Key EU developments

EU environmental law—an introduction

Since 1973, the EU has taken a proactive approach to establishing environmental protection in a range of areas:

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environmental liabilities
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industrial emissions and permitting
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climate change
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air quality
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hazardous substances
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chemicals
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sustainability and ESG
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nature conservation and restoration
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energy
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water pollution

Environmental principles

Article 191(2) of TFEU states:

“Union policy on the environment shall aim at a high level of protection taking into account the diversity of situations in the various regions of the Union. It shall be based on the precautionary principle and on the principles that preventive action should be taken, that environmental damage should as a priority be rectified at source and that the polluter should pay.”

Precautionary principle

The precautionary principle is a risk management tool that may be invoked when there is scientific uncertainty about a suspected risk to human health or to the environment emanating from a certain action or policy. For instance, should doubts arise about the potentially harmful effects of a product, and should – following an objective scientific evaluation

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