Sweden's main achievements may have been environmental

Although EU enlargement was the most talked about issue at the Gothenburg summit, Sweden believes the most enduring achievement of its presidency could be in the field of the environment.

EU leaders agreed to give the environment equal status with economic and social policy when formulating policy. The environment thus provides a third dimension to the EU's Lisbon Strategy, a plan for making the EU the world's most dynamic and competitive economic region over the next 10 years.

In their joint statement at the end of the summit, the leaders said protecting the environment was not incompatible with boosting economic growth.

"Clear and stable objectives for sustainable development will present significant economic opportunities.

"This has the potential to unleash a new wave of technological innovation and investment, generating growth and employment," the statement said.

The EU defines sustainable development as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising those of future generations.

It wants to deal with economic, social and environmental policies "in a mutually reinforcing way".

Each member-state will draw up its own strategy for sustainable development aimed at providing a better incentive for consumers and producers to take environmental concerns into account when they choose what to make or buy.

A sustainable transport policy would encourage a shift from road to rail, water and public transport by encouraging investment in more environmentally friend ly transport systems.

It would also try to ensure that the price of different modes of transport "better reflects costs to society".

In the forthcoming review of the Common Agricultural Policy, the leaders promised to encourage environmentally sustainable production methods, including organic farming and the protection of biodiversity. And next year's review of the Common Fisheries Policy will take steps to avoid over-fishing.

The Commission will monitor the implementation of the Sustainable Development Plan, but the leaders stopped short of adopting Commission proposals for detailed goals in various environmental fields.

When President Bush met EU leaders on Thursday, the two sides agreed to disagree on how best to combat global warming. EU member-states have promised to press ahead with ratifying the Kyoto Protocol, which the US has rejected.

The Swedish Prime Minister, Mr Goran Persson, said the US did not want to block the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by other countries.

And he announced that a high-level EU delegation, possibly including himself, would travel to Japan in the next few days in an attempt to persuade Tokyo to ratify the protocol.

"I think we have a moral responsibility to go ahead with it. I don't think the problem will be for those who don't ratify. The problem will be for the next generation," he said.