and chaired by the EU Industry Commissioner, particularly focus on biofuels and reducing CO₂ emissions.

Shortly before COP-11/COP-MOP 1 was brought to a close at 6.17 am , two important decisions were adopted by high-level delegates :

• one on Kyoto Protocol Article 3.9  : an ad hoc group is to be set up to initiate a process to consider further commitments by Parties to Annex I of the Climate Convention (UNFCCC) beyond 2012, with the proviso that the group should aim to complete its work and have it adopted by the COP/MOP in time to ensure that there is no gap between commitment periods,
• one, under the UNFCCC, on dialogue on long-term cooperative action to address climate change by enhancing UNFCCC implementation : although the dialogue will be non-binding and will not open any negotiations leading to new commitments, this decision constitues a key breakthrough in climate diplomacy since it rallied not only Northern hemisphere countries (including the USA and Australia) but also Southern hemisphere countries (including the major emerging countries such as Brazil, India and China).

Over 30 decisions were adopted by the COP/MOP and 14 by the COP.

The European Commission presented a Biomass Action Plan , comprising over 20 measures to be implemented as of 2006, with a particular focus on transport biofuels, as well as heating and electricity generation.

EU Environment Council : the subjects discussed include reducing the climate change impact of aviation and the thematic strategy on air pollution (based on the the communications recently presented by the Commission) as well as the proposed regulation on the establishment of a European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) . This text was adopted by the EU Environment Ministers.
See CITEPA's quarterly report Etudes documentaires n° 157 (to be published in early 2006)

EU Energy Council : Ministers adopted conclusions on climate change and energy efficiency.
See CITEPA's quarterly report Etudes documentaires n° 157 (to be published in early 2006)

The European Commission published a report on "demonstrable progress" in the EU (at 15 June 2005 ) in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Kyoto Protocol commitments. The Commission, as all Annex I Parties to the Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC), are required to submit a report to the UNFCCC secretariat in 2005 demonstrating proof of their progress achieved ( Article 3.2 of the Kyoto Protocol ).

The European Environment Agency (EEA) published its latest five- year State of the Environment Report covering 31 European countries , including France . The report includes information on air emissions, air quality and climate change.

Classified Installations Inspectorate Day , organised by the French Ministry of Environment and bringing together the entire team of inspectors (almost 1 200 in total) to discuss current and future issues.

11^th Conference of the (189) Parties (COP-11) to the UN Climate Change Convention, in Montreal (Canada) and the 1^st ever Meeting of the (156) Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP 1) since it entered into force on 16 February 2005 . The event is expected to bring together between 8 000 and 10 000 experts (government delegates, business leaders, NGOs, scientists and academics). A "Ministerial segment" is planned for the 8-9 December. It is the largest climate meeting since COP-3 in Kyoto (1997).

1^st Climate Plan Review. Foreseen by the 2004 Climate Plan, this two-day event brought together some 300 stakeholders to review and assess progress in implementing the measures set out in the Climate Plan, 16 months after its adoption.
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 86 (to be published in early December 2005)

Publication in the French Official Journal of an Interministerial Order setting out the arrangements for the scheme requiring car dealers to display in sales outlets of new passenger cars a CO₂ label comprising seven colour categories indicating the specific levels of CO₂ emissions for the vehicle (in gCO₂/km).
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 86 (to be published in early December 2005)

The European Commission launched a public consultation in advance of its mid-term review of the White Paper on EU Transport Policy in 2010 (COM(2001) 370 final of 12 September 2001) .
Deadline for sending comments : 31 December 2005 .
Further information  : europa.eu.int/comm/energy_transport/white_paper_transport_revision/lb_consultation_en.html

The European Commission published its first implementation report of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive (96/61/EC), covering the period 2000-2002 and thus EU-15.
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 86 (to be published in early December 2005).

Conference in London , hosted by the UK Environment Ministry, bringing together Environment and Energy Ministers from 20 countries as part of the Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development . The aim of the conference, organised under the UK Presidency of the G8, was to take forward the results from the G8 Gleneagles Summit ( Scotland , 6-8 July 2005).
See CITEPA's quarterly report Etudes documentaires n° 156 p.III.11 (forthcoming) and the news item of 8 July 2005 below.

The European Commission (DG Enterprise) published a summary of the results from the public consultation of the draft proposal for a Regulation which will set new, more stringent emission limits for cars and light commercial vehicles (Euro V standards).
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 86 (to be published in early December 2005).

The EU Environment Commissioner, Stavros Dimas, launched the 2^nd European Climate Change Programme (ECCP II) at a stakeholder conference held in Brussels and hosted by the European Commission.
See CITEPA's quarterly report Etudes documentaires n° 147 p.III.1.

2^nd meeting of the Working Group on the Fourfold Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in France by 2050 (known as the Factor 4 Group). The decision to set up this Group was taken at the Government Seminar on Sustainable Development held on 23 March 2005 .
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 80 p.2 and n° 85 (to be published around 10 November)

Directive 2005/55/EC on measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particle pollutants from lorries was published in the EU OJ (n° L 275).
See CITEPA's quarterly report Etudes documentaires n° 157 (to be published late December 2005).

Directive 2005/55/EC on measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particle pollutants from lorries was published in the EU OJ (n° L 275).
See CITEPA's quarterly report Etudes documentaires n° 157 (to be published late December 2005).

At the EU Environment Council, Ministers adopted conclusions in preparation of the EU position at the forthcoming international negotiations at the 11^th Conference of the Parties to the Climate Convention (Montreal, 28 Nov - 9 Dec 2005). They also adopted a directive aimed at restricting the use of PAHs in extender oils used to produce tyres.
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 81 p.2.

1^st Sustainable Energy Forum ( Amsterdam ). This body was created under the European Commission's Green Paper on Energy Efficiency published on 22 June 2005 .
See CITEPA's quarterly report Etudes documentaries n° 156 p.I.273 (forthcoming).

The Paris Air Quality Monitoring Network, Airparif, published maps showing average pollution levels in the streets of the Paris region ( Ile-de-France ) . Pollutants covered are NO₂, benzene and particulate matter.
Further information  : www.airparif.asso.fr (section "Actualités").

The European Parliament's Environment Committee voted on the report prepared by Avril Doyle (rapporteur) on the proposal for a regulation on fluorinated greenhouse gases (stationary applications) (ahead of the 2^nd reading by the EP in plenary in November). The Environment Committee called for stricter controls than those proposed by the Commission and the Council, and a single legal base for the proposed legislation (article 175 of the Treaty which would allow Member States to maintain or adopt stricter provisions in their national legislation).
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 83 p.4.

At the end of the 6^th Inter-Parliamentary Meeting on renewable energy and energy efficiency, the European Forum for Renewable Energy Sources (EUFORES) , issued the Edinburgh Declaration . Members of EUFORES, which brings together Members of the National Parliaments of the EU Member States and of the European Parliament, called for more ambitious medium and long term targets for energy efficiency and renewable energy sources .

The French Environment Minister presented her Ministry's draft 2006 budget : €895.8 million (i.e. 0.4% of the State's overall draft 2006 budget) , up 8.6% on the 2005 budget. Of the total, €178 million is set aside for risk prevention and pollution control, including €10.38 million for mitigating climate change, flagged up as one of the five priority actions of the Ministry's budget (i.e. 1.2% of the Ministry's total draft budget).
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 85 (to be published in early November 2005)

The European Commission published five studies on options to reduce air emissions from ships as part of its work to take forward the EU Strategy to reduce emissions from sea-going ships (adopted on 20 November 2002 ). The studies focus on market-based instruments and the technical potential for reducing these emissions (NOx and SOx).
Further information  : europa.eu.int/comm/environment/air/transport.htm (section "Pollutant emissions from ships")
See CITEPA's quarterly report Etudes documentaires n° 145 p.I.171.

Publication in the French Official Journal of the Ministerial Order of 13 June 2005 amending, for the second time, the Ministerial Order of 25 February 2005 establishing the list of facilities to which greenhouse gas emission allowances have been allocated, and the number of allowances allocated.

The European Commission adopted a strategy, in the form of a communication, aimed at reducing the impact of aviation on climate change. The Commission outlines its plans to incorporate the aviation sector into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 84 (to be published in early October 2005)

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its "Summary for Policymakers" of a new special report on CO₂ capture and storage. The report examines new and emerging technologies for this option for reducing CO₂ emissions, together with estimated costs, legal and regulatory aspects, risks and prospects.
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 84 (to be published in early October 2005).

The Commission presented its thematic strategy on air pollution. The strategy sets interim health and environmental objectives up to 2020 (base year 2000) and outlines measures to attain them. In particular, the strategy aims to reduce by 40% the number of premature deaths caused each year by air pollution-related diseases by 2020 (compared to figures from the year 2000). The strategy is accompanied by a legislative proposal to rationalise legislation on air pollution by merging the existing air quality directives in a single, coherent directive which will also streamline provisions on monitoring and reporting of air quality data. No changes are proposed to existing air quality limit values and their application. However, the proposal introduces new objectives to regulate fine particules ( PM_2.5).
COM(2005) 446 and 447. See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 84 (to be published in early October 2005)

At the annual National Waste Conference, the French Environment Minister announced a new set of measures to give new impetus to waste policy, including effective implementation of waste incineration regulations. In particular, the authorities will be vigilant regarding compliance with the 28 December 2005 deadline for emission limit values, set in the Ministerial Orders of 20 September 2002 .
See CITEPA's quarterly report Etudes documentaries n° 145 p.I.1 et p.I.19.

The EU Council approved the European Parliament's first reading position (reached at the session of 9 March 2004 ) on the proposal for a directive on measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particle pollutants from lorries The text will be submitted to the European Parliament for second reading.
See CITEPA's quarterly report Etudes documentaries n° 148 p.I.271.

The EU Council approved the European Parliament's first reading position (reached at the session of 14 April 2005 ) on the proposal for a directive aimed at restricting the sale and use of toluene and trichlorobenzene (used as solvents) under the framework directive 76/769/CEE. The text will be submitted to the European Parliament for second reading.
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 80 p.3.

During a visit to Rennes ( Brittany ), the French Prime Minister announced that the development of biofuels would be speeded up. He cited the measure that he had already proposed on 1 September : to bring forward the date to 2008 (instead of 2010) to reach the target of a 5.75% share in biofuels in the total volume of transport fuels sold in France . He also announced new targets  : to increase this rate to 7% by 2010 and to 10% by 2015.

Publication, in the French Official Journal, of the Ministerial Order of 28 July 2005 laying down the arrangements for verifying and quantifying GHG emissions as declared under the EU emissions trading scheme. This Order repeals the Order of 14 June 2005 (OJ of 27 August 2005 ). It sets out the requirements concerning the GHG emissions monitoring plan to be drawn up by operators of facilities covered by the National Allocation Plan.
See CITEPA's quarterly report Etudes documentaries n° 156 (to be published in mid-October 2005)

Joint Informal EU Agriculture and Environment Council ( London ). The first ever Joint Council bringing together the two aforementioned formations of the EU Council focused on the issue of climate change.

The European Energy Commissioner proposed a five-point Plan to react to the surge in oil prices . The Plan focuses on reducing demand for energy , particularly by improving energy efficiency .

At the annual EU-China summit, in Beijing , the two Parties agreed a new Partnership on Climate Change which aims to strengthen cooperation and dialogue between the EU and China on climate change and energy. A joint declaration was published setting out the commitments of both Parties.
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 84 (to be published in early October 2005).

At a press conference, the French Prime Minister announced a series of measures to save energy and boost clean transport, including :

• CO₂ emissions from the most polluting cars (>200 gCO₂/km) will be taken into account in the price of vehicle registration tax. This extra tax will apply to cars registered from 1 January 2006 ,
• Increased tax breaks from 2006 for insulating materials, condensing boilers and less-polluting cars.

Publication in the French Official Journal of the Ministerial Order of 14 June 2005 amending the Ministerial Order of 25 February 2005 establishing the list of facilities to which greenhouse gas emission allowances have been allocated, and the number of allowances allocated.

Upon the USA 's initiative, an Asia-Pacific partnership on clean development, energy security and climate change was set up, bringing together six countries ( USA , Australia , China , India , Japan , South Korea ).
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 83 (to be published in early September 2005) .

Publication, in the French Official Journal, of the Ministerial Order of 21 June 2005 , amending the Order of 2 February 1998 and setting new emission limit values for SO₂, NOx and particulate matter applicable to oil refineries.
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 83 (to be published in early September 2005) .

Publication, in the French Official Journal, of the Ministerial Order of 14 June 2005 setting out the arrangements for certifying the official verifying bodies in France under the EU emissions trading scheme.
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 83 (to be published in early September 2005) .

Publication, in the EU's Official Journal, of Directive 2005/32/EC of 6 July 2005 establishing aframework for the setting of eco-design requirements for energy-using products.
See CITEPA's quarterly report Etudes documentaires n° 156 (to be published mid-October 2005) .

Publication, in the EU's Official Journal, of Directive 2005/33/EC of 6 July 2005 amending Directive 1999/32/EC as regards the sulphur content of marine fuels.
See CITEPA's quarterly report Etudes documentaires n° 156 (to be published mid-October 2005) .

The European Commission launched an on-line survey ahead of the review of the European Emissions Allowances Trading Scheme (EU-ETS), as foreseen by Directive 2003/87/EC. The results gleaned from the survey, open until 16 August 2005, will be taken into account by the Commision in its preparatory work for its report on the implementation of the EU ETS, to be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council by 30 June 2006 .
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 82 (to be published in early July 2005).

Publication , by the heads of 24 global companies, of a statement expressing strong support for action to mitigate climate change. The statement was prepared by a group of experts (the G8 Climate Change Roundtable) convened by the World Economic Forum, and was presented to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair on 9 June 2005.
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 82 (to be published in early July 2005).

Adoption, in 1^st reading by European Parliament (EP) in plenary, of the report prepared by Adamos Adamou for the EP's Environment Commission, on the proposed directive aimed at reducing the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in extender oils used to produce tyres.
See CITEPA's monthly newsletter C'est dans l'Air n° 81 p.2.

German Member of the European Parliament (EP), Mechtild Rothe, announced that she will be the rapporteur for the EP-own initiative report on renewable heating and cooling with a view to drafting a proposed directive on the subject, along with targets for increasing the share of renewables in heating and cooling.