EU ministers approve Czech membership of the European Environment Agency

European Union ministers have given the go-ahead for the thirteen candidate countries to join the European Environment Agency. This will enable the Czech Republic to form part of the European Union's environmental monitoring service and will give access to the agency's information network. The European Environment Agency collects and evaluates data on the ecological situation in all spheres of the economy in member countries. Before the Czech Republic can join, its membership will have to be approved by both houses of the Czech parliament.