Environment 18
Environment 18 : The aim of the European Community's environment policy is to preserve, protect and improve the quality of the environment and to protect people's health. It also sets great store by the prudent and rational use of natural resources. Lastly, it seeks to promote measures at international level to deal with regional or worldwide environmental problems (Article 174, TEC; new Article III-129). Policy formulation is subject to different decision-making procedures depending on the area concerned. So, to attain the objectives listed, the Council: acts unanimously, after consulting the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, where fiscal measures and provisions relating to town and country planning or land use (with the exception of waste management and general measures) are involved or where an EU Member State's choice in the matter of energy is significantly affected (Article 175.2, TEC); acts under the codecision procedure, after consulting the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, for the adoption of general action programmes setting out the priority objectives to be attained. The Treaty of Amsterdam, which entered into force in 1999, has enshrined the concept of "sustainable development" as one of the EU's objectives, while environmental protection requirements have been given greater weight in other Community policies, especially in the context of the internal market (Articles 2 and 6 TEC; new Article III-4). The provisions allowing a Member State to apply stricter rules than the harmonized rules have been made easier. These rules must be compatible with the Treaty and must be communicated to the European Commission. Environmental policy is based on the precautionary principle, and on the principles that preventive action should be taken, that environmental damage should be rectified at source and that the polluter should pay. See: Committee of the Regions; European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
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