The European Commission this week called on EU leaders meeting in Cologne

Date: 20/05/1999

next month to give a “clear mandate” to member states and the Community to develop strong proposals aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions. It stressed the need for progress on pending legislative proposals in areas such as taxation, energy and transport, held up by the institution's resignation. It also called on the US to be more ambitious in cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The move came just days after EU governments agreed that at least half the Union's commitments to reduce pollution from greenhouse gases must be met through genuine domestic reductions in emissions rather than by trading 'credits'.