DEVELOPMENTS OF EU ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

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DEVELOPMENTS OF EU ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
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EU ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

• No explicit Treaty provision for any
  environmental policy
• Nowadays 200 pieces of legislation covering
  almost all policy areas (air, water, soil, noise,
  birds, habitats, biodiversity, urban and
  hazardous waste, chemicals, biotechnologies,
  genetically modified organisms, energy, climate
  change, impact and risk assessment, civil
  protection, etc.)

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• Alternative forms of regulation market,
  self-regulation, eco-audit, eco-labelling,
  public information, etc.
• A shared (single) policy with the member states
  (Europeanization)
• 6 Environmental Action Programmes (1973-2010)

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5 established Principles

• Precaution (assess, appraise and communicate
  risks that science is not yet able to evaluate
  fully)
• Prevention (instead of reaction)
• Rectifying pollution at source
• Polluter pays
• Subsidiarity (EU action only when it can deal
  with problems more effectively than national or
  regional governments).

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Global Dimension

• A common Strategy for Sustainable Development
• The most progressive environmental policy in the
  world
• Environmental considerations into other EU
  external policies (trade, cooperation, etc.)
• A proactive international player (i.e. Kyoto)
• Approximately one third of Community
  environmental policy aims to implement legally
  binding international commitments.

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Why a European policy?

• Transborder pollution (subsidiarity)
• Harmonization of environmental standards
  (internal market)
• European Commission and EP increasing activism
• Member states pushers
• Growing public opinion awareness (Green groups
  and parties)

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However

• The state of the European environment still is a
  source of growing concern
• Implementation (normative) gap
• Integration gap (EPI),
• New Challenges (enlargement, Kyoto)

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An Incremental Process

• Original sources of EU regulation art. 100
  (harmonization) and 308 ECT (implicit powers)
• 1967 First directive on classification,
  labelling and packaging of dangerous substances
• 1970 First directive on car emission standards
  caused by diesel engines (optional
  harmonisation)
• 1979 Birds directive
• 1980 Minimum standards for drinking water
  Directive
• 1985 Environmental Impact Assessment Directive

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• 1988 Large combustion plants emissions
• 1990 Public access to envir information
• 1992 Habitats directive
• 1994 European Environmental Agency
• 1994 Implementing the Montreal Protocol of the
  Vienna Convention (Ozone layer)
• 1996 Directive on integrated pollution
  prevention and control
• 2000 Framework directive on water
• 2002 Ratification of Kyoto Protocol on Climate
  Change

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Environmental Action Plans

• 1973-76 polluter pays principle
• Reduce and prevent pollution
• Protect the environment and improve quality of
  life
• Support for international initiatives
• 1977-81 strengthening control on implementation
• 1982-86 shift from control to prevention impact
  assessment, integration of environmental policy
  considerations in other fields
• 1987-92 from regulation to economic instruments
  (taxes, incentives)
• 1993-2000 Towards Sustainable Development
• 2000-2010 The Future is in our Hands

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External pressures

• 1970 US Environmental Agency
• 1972 - UN Conference on the Human Environment
  (Stockholm)
• 1973 - 1st EAP (Principle Polluter Pays)
• 1984 - Txernobil nuclear accident
• 1987 - UN Brundtland Report
• 1992 Rio Summit
• 1992 Vth Environment Action Programme 1992-2000
  (Towards Sustainability)
• 2002 - Johannesburg Summit
• 2001 EU SD Strategy

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Internal pressures

• Economic expansion-recession
• Environmental disasters
• Seveso dioxins (1976)-Seveso directive on the
  major-accident hazards of certain industrial
  activities (1982)
• Accidental or deliberate Marine Pollution
  directive
• Rivers degradation Rhine pollution Convention
  (2000)
• Public opinion awareness Green movement and
  parties

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Internal Market Pressures

• The Environment as an economic imperative (Free
  Market competition)
• Concern of environmental protection as a
  potential threat for market distortions
• Competitive disadvantage as a result of
  environmental dumping
• New decision making rules (SEA)

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Transboundary pollution

• Air (acid rain)
• Rivers (Rhin)
• Seas
• Birds
• Hazardous Waste moving across borders

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THE CONSTITUTIONALIZATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

• The Single European Act (1986)
• Maastricht (1992)
• Amsterdam (1997)

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SINGLE EUROPEAN ACT (1986)

• EP becomes a Common policy
• Integration of environmental considerations into
  the other EC policies
• Improving environmental quality as a legitimate
  Comunity objective
• Preserve, protect and improve the quality of the
  environment
• Protecting human health
• Ensure a prudent and rational use of natural
  Resources

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SEA (AUE)

• QM voting for environmental decisions necessary
  for the completion of the Internal Market
  (art.100)
• After a Community harmonisation measure has been
  adopted, Member States may
• Maintain existing national provisions to protect
  the environment
• Introduce new national provisions to protect it

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THE TREATY OF MAATRICHT (1992)

• The Rio Summit
• Sustainable growth as one main objective of the
  EU (art. 2)
• The Environment is a full common policy
• Includes the precautionary principle (art. 130)
• Penalty payment for non-compliance (art. 171)
• QM voting and co-decision procedure with
  exceptions (tax policy, territoirial setting,
  energy)
• Cohesion Fund for Env. infrastructures

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THE TREATY OF AMSTERDAM (1997)

• Enhances
• The importance of SD and environmental protection
• Subsidiarity (decisions at the lowest level)
• The international role of the EU

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SD and Amsterdam

• SD becomes one of the main objectives of the EU
  as important as eco and social progress (art. 2)
• It is one of the Unions main tasks
• Environmental protection requirements must be
  integrated into the definition and implementation
  of Community policies and activities into the
  other policies (art. 6)
• Integration is one one the means of promoting SD

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5th Environment Action Program (1992-2000)-Towards
Sustainability

• The features of sustainability
• to maintain the overall quality of life
• to maintain continuing access to natural
  resources
• to avoid lasting environmental damage
• SD meets the needs of the present without
  compromising the ability of future generations to
  meet their own needs

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5th EAP 2 major principles

• The integration of the environmental dimension in
  all major policy areas as a key factor
  environmental protection targets can only be
  achieved by involving those policy areas causing
  env deterioration
• Only by replacing the command-and-control
  approach with shared responsibility between the
  various actors (governments, industry and the
  public) can commitment to agreed measures be
  achieved

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Mid-term assessment (1996)

• 5 priority areas
• 1) improving integration of the envir into other
  policies (CAP, transport, energy, industry and
  tourism
• 2) Use of a wider range of instruments (see next)
• 3) Increased implementation and enforcement
  measures by improved and simplified legislation
• 4) Additional action in the field of
  communication and information
• 5) Reinforcing the global Unions role

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A wider range of policy instruments

• Legislation to set env standards
• Market-based instruments (taxes, incentives,
  voluntary agreements and instruments, etc.) to
  encourage the production and use of
  environmentally friendly products and processes
• Horizontal support measures (EEA, RD Programs,
  public information, education, training
• Sectoral and spatial planning
• Environmental Impact Evaluation
• Financial support (CAP, SF, Cohesion, LIFE,
  URBAN, etc)

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LIFE

• Financial Instrument for the Environment,
  introduced in 1992. It co-finances projects in
  three areas
• LIFE Nature conserve natural habitats and the
  wild fauna and flora of EU interest, according to
  the Birds and Habitats directives, thus
  supporting implementation of the European Union's
  nature conservation policy and the Natura 2000
  Network.
• LIFE-Environment implementation of Community
  policy and legislation on the environment in the
  EU and CCs. Demonstration and development of new
  methods for the protection and the enhancement of
  the environment.
• LIFE-Third Countries technical assistance
  activities for promoting SD in third countries.
  Development of environmental management
  capacities, both for our administrative partners
  outside the Union and for companies and NGOs.

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• El Reglamento LIFE define cinco ámbitos de
  intervención
• ordenación y aprovechamiento del territorio
• gestión de aguas
• reducción del impacto ambiental de las
  actividades económicas
• gestión de residuos
• reducción del impacto ambiental de los
  productos mediante una política integrada de
  productos.

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Procedimiento legislativo LIFE

• February/March 2007 Formal meeting of the
  Conciliation Committee 28 November 2006
  Conciliation Committee constitutive meeting
• 24 October 2006 EP Plenary vote on LIFE
  (Legislative resolution 2nd reading)
• 14 September 2006 EP Committee for
  Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
  Isler Béguin (Greens/EFA, FR) recommendation for
  second reading on LIFE
• 27 June 2006 EU Environment Council
  reaches agreement on LIFE
• 26 May 2006 Commission proposes
  revised budget (EUR 2,097.9 for LIFE 2007-2013).
  
• 2 December 2005 Environment Council reached
  partial political agreement on LIFE.
• 7 July 2005 EP Plenary vote on LIFE
  (legislative resolution 1st reading Codecision)
• 14 April 2005 Opinion of the Committee of the
  Regions on LIFE (OJ C 231 of 20.09.2005).
• 29 September 2004 Commission proposes LIFE to
  run from 2007-2013 COM(2004) 621 final.

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La Agencia Europea de Medio Ambiente

• Información sólida e independiente acerca
• del medio ambiente.
• Principal fuente de información para los
  responsables del desarrollo, adopción, aplicación
  y evaluación de las políticas medioambientales,
  así como el gran público.
• Cuenta con 31 Estados miembros los 27 de la
• Unión, además de Bulgaria, Islandia,
  Liechtenstein, Noruega, Rumanía y Turquía.

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Clientes

• La Comisión Europea, el Parlamento Europeo, el
  Consejo (especialmente a través de sus
  presidencias) y los estados miembros.
• Otras instituciones, como el CdR y el CES
• Otros usuarios la comunidad empresarial, el
  mundo académico, ONG, etc.
• .

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Funciones

• Registrar, recopilar, analizar y difundir datos
  sobre el estado del medio ambiente.
• Proporcionar a la Comunidad y a los Estados
  miembros la información objetiva necesaria para
  elaborar y aplicar políticas eficaces y acertadas
  en materia de medio ambiente.
• Contribuir al control de las medidas
  medioambientales.
• Trabajar para que los datos sean comparables a
  escala europea.
• Favorecer el desarrollo e integración de técnicas
  de previsión en el ámbito del medio ambiente.
• Garantizar una difusión amplia de información
  medioambiental fidedigna.

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Fuentes

• Una amplia gama de fuentes.
• Eionet Red europea de información y observación
  del medioambiente.
• La AEMA tiene la responsabilidad de desarrollar
  esta red y coordinar sus actividades.
• Colabora con los Puntos Focales Nacionales
  (agencias nacionales de medio ambiente o los
  ministerios de medio ambiente), responsables de
  coordinar las redes nacionales (alrededor de 300
  entidades en total).
• Entre las tareas principales de los Puntos
  Focales Nacionales están la identificación de las
  necesidades de información, la recogida de datos
  e informaciones procedentes, entre otras, de
  actividades de vigilancia en los Estados miembros
  y su envío a la AEMA, así como el apoyo a la AEMA
  en el análisis y uso de la información y en la
  difusión de ésta entre los usuarios finales

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Sectores

• la calidad del aire
• la calidad de las aguas
• el estado del suelo, de la fauna y de la flora
• el uso del suelo y los recursos naturales
• la gestión de residuos
• las emisiones sonoras
• las sustancias químicas
• la protección del litoral y marina.

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The preparation of the VIth EAP

• In July 1998 (30 months after the proposal was
  presented by the COM!!) the EP and the CM agreed
  in concialition a text on the Review of the Vth
  EAP
• The Helsinki European Council (Dec. 1999) invited
  the COM to prepare a long-term strategy on
  economic, social and ecological SD to be
  submitted to the Gothemburg Council (June 2001)

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Göthembourg Summit (June 2001)

• COM method consultation paper to generate
  discussion and inputs from other EU institutions
  and civil society
• Compehensive strategies of 9 Councils
  Environment, Transport, Energy, Agriculture,
  Industry, Internal Market, Development, ECOFIN,
  General Affairs

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5 Key approaches to

1. Ensure the implementation of existing legislation
2. Integrate env concerns into all relevant policy
   areas
3. Work closely with business and consumers to
   identify solutions
4. Ensure better and more accessible information for
   citizens
5. Develop a more env conscious attitude towards
   land use

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Environment 2010 Our Future, Our ChoiceThe 6th
EAP 2001-2010

• 4 priority areas
• Climate change
• Nature and biodiversity
• Environment and health
• Natural resources and waste

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• Approaches emphazise the need for more effective
  implementation and more innovative solutions
• A wider constituency must be addressed, including
  business who can gain form EP
• The Program seeks new and innovative instruments
  for meeting complex challenges

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• Action must be taken by all at all levels public
  authorities, citizens and business
• Changes in consumption and investment patterns
  are needed
• Political leadership is essential (narrow
  sectoral interests must not prevail)
• A new integrative approach to policy-making
• A responsible partner in a globalized world
  leadership through example

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Challenges and implications of SD for public
institutions and citizens

• Without increasing environmental concerns in the
  economic sectors and without a stronger
  participation and commitment of citizens and
  stakeholders, our development will remain
  unsustainable (VI EAP)

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A number of implications

1. Changes in behaviour
2. Increasing capabilities
3. Information and communication
4. Social participation
5. Conflict management
6. Integration of policies
7. Vertical-horizontal coordination
8. Instruments
9. Cooperation

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EU Environmental Policy Actors

• CM
• COM
• EP
• ECJ

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The Council of Ministers

• competitive dynamic negotiation
  pushers-laggards
• isolation of environmental ministers from
  domestic pressures,
• policy-transfer (ideas, practices),
• package dealing (compromises, i.e. Cohesion Fund)
• awareness about financial-administrative costs
  (long deadlines for implementation)
• unawareness (internal pressures, implementation
  gap)
• short terminisn (governments) vs. strategic non
  elected thinkers (Commission)
• expectations of poor compliance (member states
  responsible for enforcement)

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The Commission

• A creative policy-entrepreneur (only 500
  officials)
• Key player at the stage of agenda setting and
  policy formulation (expertise and consultation
  networks)
• A segmented player DG environment, less powerful
  than Industry or Agriculture. Need for
  coordination with other DGs concerned.
  Coordination with EP committees (Environment,
  Budget, Regional policy)
• Implementation control deficit

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The European Parliament

• The greenest of the 3 main policy-making bodies
• Committee on the Environment, Public Health and
  Consumer Protection
• Co-decision procedure

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European Court of Justice

• Pusher of EU environ policy-making
• Before the SEA (AUE)
• Emancipation of the env. Agenda from the market
  agenda (Danish bottle)
• Ensures compliance with EU law (infringements
  procedures) ex fining Greece for uncontrolled
  waste tipping Spain for inland bathing waters
• Preliminary ruling (recurso prejudicial)

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The EU as an international actor

• 1/3 of environmental measures linked to
  international agreements (air pollution, water,
  waste, wildlife, climate change, etc.)
• Ambiguity who negotiates?
• Internal-external negotiation (Kyoto)

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Cambio climático

• Links
• International bodies
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
  Change (UNFCCC)
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
• OECD Climate Change site
• EU activities
• European Climate Change Programme
• DG Environment
• Sixth Framework Programme for Research
  Sustainable development, global change and
  ecosystems
• European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change
• European Environment Agency
• Specific reports
• EEA Briefing 3/2005 Vulnerability and
  adaptation to climate change in Europe
  (2005/12/07)
• Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change in
  Europe (2005/12/07)
• EEA Briefing 1/2005 Climate change and river
  flooding in Europe (2005/04/06)
• Other information
• Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
• UK Climate Impacts Program
• Potsdam Institute for Climate change research