The EU became the leading actor in addressing crucial international environmental items since the adoption of the Treaty on European Union which gave to the environment a policy status and since the Treaty of Amsterdam which incorporated the sustainable development principle. Currently, the protection of the environment is one of the major EU priorities.
Four times a year, the Environment Ministers of the EU Member States and the Environment Commissioner meet in the Environment Council to further develop European environment policy. Janez Podobnik, Slovenian Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, will chair the Environment Councils in March 2008 in Brussels and in June 2008 in Luxembourg, as well as the informal Environment Council in April 2008 in Brdo, Slovenia.
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