Brussels, 19 June – The EU institutions have, this week, hammered out a final deal on the 7th Environmental Action Plan (7EAP) which sets priority environmental objectives up to 2020.
Brussels, 19 June – The EU institutions have, this week, hammered out a final deal on the 7th Environmental Action Plan (7EAP) which sets priority environmental objectives up to 2020.
The Commission’s initial position has been strengthened by the Council and Parliament, who have pushed for stronger actions to be taken in the areas of chemicals and waste management.
The final agreement calls for landfilling of non-recyclable and non-recoverable materials to be banned, promises the establishment of a legislative framework for sustainable consumption and production, and states that the combination effects of chemicals and safety concerns related to endocrine disruptors and nanomaterials must be addressed across all relevant legislation.
The agreement further calls for consideration of a binding legal framework for soil quality, the phase out of environmentally harmful subsidies, and integration of environmental considerations (including water protection and biodiversity conservation) into land-use planning.
Although the 7EAP must still be formally voted through by the Council and Parliament, it is unlikely to face many hurdles before becoming a Decision, which is legally binding upon those to whom it addressed. In this way, the EAPs have greater legal weight than the usual Communications that are released to set out long term plans.
Click here to see the statement from the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, on the 7EAP.