Carbon footprints are getting bigger and bigger, and the need to break the link between economic growth and pollution becomes more and more pressing every day. In many respects, the Nordic countries constitute a joint market, characterised by the same range of products and similar patterns of consumption.

The Nordic countries are therefore well placed to collectively contribute to the development of environmentally friendly production techniques, as well as to spread environmental awareness among consumers and promote an environmentally friendly range of products. Another area of growth is the use of new materials – e.g. nano-materials – which require both new knowledge and new rules.

The Nordic countries must remain proactive in the development, application, implementation and co-ordination of international chemical and waste conventions and other key agreements.

International co-operation work on sustainable development, including the strategies for sustainable consumption and production (the Marrakech Process) and for the international management of chemicals (SAICM), will continue to be developed and implemented. The Nordic countries can, through co-ordinated efforts, reinforce their influence in this sphere and influence outcomes at global and regional level.

The implementation and application of the new EU regulations for chemicals, REACH, has now begun and a new framework directive for waste will be implemented during the programme period.

The EU's strategies for sustainable consumption and production and for green public-sector procurement describe the direction that the work of the EU will take. It is also important for there to be a Nordic influence on the proposal for a new or revised directive for eco-design, IPPC (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control), environment certification (EMAS), and EU environmental labelling. The experiences of the Nordic environment initiative the Nordic Ecolabel ought to be exploited in the development of the EU environmental label 'the Flower'.