15.11.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L 288/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) REGULATION (EC) No 2493/2000 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 7 November 2000 on measures to promote the full integration of the environmental dimension in the development process of developing countries THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 175 and 179 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), After consulting the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (*), in the light of the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee on 27 July 2000. Whereas: (1)  Depletion of natural resources and environmental degra- dation have direct effects on economic development and especially on the livelilhoods of local communities, including indigenous peoples, and thus counteract the alleviation of poverty through sustainable development. (2)  Current patterns of production and consumption have undeniable transboundary and global consequences, in particular where the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, soil condition and biological diversity are concerned. (3)  The Community and its Member States are signatories to the Rio Declaration and the Agenda 21 action programme and are committed to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (Ungass) Resolution ‘Programme for the further implementation of Agenda 21 () OJ C 47, 20.2.1999, p. 10 andOJ C 274 E, 26.9.2000, p. 1. () O] C 258, 10.9.1999, p. 16. (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 5 May 1999 (O] C 279, 1.10.1999, p. 173), Council Common Position of 16 December 1999 (O] C 64, 6.3.2000, p. 47) and Decision of the European Parliament of 15 March 2000 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Decision of the European Parliament of 20 September 2000 and Council Decision of 7 September 2000. (4 The Community and its Member States are parties to Multilateral Environment Agreements, notably the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention to Combat Desertification. They are thus committed to take into account the common but differentiated responsibili- ties of developed parties and developing parties on these subjects. (5)  The internal and external aspects of the European Community's environment policy need to be coherent in order to effectively respond to the challenges identified in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) and its follow-up processes. (6)  The Community and its Member States are committed to the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development/Development ~ Assistance ~ Committee's (OECD/DAC) ‘Shaping the 21st Century Strategy’ which calls for the support for the implementation of national strategies for sustainable development in all countries by 2005, so as to ensure that current trends in the loss of environmental resources are effectively reversed at both global and national levels by 2015. (7)  The European Parliament and the Council have adopted Decision No 2179/98/EC of 24 September 1998 on the review of the European Community Programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development ‘Towards Sustainability’ (%), which calls for a strengthened role for the Community in international cooperation in environment and sustain- able development. The basic strategy of the Programme is to achieve full integration of environmental policy in other policies, including development policy. % O] L 275, 10.10.1998, p. 1.