EU and China to look at developing global waste agreement

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Both China and the European Union are to investigate the development of a framework of multilateral environmental agreements including waste.

European Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik recently met Chinese Minister of Environmental Protection Zhou Shengxian and among a number of discussion points was an agreement to strengthen co-operation on global environmental goals on biodiversity, chemicals and waste.

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Commissioner Potočnik discussed the progress the EU is making towards developing a resource efficient economy and noted that the EU has clear strengths in eco-industries and this could be an opening for further co-operation with China.

Both also recognised the need for continual and dedicated efforts to boost sustainable resource productivity and efficiency as ways of safeguarding the environment.

They also agreed to work together towards the promotion of more sustainable consumption and production patterns in the context of bilateral relations and globally.

It was also decided that an Environment Forum would be convened every two years involving stakeholders and businesses from both the EU and China. The first forum will take place in 2014 in Brussels with the theme of green growth.