AUTHORS: Green Alliance-IEEP-Catherine Bowyer-David Baldock-Claire Monkhouse-David Wilkinson

The UK will hold the Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers from 1 July – 31 December 2005. Holding the Presidency provides a unique opportunity to advance some new issues and inject life into existing processes and policy debates. IEEP and Green Alliance have been commissioned by the UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to identify the key environmental priorities for the Presidency. Through stakeholder consultation and an expert forum representing business, NGOs, government and academia, we aim to deliver an ambitious, well-targeted and effective environmental agenda for the Presidency. The scoping paper was prepared by IEEP to inform stakeholders and stimulate thinking in advance of a stakeholder seminar on 30 June 2004. It presents the policy context, explains the role of the Presidency, and proposes some ideas for discussion and debate, mainly drawn from stakeholders themselves.