Communication: Delivering the benefits of EU environmental policies through a regular Environmental Implementation Review

The 2015 State of the Environment Report by the European Environment Agency states that "The foundation for short- and long-term improvements in Europe's environment, people's health and economic prosperity rests on full implementation of policies, and better integration of the environment into the sectoral policies that contribute most to environmental pressures and impacts." The Commission identified the challenges and solutions to deal with implementation gaps of environmental legislation in two Communications in 2008 and 2012, respectively.

The nature of the implementation gaps varies across different sectors and Member States. The results of a 2015 survey of national environmental authorities indicate that there are common underlying factors causing poor progress with implementation. The main underlying reason is insufficient capacity in administrative bodies responsible for enforcing the legislation, including insufficient capacity in the organisations responsible for environmental regulation and enforcement, followed by insufficient data, evidence and information, and a lack of skills at the local level.

The root causes of the implementation gaps need to be addressed in a comprehensive, systematic and collaborative way. The overarching objective of the EIR initiative is to support the delivery of the objectives of existing environmental policies and legislation, while scrupulously securing the equal treatment of the Member States. The objectives defined in existing agreed policies and rules constitute the set of benchmarks against which the implementation progress is monitored.

This Communication sets out a process which demonstrates the Commission’s renewed commitment to better implementation of environmental policy and legislation. The aim is to work more transparently and inclusively to ensure that existing environmental rules and policies deliver important societal goals more effectively and in close coordination with other relevant policy areas.

ESO: Background information: Environmental Implementation Review [EIR] http://www.europeansources.info/record/environmental-implementation-review-eir/

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