Transcript EU Environmental Policy Priorities

EU Legislation in the field of
environment – key developments in
2007 and 2008
3rd ECENA Plenary Meeting
18 September 2008
Air quality
• Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and
cleaner air for Europe
(OJ L 152 of 11 June 2008)
– The purpose of this Directive is to:
• define and establish objectives for ambient air quality
• assess the ambient air quality on the basis of common
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methods and criteria and, in particular, certain pollutants
provide information on ambient to help combat pollution and
nuisance and to monitor long-term trends and improvements
ensure that such information on ambient air quality is made
available to the public
maintain good air quality and improving it when needed
promote increased cooperation between the Member States
in reducing air pollution
Air quality – cont.
• Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner
air for Europe
– Member States to classify territory to assess ambient air quality
– PM2.5 to be reduced by 20% by 2020 (based on 2010 exposure
levels)
– Air quality plans to be developed in areas where concentrations
of pollutants exceed air quality values
– Action plans to indicate the short term measures to reduce risk
of exceeding pollutants alert thresholds
– Trans-boundary consultation among Member States
– Information to the public readily available
– In force – 11 June 2010
Industrial Pollution Prevention
• Directive 2008/1/EC concerning integrated pollution
prevention and control (codified IPPC legislation)
• Proposal for a Directive on industrial emissions
(COM(2007)844 final)
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Simplifies legislation (recasts seven Directives into one)
BAT concept to be improved and clarified
Tightens minimum emission limit values for LCPs
Introduces minimum standards for environmental inspections of
industrial installations and allows for more effective permit reviews
Scope to be extended – LPCs between 20 to 50 MW, production of
wood-based panels, preservation of wood
Administrative costs to be reduced by between €105 and €255
million a year
Water Quality
• Directive 2007/60/EC on the assessment and
management of flood risks
(OJ L 288 of 6 November
2007)
– Applies to all kinds of floods
– To reduce and manage the risk to human health, the
environment, cultural heritage and economic activity
– Three stages of flood risk management
• preliminary flood risk assessment of river basins and
associated coastal zones – 2011
• flood hazard maps and flood risk maps: indication of
inhabitants potentially at risk, economic activity and
environmental damage potential – 2013
• flood risk management plans: prevention, protection and
preparedness - 2015
Water Quality – cont.
• Directive 2007/60/EC on the assessment
and management of flood risks
– Assessments, maps and plans available to the
public
– Coordinated actions in shared river basins,
including with third countries
– Consider long term developments: climate
change, sustainable land use practices
Marine Environment
• Directive for Community action in the field of
marine environmental policy
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(OJ L 164 of 25 June 2008)
To ensure that EU marine waters are environmentally healthy by
2020 at the latest
European Marine Regions established on the basis of
geographical and environmental criteria
Marine strategies to be developed in each marine region, and to
include an action plan
EU Member States to draw up a programme of cost-effective
measures
EU Member States to establish marine protected areas –
coordinate activities with non-EU countries in the same marine
region, including through regional sea conventions
In force – 15 July 2010
Waste Management
• Revision of the Waste Framework Directive
(COM(2005)667 final) agreed on 17 June 2008.
The agreed Directive:
– Sets new recycling targets to be achieved by the Member States
by 2020
– Strengthens provisions on waste prevention
– Sets a clear, five-step "hierarchy" of waste management options
according to which prevention is the preferred option, followed
by reuse, recycling, other forms of recovery and with safe
disposal as the last recourse.
– Clarifies a number of important definitions, such as recycling,
recovery and waste itself.
– The new directive will also streamline EU waste legislation by
replacing the existing Waste Framework Directive, the Hazardous
Waste Directive and the Waste Oils Directive.
Climate change
• Climate action and renewable energy package
(23 January 2008, possible agreement early 2009)
– Commitments to fight climate change and promote
renewable energy up to 2020 and beyond.
– Key policy proposals:
• Proposal amending the EU Emissions Trading Directive
• Proposal relating to the sharing of efforts to meet the
Community’s independent greenhouse gas reduction
commitment in sectors not covered by EU ETS
• Proposal for a Directive on Carbon Capture Storage
• Proposal for a Directive promoting renewable energy
Climate change
• White Paper on adaptation to be adopted in
Autumn 2008 – Possible principles for EU action:
– Priority to measures good for mitigation and
adaptation
– Priority to measures which can be beneficial
irrespective of uncertainties
– Precautionary principle: consider worst case scenario
even if uncertainties are high
– Solidarity between EU Member States, regions, social
groups
– Adaptation policy should be dynamic and flexible,
based on scientific evidence
– Measures must be cost effective, proportionate and in
line with EU objectives on sustainable development
Thank you for the attention!
For more information:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/index_en.htm