Central and East European scientists look to EU for help

Brussels, 25 March 2002

Scientists and environmentalists from four Central and East European countries have requested assistance from the European Union in addressing some of the environmental problems in the Carpathian basin.

Meeting in the Romanian city of Tirgu Mures, the group from Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine, said that as well as assistance from the EU, more cooperation was needed by the governments in the region. Working practices need to be tightened up, such as the deforestation of river valleys and the dumping of waste from disused mines.

Problems in the region made headline news two years ago when a cyanide leak from a gold mine in northern Romania caused extensive damage to the environment in the area. But now the scientists are claiming that more attention and resources are needed to address the everyday problems which are continuing to affect the environment.

While collaboration between the scientists of the region has been underway for some years, they are now calling for similar cooperation between the countries' governments. This would help to prevent further threats to the environment in the future, while the assistance from the European Union is sought to repair the damage that has already been done.

CORDIS RTD-NEWS/© European Communities, 2001