Joint Green 10 activities – some examples

As well as working individually with EU institutions on key policy areas, we also coordinate joint responses and recommendations to EU decision-makers on issues of interest to all NGOs.

The Constitutional Treaty: NGOs successfully lobbied the European Convention to retain existing Treaty commitments to sustainable development, environmental protection and the integration of environmental concerns into each EU policy area. We also supported an increase in the power of the European Parliament in several areas of work.

The EU’s Sustainable Development Strategy: The Green 9 works to ensure the attainment of the objectives of the Sustainable Development Strategy agreed by the Gothenburg European Council in 2001. We closely monitor progress on the individual commitments, and have prepared joint input to the EU institutions for the review of the Strategy.

European elections: NGOs produced a joint ‘manifesto’ outlining key recommendations for action by MEPs in the European Parliament 2004-2009. We worked with member organisations to promote these recommendations with MEP candidates and political parties at national level.

Greening the EU Budget: The EU’s annual budget procedure presents an opportunity for Green 9 NGOs to lobby for a shift in funds away from environmentally damaging measures to those budget lines that deliver public goods and environmental benefits. Green 9 NGOs have been active in seeking to reform the Structural Funds, the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy.