EU ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION

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.

Reducing Greenhouse Gases- Combating illegal logging
Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2010 laying down the obligations of operators who place timber and timber products on the market

It prohibits illegally harvested timber from being placed on the EU market, and sets out preconditions for the marketing of timber and timber products in the EU.

KEY POINTS

  • The regulation requires ‘operators’ who place timber products on the EU market for the first time to exercise ‘due diligence’** to ensure they supply products made of legally harvested timber. To this end, operators must use a due diligence system.
  • Operators may set up their own due diligence systems or use one created by a monitoring organisation.
  • Monitoring organisations are recognised as such by the European Commission. Their role is to assist operators comply with the requirements of the regulation.
  • To facilitate the traceability of timber products, all traders who buy and sell timber on the market must keep records of their suppliers and customers.
  • The regulation, which applies both to EU-harvested and imported timber, covers a wide range of timber products that are listed in the annex and are in accordance with the Union Customs Code.
  • The regulation considers timber/timber products to be legally harvested if they have a Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licence (established with Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005), or a CITES permit (Regulation (EC) No 338/97).
  • 363/2012 607/2012.
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Reducing the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags in the EU
Directive (EU) 2015/720 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2015 amending Directive 94/62/EC as regards reducing the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags

It amends Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste. It sets out ways and targets to reduce the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags, including imposing charges or setting national maximum consumption targets.

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Reduction of pollution caused by waste from the titanium dioxide industry
Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 on industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control

EU legislation on pollution caused by waste from the titanium dioxide industry is now governed by Directive 2010/75(EU) on industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control).

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Regional convention – Barcelona Convention for the protection of the Mediterranean
77/585/EEC: Council Decision of 25 July 1977 concluding the Convention for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution and the Protocol for the prevention of the pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by dumping from ships and aircraft

The Barcelona Convention of 1976, amended in 1995, and the Protocols drawn up in line with this Convention aim to protect and improve the marine and coastal environment in the Mediterranean, whilst promoting regional and national plans contributing to sustainable development. The Barcelona Convention of 1976, amended in 1995, and the Protocols drawn up in line with this Convention aim to protect and improve the marine and coastal environment in the Mediterranean, whilst promoting regional and national plans contributing to sustainable development.

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Regional convention – Convention for the Protection of the Rhine
2000/706/EC: Council Decision of 7 November 2000 concerning the conclusion, on behalf of the Community, of the Convention for the Protection of the Rhine

The Convention is designed to preserve and improve the ecosystem of the Rhine. This Decision seeks to strengthen cooperation between the Community and the Rhine riparian States.

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Regional convention – Helsinki Convention on the protection of the Baltic Sea
94/156/EC: Council Decision of 21 February 1994 on the accession of the Community to the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area 1974 (Helsinki Convention)

The 1974 Helsinki Convention aims to help reduce pollution in the area around the Baltic Sea.

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Regional convention – Helsinki Convention: preventing pollution in international watercourses and lakes
95/308/EC: Council Decision of 24 July 1995 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Community, of the Convention on the protection and use of transboundary watercourses and international lakes

With this decision, the EU joins the Convention on the protection and use of transboundary watercourses* and international lakes. This is known as the Helsinki convention, as it was signed there in 1992.

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Regional convention – OSPAR Convention
98/249/EC: Council Decision of 7 October 1997 on the conclusion of the Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the north-east Atlantic

The aim of the OSPAR convention is to prevent and eliminate pollution and to protect the maritime area against the adverse effects of human activities.

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