THIS WEBSITE IS AN ONLINE ARCHIVE OF THE DANISH EU PRESIDENCY 2012 AND WILL NO LONGER BE UPDATED

EU Environmental Policy

Apart from pollution reduction, much EU environmental legislation regulates goods traded in the EU’s Internal Market. Environmental regulation often affects the competitiveness of businesses. So to ensure a level playing field, the broad outlines of environmental policy are determined at EU level.

During the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU, a number of dossiers on the environment will dominate the work of the Council. Below you can read more about these matters and the EU’s environmental policy.

Regulation on the EU’s environmental support programme – LIFE+ 2014-2020

The Environmental Support Programme LIFE+, which will be in force from 2014 to 2020, is to be negotiated during the Danish Presidency. The Danish Presidency will aim at achieving a partial agreement in the Environment Council as regards content in LIFE+. This will include prioritisation of special environmental areas, criteria for allotting support, project types and administrative provisions.

As new elements in relation to the current programme, the Commission’s proposals are anticipated to incorporate a separate appropriation for climate and climate change adaptation projects and to introduce “integrated projects” as a new type of project.

Proposal for a regulation on the dismantling of ships

The Commission is expected to present a proposal for a regulation on implementation by the EU of the Hong Kong Convention on the recycling of ships. This was adopted in 2009, inter alia with a view to countering environmentally unsound dismantling of ships – including beaching – which takes place in several developing countries today.

The Convention lays down environmental requirements regarding the dismantling of ships of more than 500 BRT, based on a cradle to grave philosophy that involves requirements concerning design, construction, maintenance, preparation for dismantling and requirements as regards dismantling facilities.

The regulation is expected to contain requirements concerning lists of hazardous substances on the ships in question, drawing up a plan for dismantling, requirements concerning the dismantling itself and the dismantling facility, including certification, and a requirement about the environmentally sound treatment of the environmentally hazardous materials that could come out of the dismantling operation.

Revision of the directive on the sulphur content of marine fuels

The directive incorporates more stringent rules for the sulphur content of marine fuels that are to be used in areas with a special need for environmental protection, including the Baltic and the North Sea.

The directive implements the provisions of the Marpol Convention, adopted in 2008 under the auspices of the UN’s maritime organisation. In addition to the rules in the Marpol Convention, the directive inter alia contains more stringent requirements concerning passenger ships that sail outside of the protected areas as well as more stringent requirements regarding flue gas cleaning, for example, as an alternative method for reducing sulphur pollution.

Revision of the deliberate release directive (GMO)

In July 2010, the Commission presented a proposal for the amendment of the GMO – deliberate release - directive, which has been negotiated during the three previous presidencies without agreement having been reached in the Council.

The objective of the proposal is to amend the deliberate release directive and give Member States the possibility to prohibit, limit or prevent the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GM plants) in the whole or parts of their territory. The proposal does not affect GMOs that are only approved for import to the EU or other restrictions on free trade in seeds in Europe.

In July 2011 the Parliament adopted 28 amendments to the Commission’s proposal. The Danish Presidency will seek to obtain political agreement concerning the proposal in the Environment Council.

Structure and content of a 7th Environment Action Programme

The EU’s 6th Environment Action Programme expires in July 2012 and is to be replaced by a new 10-year programme. This programme will establish the general objectives and long-term strategies for environmental efforts in the EU.

The following key environmental policy challenges for the realisation of a resource-efficient green economy in the Europe of the future can be highlighted:

  • Changeover in the direction of sustainable patterns of consumption and production together with resource-oriented design of waste policy
  • The future progress of EU climate policy
  • Initiatives for the implementation of the EU’s biodiversity strategy with a view to both regenerating and protecting the natural base
  • Future-proofing of EU efforts for environment and health focused on chemicals and air pollution, as well as strategies and instruments to safeguard the satisfactory implementation of EU environmental legislation

Objectives and results
A healthy and clean environment is a key priority for the EU. This is highlighted in the Lisbon Treaty, where sustainable development that ensures a high level of protection and improvement of environmental quality is inscribed as one of the EU's overall objectives.

Over the past 25 years, environmental legislation in the EU has evolved from focussing on traditional environmental problems like air pollution, sewage and waste to nature conservation and threats to human health. One example of this development is the REACH regulation, which came into force in 2007 and which regulates companies' use of chemicals.

In recent years, a number of significant actions to combat global warming have dominated the environmental policy of the EU, for example the aim to reduce CO2 emissions and to achieve a higher level of energy efficiency.

Furthermore, efficient use of resources has recently become a priority of environmental policies of the EU. This is mainly caused by the economic recession in Western economies and the major changes in global production and consumption patterns, which are a consequence of the emerging economies.

Resource efficiency is one of the EU's flagship initiatives in the EU 2020 Strategy, the EU's growth strategy towards 2020. The goal of this initiative is to create new opportunities for economic growth while reducing the use of resources.

The development of the environmental agenda of the EU
Environmental regulation has been part of EU policy since 1987, when the ambition to preserve the environment was made part of the European Single Act. Subsequent amendments to the Treaty have lifted the environmental policy all the way into the heart of EU affairs by, among other things, giving the European Parliament a say in environmental legislation. 

The overall framework for the EU environmental policy is set out in the 6th Environmental Action Programme, which identifies priorities for the EU Member States’ joint environmental action. The programme runs for 10 years from 2002-2012.

Environmental legislation in the EU is quite comprehensive and covers virtually all areas of nature and environmental regulation. When regulating the environment, EU actions are based on both the principles of precaution and preventive action, as well as on the polluter-pays principle.

Here you can find more information about EU environmental policy

EU Environment Directorate-General

European Commission on Environment    

Environmental Council

European Parliament – Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

European Environment Agency

European Enviromental Bureau