EU environmental policies and legislation protect natural habitats, keep air and water clean, ensure proper waste disposal, improve knowledge about toxic chemicals and help businesses move toward a sustainable economy.

The following is a list of EU Environment and Climate Change related legislation documents and weblinks that are currently available on Lean Business Ireland.

Internal policies – A strategy for the sustainable development of European aquaculture
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - A strategy for the sustainable development of European aquaculture

The European Commission is proposing the implementation of a strategy for the sustainable development of aquaculture.

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Internal policies – Building a sustainable future for aquaculture
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council - Building a sustainable future for aquaculture - A new impetus for the Strategy for the Sustainable Development of European Aquaculture {SEC(2009) 453} {SEC(2009) 454}

Aquaculture provides mankind with around half the fish that it consumes. Although the European aquaculture industry has many strengths, European production tends to stagnate in comparison to the industries of other countries around the world. In this Communication, the Commission identifies the main challenges in the sector and wishes to give a new impetus to the sustainable development of aquaculture in the European Union (EU).

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Internal Policies – Green Public Procurement
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Public procurement for a better environment {SEC(2008) 2124} {SEC(2008) 2125} {SEC(2008) 2126}

The Commission wishes to encourage green public procurement which is an effective instrument in promoting environmentally-friendly products and services and in encouraging eco-innovation, thus contributing to sustainable development. The objective of this Communication is to provide guidance on how to reduce the environmental impact caused by public sector consumption and how to use Green Public Procurement (GPP)

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Internal Policies – Industry and Environment
Conclusions of the Council of 14 and 15 May 2001 on "A strategy for integrating sustainable development in the European Union's enterprise policy" for the Gothenburg European Council.Conclusions of the Council of 6 and 7 June 2002 on enterprise policy and sustainable development.

The European Union has developed a strategy for integrating environmental issues into enterprise policy as well as measures aimed at limiting the negative impact businesses have on the environment, while at the same time not hampering their development.

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Internal Policies – Integrating the environment into Aerial Transport
Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Air transport and the environment Towards meeting the challenges of sustainable development

This communication sets out the strategy the European Union is to pursue to put in place a coherent and environmentally friendly policy in the field of air transport.

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Internal Policies – Integration of the environment into Economic Policy
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - Bringing our needs and responsibilities together Integrating environmental issues with economic policy

This communication takes as its premise, that there is no inherent contradiction between economic growth and the maintenance of an acceptable level of environmental quality. So measures to integrate environmental and economic policies should simultaneously reduce pollution and improve the functioning of the economy.

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Internal policies – Promoting sustainable development in the non-energy extractive industry
Communication from the Commission promoting sustainable development in the EU non-energy extractive industry.

The communication covers the extraction of all solid minerals, except coal and uranium. Lignite, peat, brown coal and oil shale are also excluded from the scope of the communication.

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Internal Policies – Transport and the environment
Council report of 6 October 1999 to the European Council of Helsinki on the strategy on the integration of environment and sustainable development into transport policy.

The European strategy on transport and environment defines the objectives for integrating environmental requirements into transport policy. It provides guidelines for a range of measures in the various transport sectors: road, air, rail, maritime, etc.

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