There was no mention of the stalled soil framework directive at the Environment Council on 11 June and environment commissioner Janez Potočnik has only just begun his programme of meetings with environment ministers to persuade them to back it, it has emerged.
The Council made no return to its stalled discussion in March and considered items on biocidal poducts, electrical and electronic goods, forests, climate change and light commercial vehicles.
After the March Council, Mr Potočnik promised to meet the environment ministers of the five member states which formed the blocking minority to resolve their outstanding issues but he has so far made little progress.
"At this stage, he is working on this file and making the necessary contacts," said a spokeswoman for the European Commission.
She said there was a meeting scheduled between the commissioner and the Austrian minister of agriculture, forestry and environment Nicolaus Berlakovich the day before the Council meeting.
Mr Potočnik would also be striving to meet the French minister Jean-Louis Borloo in the margins of the Council, she said.
