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The article offers news briefs related to environmental policy in the European Commission. The Commission Directive 2006/60/CE amends the rule on the maximum residue levels of trifloxystrobin, thiabendazole, abamectin, benomyl, among others. The Commission Directive 2006/41/CE amends a Council Directive concerning the identification of clothianidin and pethoxamid as active substances. A commission regulation prohibits the fishing for greater forkbeard by vessels flying the flag of France.

This article analyses two landmark cases involving contaminated land in the UK. As the UK'S contaminated land regime is relatively new there has only been two appeal cases to date. This article considers how these two cases impact on the interpretation and application of liability-determining provisions of the contaminated land regime. In addition, practical implications of these judgments are also discussed. Finally, we review how the cases can be reconciled and what this might mean for the regime's future amid effectiveness. The two recent High Court cases involving the contaminated land regime (Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990), are: • R (on the application of the National Grid Gas plc) (formerly Transco Plc) v Environment Agency (2006), ("the National Grid Gas case"); and • Circular Facilities (London) Ltd v Sevenoaks 'District Council (2005), (the "circular Facilities" case). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers the impact of the infringement action under Art. 228(2) of the EC Treaty in assisting in the enforcement of EC environmental law. Its entry into force in November 1993 introduced for the first time in EC law the possibility of financial sanctions being imposed on EU Member States by the European Court of Justice over persistent failures on their part to adhere to Community law. One might have thought that Member State performance on implementing EC environmental legislation would have improved as a result, the threat of substantial financial sanctions serving as an effective deterrent against non-compliant state behaviour. However, experience has indicated that any initial optimism in the new infringement procedure has been misplaced in this regard. The evidence suggests that in many instances Member States have not been deterred continuing to delay or obstruct the correct implementation of EC environmental obligations into national law and practice. In analysing the evolution of law and practice of the procedure and in particular its impact on litigation over breaches of environmental law over the last decade, this article questions whether the penalty infringement procedure under Art. 228(2) has proved itself fit for purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 13 June 2006 agreement was reached between the Commission, the Parliament and the Council on a comitology procedure whereby MEPs would be permitted to block implementation decisions taken by the Commission. In addition, such decisions would be made available in all the official constitutions of the Community and the time available for Parliamentary scrutiny was extended. Parliament finally endorsed these proposals. The new Decision is an important step towards greater Parliamentary scrutiny, although this clearly will not be the last word on this issue, since inter alia the new arrangements do not go as far as the earlier draft Constitutional Treaty8. Whilst Parliament has now been put on an equal legislative footing with the Commission, areas of disagreement still remain. However, aside from the political power struggle, one must consider how the arrangement will work in practice. Although Parliament did not use its existing powers to any great extent, this may have been a reflection of their limited effectiveness. Whilst Parliament may now have greater powers, the requirement for an absolute majority for blocking a decision may prove to be a new hurdle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article critically analyses the future impact of Environmental Liability Directive' in the UK and the issues covering implementation of the Directive in the UK. The article discusses the problems created by the Directive and provides recommendations on how it should be transposed in the UK. It also considers whether insurance can cover the increased risks imposed on UK operators by the Directive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In March 1998 the European Union (EU) formally launched a negotiation process by which to further enlarge the EU, having, in the preceding years, invited several former Soviet-influenced countries from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), along with Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, to participate in accession to the EU if they so wished. This article is concerned with Lithuania's accession to the EU, the process of approximating EU environmental law and the legislative intricacies involved therein. The paper critiques the process of enlargement of the European Union from a largely pragmatic legal perspective through a legal case-study examination of Lithuania's efforts in approximating the environmental acquis into national law. Lithuania was an accession state from Central Europe and acceded to the EU on May 1st 2004. This paper provides insight into and guidance upon the process of the approximation of environmental law as it may relate, or has related, to other accession countries. It highlights the practical steps and the route of accession to the EU along with the legal requirements contained therein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers news briefs regarding environmental protection in Europe. A call for proposals regarding the European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change was issued by the European Environment Agency. The Council Decision has approved the agreement on International Dolphin Conservation Programme on December 8, 2005. The Directive 2000/14/EC on the estimation of the laws regarding outdoor equipment's noise emission in the environment was modified by the European Parliament and Council on December 14, 2005.

Since the SEA Directive was entered into force, a most frequently asked question has been "whether the plan and programme at stake should be subject to SEA process or not". This question is supposed to be resolved by the SEA Directive itself and its Guidance. Yet, due to the unclear interpretation provided by the SEA Guidance, the diversity of decision making types among different Member States and the different industrial sectors, the application of it to plenty of cases remains unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on several directives on environmental law by the European Commission. The commission has enacted the issue on the maximum residue levels of kresoxim-methyl, cyromazine, bifenthrin, metalaxyl and azoxystrobin. On the other hand, the commission provides agri-environment support to farmers who participate in an agreement to carry out their activities beyond the usual farming practice which is to farm in an environmentally-friendly manner. It is also planning to implement agri-environment measures within a broader context.

Many civil and common law countries rely heavily on the use of civil and administrative penalties for environmental protection. The criminal law is generally reserved for serious cases where there is clear evidence of fault; i.e. moral blame worthiness. Although the United Kingdom has traditionally relied on criminal sanctions, civil and administrative penalties are increasingly used. This trend is likely to continue. The European Union, however, is currently giving serious consideration to the use of Europe-wide criminal penalties to ensure that European environmental legislation is implemented and enforced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an analysis of the German Packaging Ordinance of 1991 and its effects, focussing particularly on two cases concerning the legislation brought before the European Court of Justice. An historical overview of the development of the legislation is provided; the two European Court cases and the resulting judgments are introduced; and the governmental and academic reactions to these judgments are discussed to establish whether the rulings are either ambiguous or provide clear guidance for the German Government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Directive 2004/35/CE on environmental liability with regard to prevention and remedying of environmental damage contains two provisions on financial assurances. Article 8, 2 provides that the competent authority shall recover, inter alia, via security over property or other appropriate guarantees, from the operator who has caused the damage or the imminent threat of damage, the costs it has incurred. Article 14 mainly requires the Member States to take measures to encourage the development of financial security instruments and markets by the appropriate economic and financial operators, including financial mechanisms in case of insolvency, with the aim of enabling operators to use financial guarantees to cover their responsibilities under the Directive. It also opens up the possibility for a Commission proposal with respect to a harmonised system of mandatory financial security. These provisions are generally described as containing a rejection of the idea of compulsory financial guarantees, more particularly, compulsory insurance. This contribution questions and rejects this interpretation. First the historic background and the main provisions of the directive are briefly described. Compared to other legislative instruments on environmental liability, the ambitions of the provisions of the Directive on financial assurances appear modest. Before analysing the provisions on financial assurances in detail, the article points to the fact that a systematic and teleological interpretation is predominant in the case law of the ECJ and that this method of interpretation is also relevant with respect to the Directive on environmental liability. Next, the legislative history of the provisions on financial assurances is examined, not so much to find authoritative statements on the intent of the legislator, as to understand the evolution of the text and of the policy objectives of its drafters. It is concluded that the Directive, while clearly not imposing compulsory insurance, necessarily requires Member States to set up a system of financial guarantees that effectively enables the competent authority to recover from a defaulting operator the costs it has made in carrying out ex officio measures. It appears that the financial guarantees and the liabilities they have to cover referred to in Art. 8 and in Art. 14 are of a similar nature. There thus is an apparent contradiction between the two provisions. This contradiction can only be overcome if the provisions are explained as each addressing a different aspect of the issue of financial assurances. In this interpretation, Art. 8 addresses the issue of financial assurances from the viewpoint of the protection of public interests and protects the competent authority against insolvency of the operator; Art. 14, 1 on the other hand, requires measures that encourage the development of financial guarantees in order to allow the operators to protect themselves against liability. Read in this manner, the Directive is internally consistent and adopts a two-pronged approach towards the issue of financial assurances. The third part of the article deals with the implementation of the financial assurance provisions of the Directive. With respect to Art. 8, 2, the main question is to determine when guarantees are to be considered "appropriate". One regrets that the Directive does not give more indications on this point. Article 8, 2 is only a weak legislative answer to the problem of guaranteeing recovery of expenses made by public authorities. There are various ways of implementing Art. 8, 2. Rationally speaking, guarantees which are only put in place after an incident causing environmental damage has actually occurred, cannot be considered as appropriate, as they provide no protection in the event of environmentally dangerous activities being carried out by undercapitalised undertakings or undertakings overburdened by liabilities.… [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reviews the environmental law in Germany. Germany implemented the European Emissions Trading Scheme relating to a mechanism for the trade of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Community into national law. On July 15, 2004, the Draft of the Ordinance concerning solvent-based paints and varnish has been approved. The Renewable Energy Sources Act entered into force on August 1, 2004. On April 1, 2004, the Federal Administrative Court decided a crossing over the river Mosel between Belgium and Germany. The German government decided the Draft of an Amendment to the Packaging Ordinance on November 3, 2004. On July 1, 2004, the government agreed to the draft of an Act on Improving Preventive Flood Protection.

The paper reviews the environmental law in Great Britain. The Air Quality Limit Values Regulations 2002 were made to implement in England European Parliament and Council Directive relating to limit values for benzene and carbon monoxide in ambient air. The National Emission Ceilings Regulations 2002 was adopted relating to national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants. The Plant Health Order 2002 prohibits the importation, sale, planting, movement or disposal of the plant pest, Phytophthora ramorum. The Forest Reproductive Material Regulations 2002 make provisions for the approval of basic material for use in the production of forest reproductive material intended to be marketed. Annual reports on progress towards sustainable energy are provided.

This article is an evaluation of the status of harmonisation with regard to Turkey's sustainable development policies in the EU accession process. This evaluation has been performed within the framework of the legal obligations that Turkey has assumed in this regard as member of the international community. This assessment of compliance with these obligations at the national level has been carried out in the context of legally binding documents like the constitution, laws and development plans, as well as with national policy documents like the National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan and National Agenda 21. An examination of Turkey's efforts to comply with EU policies, progress reports and the accession partnership document that outlines EU's expectations and the commitments in the national program that Turkey has prepared for this purpose reveals that the issue of environmental harmonisation has been designated as a priority policy area. However, it is clear that Turkey has made no progress with regard to compliance with sustainable development policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a roundup of environmental laws in Belgium. The Walloon Government has decided to grant subsidies for an environmentally friendly agriculture. A ministerial decision regards the selection and accompanying of projects for project bound mechanisms in the framework of the Kyoto Protocol. The European Court of Justice has given a judgment in the case C-454/03 in which it declares that by failing to adopt the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with directive 98/44/EC of the European Parliament and the Council on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions, the Kingdom of Belgium has failed to fulfill its obligations under Article 15 of that directive.

The article provides information on the environmental law in Europe. Commission Directive 2004/95/EC of September 24, 2004 amended Council Directive 90/642/EEC as regards the maximum residues levels of bifenthrin famoxadone fixed therein. Council Regulation established a Community program on the conservation, characterization, collection and utilization of genetic resources in agriculture. The Commission also granted consent for placing on the market of a maize product genetically modified for glyphosate tolerance. Commission Directive adapted for the fifth time to technical progress Council Directive 96/49/EC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States with regard to the transport of dangerous goods by rail. A chronological summary of reports and motions before the European Parliament during 2004 is provided.

This article is about good governance, as presented in the 2001 EC White paper, in relation to environmental legal policy making in Europe. First a concise analysis is made of the concept of good governance. Then, in a ″tour d′horizon″, environmental policy programmes, legal cornerstones and instruments are described on the basis of the five main principle of good governance: openness; participation; accountability; effectiveness; and coherence. This overview illustrates the move toward good governance, fitting with the wording of the fifth. Environmental Action programme of 1993: ″Whereas previous environmental measures tended to be prescriptive in character with an emphasis on the ′thou shall not′ approach , the new strategy leans more towards a ′lets's work together′ approach .″ However, much is yet to be done, if a true shift in governance is to be brought about. A futher analysis is therefore made of the possibilities of enhancing the concept of good environmental governance under the future European Constitution. major improvement are within grasp if there is a willingness to place a″clean″Europe for citizens before the single market, introduce basic citizens' right on basic environmental standards, futher support for environmental NGO's and allow for more competition between Member States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-labelling is a means of conveying environmental information to the consumer with the eco-label being the carrier of information, telling the public through the label that the product is more environmentally friendly than comparable products. The Blue Angel, Germany's eco-label, fulfils the role of an instrument of environmental protection to a high degree by being limited to the relevant facts, carrying easily understandable information and by ensuring that the information originates from a neutral official source. Furthermore, the information contained in the Blue Angel is both easily recognized and easily obtained. On the negative side, however, the Blue Angel is sometimes not easily understood without the need for additional information and the relativity of the eco-label is not readily understood by the consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents developments in environmental protection activities with specific reference to European Union. Decision No. 280/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 concerns a mechanism for monitoring community greenhouse gas emissions and for implementing the Kyoto Protocol. It establishes a mechanism for monitoring all anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer in the Member States of the European Union.

Is the "Directive on Environmental Liability with regard to prevention and remedying of environmental damage" justified under the subsidiarity principle? This article examines the pros and cons of arguments submitted by recognised lawyers, non-governmental organisations and industry on the one hand to show whether the agreed Directive complies with the principles of subsidiarity as set out in the Treaty establishing the European Community (ECT) but on the other that the Community institutions have failed in their duty to adequately observe the application of the subsidiarity principle. The author draw two conclusions: the subsidiarity principle remains a "dynamic concept" and the Commission, Parliament and Council have collectively failed to acquit themselves of their duty to justify the Directive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on developments related to European environmental laws, compiled as of June 2004. Strategy for a European action plan for organic food and farming; European Union strategy to reduce atmospheric emissions from seagoing ships; Unique identifiers for genetically-modified foods; Control of organisms harmful to plants and plant products in the French overseas department.

Reports on developments related to international environmental law and policy, compiled as of June 2004. Principal objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity conducted during the United Nation Conference on Environment and Development; Recognition of the complementary role of the Global Environment Facility under the United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification.

Provides information pertaining to environmental issues in the European Union. Potential danger posed by fertilizers to human, animal health and environment; Environmental laws intended to regulate halons, chlorofluorocarbons and bromochloromethane.

Presents the case report "Case C-201/02 Wells v. Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions," concerning a dispute on the interpretation of Directive 85/337/EEC. Facts of the case; Merits of the case; Argument of the defendant; Basis of the court ruling.

Focuses on environmental laws in the European Union. Agri-environment law; Chemical law; Energy law.

The evolution towards a Ius commune in environmental law, especially within Europe, is the main subject of this article. It aims to present some of the main environmental issues, such as: general legal foundations, main legal instruments, procedural rules of implementation and rules of enforcement. Each issue is discussed from the viewpoint of developments within EC member states, the EC and, as a point of "external reference", the USA. As the features of the present day systems of environmental law are compared, not only do we find a greater coherence but also a linkage with the concept and principles of good governance. Maybe environmental law in the legal orders concerned has reached a stage at which unification is of less importance than allowing for differences and learning from them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As 10 new members prepare to join the European Union in May 2004, this article analyses and clarifies the major issues and outcomes of the enlargement process from the environmental legal viewpoint, the so-called green accession, for Hungary. Following a general description of the enlargement process the author describes Hungary's process for approximation to the EC environmental accession acquis and the accession talks; then highlights potential problems for enforcement at a regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is more than mere analysis of law and policy in relation to the revised Batteries Directive. It describes the practical, legal and economic underpinning of voluntary agreements, also known as environmental agreements. It seeks to reveal that voluntary agreements provide a useful complementary tool to command and control models and economic instruments. The key elements of a voluntary agreement that could be implemented under the revised Batteries Directive have also been drafted and provided. The author argues that in some cases they provide advantages over command and control models by aiming for an `environmental consensus' that anticipates and plans for strategic interventions to reduce or prevent environmental pollution within a more flexible framework that allows for a confluence of science and industry know-how while reducing regulatory and related cost inefficiency.

Environmental letters of formal notice and reasoned opinions take at present about 40 per cent of all letters and reasoned opinions which the Commission issues. In 1985 Rehbinder and Stewart wrote in their book on EC environmental policy that access to information held by the EC institutions was easier to obtain for strong, powerful vested interest groups; this has not changed in the meantime. Where insurance, competition, state aid or industrial interests are at stake, the letters of formal notice or reasoned opinions are normally abundantly quoted in the press, the media and elsewhere, and no problem exists in obtaining copies. This is very different in the environmental field, where the preservation of habitats, rules against the hunting of species or ground- water or river pollution hardly ever are discussed in public. There is an international convention on access to information (the Aarhus Convention), which gives rights to the public in relation to environmental matters, but there is no such convention on access to information in industrial or other matters: that information is already available to the interested groups. This article examines whether individual persons have a right of access to these letters of formal notice and to the reasoned opinions which are issued by the Commission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on developments regarding environmental law in the European Union. Emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants; Public access to environmental information; Environmental tax measures; Aid granted to fishermen and shellfish producers; Energy Star Agreement.

Reports on environmental laws in Europe. Climate change levy in Great Britain; Protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic; Electricity supplier's renewables obligation in Britain; Taxation in Britain; Forestry; Phytophthora ramorum; Protected zones; Coast protection in England; Pesticides in England and Wales; Safe transport of radioactive material.

Presents a number of environmental laws of the European Union. Hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment; Waste electrical and electronic equipment.

Focuses on the criminal environmental law in the European Union. European Commission's adoption of a proposal for a Directive on protection of the environment through criminal law under provisions of the "first pillar" of Community law; Council's adoption of a Framework Decision on the same subject under provisions of the "third pillar"; Serious inter-institutional conflict due to the two parallel texts.

Reports developments concerning regulations on environmental protection and engineering in the European Union. Amendment of the Commission Directive 2002/97/EC regarding the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on food products; Rejection of the national provisions limiting the importation and placement on the market of certain fertilizers provisioned in the Commission Decision 2003/1/EC; Rules established by the Council Regulation No 2322/2002 (Euratom) for the participation of undertakings, research centers, and universities in the implementation of the framework program of the European Atomic Energy Community.

On 9 December 2002 the (Environment) Council of the European Union unanimously agreed on a common position on a Commission's proposal for a Directive establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading. This follows the idea that a common European emissions trading system should be preferred above a collection of national emissions trading systems. The European framework for emissions trading needs to he filled in by the Member States. One of their main tasks will be to allocate the greenhouse gas allowances according to a National Allocation Plan. The use of new regulatory instruments as emissions trading will raise new legal questions, which not always can be foreseen before the real application of the instrument in practice. It does not seem to he that the relevant institutions in the European Community already have a clear insight in all the necessary provisions for a well-functioning and just emissions trading, scheme. Especially the allocation of the tradable emissions rights can be questioned. With the present criteria, the allocation of the transferable rights will likely be a complicated and probably time-consuming task for the national governments. The European politicians seem to be willing, to take this risk with emissions trading, in order to build experience [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on developments related to environmental policies in Belgium as of March 2003. Information on a Decision of the Walloon Government concerning sustainable management of nitrogen in agriculture; Replacement of a Royal Decree with regard to the denomination, characteristics, and sulfur content of diesel oil for heating; Determination of emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants.

The article reports on the amendments on waste management in the European Union. The Thematic Strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste is presented. The strategy emphasizes that waste policy is important. It is also implied that all the members of the European Union are the local and regional authorities that should be responsible for implementing the environmental policies and waste management is a key aspect. The member states should also play a role in developing new approaches and proposals for measures within the waste area. The aims and actions outlined in the strategy is also included.

The article reflects on the environmental issues of European Union and United Kingdom. The European Union made a commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020. Moreover, the Climate Change Bill of United Kingdom aims to bind five-year carbon dioxide emission targets, carbon emissions reduction, and others. Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council has agreed that Margaret Beckett will chair the first debate regarding climate change.

The article reports on developments related to laws and legislation on environmental protection effort of the European Union. It includes the agricultural sector, biotechnology, chemicals, energy sources, nature conservation, and water supply. The Commission Regulation of the European Council of February 2006 amends the regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council to establish Annex I listing the food and feed products to which maximum levels for pesticide residues apply. The conclusions in the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee in the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a multiannual funding for the action of the European Maritime Safety Agency in the field of response to water pollution caused by ships.

The article reports on the various aspects of environmental protection plans and actions of Belgium. The Flemish Government modified its policy on the protection of the environment against fertilizers. A new software package called Environment Information System (EIS), which evaluates, analyzes and collects data regarding the use of energy of public buildings was introduced. The establishment of the Fund for the global energy cost reduction was made possible through the federal program law of December 25, 2006.

The article presents news briefs about the European Union's environmental laws in this March 2006 issue. LIFE programme, the key environmental finance instrument announces its restructuring into LIFE+ focusing on two areas: LIFE+ Implementation and governance and LIFE+ Information and Communication. European Economic and Social Committee published an opinion concerning the LIFE program. A regulation to create a community pollutant release and transfer register (PRTR) is underway and differentiated levels of taxation on motor fuels is also discussed.

The article reviews the environmental law in Europe. The Commission has initiated a formal investigation procedure which allows certain categories of companies to benefit from a tax reduction or tax exemption under the carbon dioxide emission tax. Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions "Towards a Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment" has been published. Council Division approved the accession of the Community to the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. Council Decision authorizes Great Britain to apply an exemption from climate change levy for low-value solid fuel in accordance with Article 19 of Directive 2003/96/EC.

This is a roundup of environmental court decision in Europe. The judgment of the court in the Commission of the European Communities v. Kingdom of Spain was a declaration that by failing to adopt the measures necessary to ensure as regards the three incineration furnaces installed at Mazo and Barlovento on the Island of La Palma. The order of the president of the court in Industrias Quimicas del Valles SA v. Commission of the European Communities was to order that the operation of Commission Decision concerning the non-inclusion of meta-laxyl in Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC and the withdrawal of authorizations for plant protection products containing this active substance was suspended until delivery of the judgment of the Court of First Instance of the European Communities.

This is a roundup of news pertaining to environmental law in Europe. The European Commission has established a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading and a mechanism for the monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions. The European Communities and their member states and the Republic of Croatia have signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement. The European Commission has laid down rules for the implementation of the fourth stage of the program concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market. The commission has amended a council derivative which extends the derogation relating to import conditions for fruit plant propagating material and fruit plants intended for fruit production from third countries.

Presents a case report concerning Spain's non-compliance with a judgment on the Bathing Water Directive. Facts of the case; Merits of the case; Argument of the defendant; Basis of the court ruling.

The article presents developments in environmental law in Europe, including the decision of the Court on March 10, 2005 in the case Commission of the European Communities v. Federal Republic of Germany relating to assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment and the ruling of the Court of Justice on March 10, 2005 in the case Commission of the European Communities French Republic in relation to the management of waste at a waste tip at Saint-Laurent du Maroni.

The paper reviews the environmental law in Europe. Parliament adopted in a vote on April 13, 2005 a report on the sulphur content of marine fuels. The European Parliament approved the speedy introduction of a framework directive on ecodesign, ecological design of energy-using products. Accepting a report that short-sea shipping is environmentally friendly, Parliament adopted in a vote on April 12, 2005 the report on the promotion of short-sea shipping, slightly amended. Following a debate on April 14, 2005, Parliament adopted a report on the recovery of Southern Hake and Norway Lobster stocks in the Cantabrian Sea and Western Iberian peninsula. By a large majority, Parliament has accepted a compromise deal on a directive on re-usability and recyclability of cars which will lead to the implementation of a system of type approval of vehicles.

This is a roundup of news pertaining to environmental laws at the European Parliament. The parliament has adopted a resolution on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The parliament has adopted a non-binding resolution on establishing a catch documentation scheme for Dissostichus spp. The Parliament voted strongly in favor of an agreement reached at an informal trilogue between parliament and council delegation on the common position regarding pollution from ships.

This is a roundup of environmental law in the Czech Republic. The Ministry of the Environment has changed its rules regarding the use modified sediments at agricultural land. The Ministry of Health has specified the conditions of considering the risks of chemical substances to the health of a person in accordance with the law of the European Union. The Czech Parliament has passed a law about considering the influences to the environment in accordance with the law of the European Union. The Ministry of the Environment has specified sanitary requirements on swimming pools, hothouses and hygienic limits of the sand in sandpits in accordance with the law of the European Union.