All EU citizens should soon be enjoying legally guaranteed rights to access environmental information held by public authorities, to participate in environmental decision-making and to take violations of environmental law to court.

This will come about as a result of aligning legislation at EU level and in EU Member States with the provisions of the 1998 Århus Convention. The "Århus Convention" is an international agreement which lays down a set of basic rules to promote citizens' involvement in environmental matters and improve enforcement of environmental law. It grants the public access to environmental information, provides for participation in environmental decision-making, and allows the public to seek judicial redress when environmental law is infringed, including breaches of the two previous rights.

The European Commission has just adopted three legislative proposals towards full application of the Convention, launching the final step in implementing its provisions into EU law. These proposals should, in practice, act as the catalyst for important changes in the behaviour of public authorities at all levels by enabling citizens and associations to assume responsibility for the environment.

Margot Wallström, Commissioner for the Environment, said: "Empowering people to protect their environment is a cornerstone of effective policymaking. Citizens must be given the right to know how good or bad the state of the environment is and to participate in decision-making that will affect their health and quality of life. A well-informed and active public means more effective environmental legislation and better enforcement of environmental policies. Citizens will now be able to act as environmental watchdogs!"

The proposed Regulation will strengthen citizens' environmental rights at EU level by giving them access to environmental information such as on the state of the environment and the environmental media, including water, air, soil, land, and on policies, plans and programmes related to the environment.

EU institutions and bodies will be obliged to make this information available on the Internet or via similar systems and respond to requests from citizens and environmental organisations within one month (exceptionally two months).

With regard to public participation, all EU institutions and bodies will have to identify the public likely to be affected by future plans and programmes relating to the environment, and invite them, at an early stage, to participate in the decision-making process and submit their comments and views. The EU institutions and bodies will also have to inform the public of the final decision and the underlying reasons, in particular the outcome of the participation process and how the views expressed have been taken into account.

Lastly, on access to justice, the proposed Regulation enables European NGOs to require the review of decisions by EU institutions and bodies which they consider do not comply with environmental legislation. This review will first have to be done by the EU institution itself and, if the matter is not resolved, the European Court of Justice may be addressed.

29.10.2003