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The
Open Method of Co-ordination (OMC) is based on benchmarking and
spreading best practice. It is intended to help Member States converge
towards common objectives in areas such as employment, economic
reform and social cohesion.
OMC
mechanisms in fiscal policies and the emergence of two social policy
OMCs have contributed to increase the weight of these policy areas
at the highest political level.
Lately,
it has increasingly been discussed to extend this method to environmental
policy. It might complement the Community Method, can act as a forerunner
for Community law, contributes to stabilising networks, it helps
to achieve a level playing field with social and economic policies
and contributes to driving forward co-operation in areas of environmental
policy where Member States are reluctant to make use of Community
Methods. Potential cases for applying OMC may include e.g. external
environmental policy, renewable energies and policy on environmental
technologies.
Against
this background, representatives of European Environmental Ministries,
of Environmental NGOs and representatives of the European Commission
met on invitation of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry, Environment and Water Management to discuss areas of application,
chances and risks of OMC for European Environmental Policy.
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