Chap10

101999CRCPressLLCTheEuropeanUnionCONTENTSEUDirectivesandEnvironmentalProgramsEUStandardsfortheSafetyofMachineryDirectoryofCommunityLegislationinForceRelatingtotheEnvironmentTheEuropeanUnion(EU)isacommunityof15countriesand372millioncitizens.TheEUwasoriginallyaneconomicassociation(EuropeanCommunity)formedin1958(TreatyofRome)withsixmemberstates.Componentorganizationsdatebackto1951.OnNovember1,1993,withtheTreatyoftheEuropeanUnion(Maastrict,TheNetherlands),theECbecametheEuropeanUnion(EU).OfficialcommunitylanguagesincludeSpanish,German,Greek,English,French,Italian,Dutch,Portugese,Finnish,andSwedish.TheEUisthecollectivedesignationofthreeorganizationswithcommonmembership:•EuropeanEconomicCommunity(EEC)(commonmarket)•TheEuropeanCoalandSteelCommunity•TheEuropeanAtomicEnergyCommunity(Euratom)Inaddition,theEuropeanEconomicArea(EEA)iscomprisedofthe15membercountriesintheEUaswellasIceland,Liechtenstein,andNorway.AsofJanuary1,1995,thefifteenmemberstates(countries)oftheECincludedGoalsoftheEuropeanUnion•IntegratetheEUeconomics•Coordinatesocialdevelopment•AccomplishpoliticalunionofthedemocraticstatesofEuropeOrganizationalStructureoftheEU•EuropeanParliamentCounciloftheEuropeanUnion•CommissionoftheEuropeanUnion•TheCouncilofMinisters•EuropeanCourtofJustice•CourtofAuditors•EconomicandSocialCommittee•CommitteeoftheRegionsAustriaBelgiumDenmarkFinlandFranceGermanyGreeceIrelandItalyLuxembourgNetherlandsPortugalSpainSwedenUnitedKingdomChap10.fmPage205Sunday,August19,200112:47PM1999CRCPressLLC•EuropeanEnvironmentAgency•AswellasOtherCommunityBodiesEUDIRECTIVESANDENVIRONMENTALPROGRAMSTheECdirectivescreateaconsistentsetofrequirementsthatmustbeadoptedintonationallawforallECandEEAmemberstates.Theorganizationofthesemembercountriesintoanassociationwithcommoneconomic,social,andpoliticalissueshaseliminatedrestrictionstothefreemovementofgoods,services,capital,workers,andtourists.TheEECistheWest’slargesttradingentityandiscomprisedofmorethan300millionpeople.A“newapproach”policytowardinternationaltradebeganin1985.Thenewapproachstrategywastoallowthefreemovementofgoodsthroughthetechnicalharmonizationoflawsandregulations.Manyofthedirectivesinthe1970sand1980swerefocusedonEurope’sgoaltoimprovethelivingandworkingconditionsofitscitizens.Manyoftheearlyenvironmentaldirectiveswerefocusedontestingandlabelingofdangerouschemicals,drinkingandsurfacewaterprotection,andthecontrolofairpollutants(NOx,SO2,particulates)frompowerplantsandmotorvehicles.TheseprioritiesweresharedbyregulatorsintheUnitedStatesinthe1970swhentheCleanAirAct,CleanWaterAct,andSafeDrinkingWaterActwereborn.Therearethreetypesofdirectives,includingframeworkdirectives,daughterdirectives,andspecificdirectives.Frameworkdirectivesprovidethegeneralprinciplesorgoalsofadirective,anddaughterdirectivesaremorespecificandaddressaparticularissueoftheframeworkdirective.Forexample,thedirectiverelatingtowaterpollutioncontrol(76/464/EEC)hasnumerousdaughterdirectivessuchasDirective84/491/EECspecifictodischargesofhexchlor-hexane.RegulationsmayalsobeimplementedandareapplicableinmemberstateswithouttheStatetakingaction(directlyapplicable).Statesmustadoptnationallegislationtoimplementtheprovisionsofadirective.However,directivesaredirectlyeffective(doctrineofdirecteffect),whichmeansevenifamemberstatedoesnotdevelopnationallegislationordoesnotmeetthedeadlinesforimple-mentation,thedirectiveisstillconsideredapplicable.Memberstatesmustconsiderthefollowingwhenimplementingdirectives:•Nationallawsalreadyinplace•Effectivedatesforthedirective•Doctrineofdirecteffect•Adequacyofnationallaws•StateauthorityforimplementationOtherlegislativeactsoftheEUincludeCouncilDecisions,whicharebindingdecisions,andCouncilRecommendationsandOpinions,whicharenonbindingandservetomotivatememberstatestotakeactionsuchasadoptcertainprovisions.Figure7ImplementationofEUDirectivesChap10.fmPage206Sunday,August19,200112:47PM1999CRCPressLLCProposalsfordirectivesmaycomefrommemberstates,meetingsoftheCouncilofMinisters,ortheEUCommission.Eventhoughthesedirectiveshavebeenadoptedtoprotecttheenvironment,legislativeharmonizationisbasedmoreineliminatingtradebarriersanddistortedcompetitionthanenvironmentalprotection.EXAMPLESOFEUDIRECTIVESNitrateDirective(1991)—requiresmemberstatestodevelopcodesofgoodagriculturalpracticedesignedtoreducetheamountofnitratesthatentersurfaceandgroundwaterfromrunoff.Affectedorpotentiallyaffectedwaterwaysmustbeidentified.LikeBestManagementPractices(BMPs)usedforstormwatermanagementintheUnitedStates,thestrategyofusing“codesofgoodpractice”insteadoflegislationallowseachareaorsitetodeterminewhatwouldbeappropriatetocontrolnitratepollution.Thisprovidesfreedomtodevelopworkable,costeffectivestrategieswithoutregulatoryrestraints.Inadditiontothecodesofgoodpractice,actionprogramswillbedevelopedthatcontainlegallyenforceableconstraintsonagriculturalpracticesandthespreadingoforganicmanure.Directive90/313/EEC—accesstoenvironmentalinformation.Memberstatesmustpublishinformationonthestateoftheenvironment.Also,informationregardingenvironmentalimpactsofindustrialac