US embassy cable - 05WARSAW1895

UNCLAS WARSAW 001895 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
Sensitive 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NCE TARA ERATH AND MICHAEL SESSUMS 
USDOC FOR 4232/ITA/MAC/EUR/JBURGESS AND MWILSON 
TREASURY FOR OASIA MATTHEW GAERTNER 
STATE PASS TO EPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, ECON, ENRG, ETRD, PREL, PL, EUN 
SUBJECT:  Poland to Host Visegrad Meeting of Environment 
Ministers in Krakow, April 7-8 
 
Ref: (A) Warsaw 1396 (B) Warsaw 1555 
 
 (U) This cable is sensitive, but unclassified, and NOT for 
Internet distribution. 
 
1. (U) On April 7-8, the Polish Minister of Environment will 
host his counterparts from Hungary and the Czech and Slovak 
Republics in Krakow.  MinEnvironment officials report that 
the primary focus of the agenda will be to coordinate their 
approaches to a variety of environmental issues within the 
EU.  The ministers will discuss the possibility of 
coordinating approaches on climate change issues, including 
emissions trading.  The EC has not approved National Action 
Plans for CO2 emissions for Poland and the Czech Republic, 
which could result in significantly reduced access for 
Polish and Czech companies to engage in emissions trading on 
the common EU market (please see reftels for more details 
about Poland's concerns).  The ministers will also discuss 
their shared concerns about the negative effects on industry 
of the EU's proposed REACH directive, and the potential for 
cooperating on Lisbon Agenda issues related to the 
environment. 
 
2. (U) The Polish Ministry of Environment hopes to exchange 
experiences trying to comply with the EU's Waste Directive, 
particularly related to requirements to institute recycling 
programs for cars and computers.  Poland is also interested 
in discussing the Nature 2000 Directive and means to finance 
programs under it.  The ministers are also expected to 
discuss common approaches to using structural funds to 
support environmental projects. 
 
3. (U) Poland has proposed that the ministers also discuss 
the Carpathian Framework Convention, an agreement signed in 
2004 the Visegrad countries with Ukraine and Romania to 
develop joint projects to improve the regional environment. 
Poland is interested in developing specific projects to 
follow up on this initiative. 
 
4. (SBU) Comment: Poland has found that it shares many of 
the same views as its other three Visegrad colleagues in 
meeting EU environmental requirements.  It also shares many 
of the same concerns, including on issues like REACH and 
emissions trading.  While our contacts at the Ministry of 
Environment do not expect significant achievements from this 
meeting, they do hope it will lead to greater policy 
coordination among the four in Brussels.  The good news is 
that, to date, the Polish Government shares many of the same 
concerns on these issues as American companies working in 
Europe.  End comment. 
 
Ashe 
 
 
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 2005WARSAW01895 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED