Home / Environment / News Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read | Comment
EU Seeks Joint Efforts on Energy and Emissions
Adjust font size:

The European Union (EU) wishes to take the Sino-EU strategic partnership forward this year by increasing cooperation in improving energy efficiency and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Serge Abou, the EU ambassador to Beijing, said energy security and climate change were priorities for the EU this year and neither issue could be effectively addressed without China's participation.

He said the European Commission wished to work with China to help the latter "promote energy standards and savings through the development and deployment of near zero emission coal technology on carbon capture and storage."

The EU would like to share its regulatory expertise and standards, he said. The European bloc was keen to ensure China's early engagement in the application of the new technology.

Analyzing the current state of bilateral relations the ambassador said China and the EU were moving toward a meaningful and realistic relationship -- differences remained but were being managed effectively.

He said the two had maintained frequent high-level exchanges and noted that three more senior EU officials including Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson, were to visit Beijing before the summer.

Abou said the recently launched negotiations for a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement including updating a bilateral 1985 Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement, currently the only legal basis for cooperation, marked a good beginning for bilateral cooperation this year. 

Though the EU "looks forward to the timely conclusion of negotiations of the new agreement", Abou said, he couldn't give a timeframe for the completion of the "complex and wide-ranging" document.

He said it would take "as long as it takes" but hoped to make substantive progress by November when the annual China-EU summit is held in Beijing.

In addition to trade the agreement will provide a comprehensive framework for the 22 sectors in which China and the EU already hold talks including energy, the environment, agriculture, transport, customs, education, information, science and technology.

"Negotiations for new agreement in various forms are going smoothly," said Abou.

Law school

Calling it the first major project of 2007, Abou said the Europe-China School of Law was aimed at expanding the knowledge of Chinese legal professionals of European and international law and would help European professionals, academics and students to widen their knowledge of Chinese law.

He said the EU would contribute 18.2 million euros ($23.5 million) to the school. It'll l be run as a not-for-profit partnership between a group of leading European and Chinese academic institutions.

The law school is one of the three cooperation projects signed during EU Commissioner for External relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner's last visit to Beijing. She and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing launched the negotiations for a new partnership and cooperation agreement. The others relate to protection of intellectual property rights and business management training.

(China Daily February 2, 2007)

Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read
Comment
Pet Name
Anonymous

China Archives
Related >>
- China, EU Reach New Consensus on Economic Cooperation
- European Talks Set to Boost Relations
- China-EU PCA Talks Get Under Way
- China to Promote Green Buildings
- China-EU Trade Hits US$272.3 Bln in 2006
- More Efforts to Save Energy in 2007
Most Viewed >>
Air Quality 
Cities Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter II
Shanghai particulate matter III1
Guangzhou sulfur dioxide II
Chongqing particulate matter III2
Xi'an particulate matter III1
Most Read
- White paper on energy
- Endangered monkeys grow in number
- Yangtze River's Three Gorges 2 mln years in the making
- The authorities sets sights on polluted soil
- China, US benefit from clean energy
NGO Events Calendar Tips
- Hand in hand to protect endangered animals and plants
- Changchun, Mini-marathon Aimed at Protecting Siberian Tiger
- Water Walk by Nature University
- Green Earth Documentary Salon
- Prof. Maria E. Fernandez to Give a Lecture on Climate Change
More
Archives
UN meets on climate change
The UN Climate Change Conference brought together representatives of over 180 countries and observers from various organizations.
Panda Facts
A record 28 panda cubs born via artificial insemination have survived in 2006.
South China Karst
Rich and unique karst landforms located in south China display exceptional natural beauty.
Saving the Tibetan Antelopes
The rare animals survive in the harsh natural environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
More
Laws & Regulations
- Forestry Law of the People's Republic of China
- Meteorology Law of the People's Republic of China
- Fire Control Law of the People's Republic of China
- Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters
- Law of the People's Republic of China on Conserving Energy
More
Links:
State Environmental Protection Administration
Ministry of Water Resources
Ministry of Land and Resources
China Environmental Industry Network
Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base