Annexes to COM(2019)149 - Environmental Implementation Review 2019: A Europe that protects its citizens and enhances their quality of life - Main contents

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dossier	COM(2019)149 - Environmental Implementation Review 2019: A Europe that protects its citizens and enhances their quality of life.
document	COM(2019)149
date	April 5, 2019

annex listing the key prior ity act ions, a policy background document and 28 country reports outlining the state of play in the implementation of the main areas and objectives of the EU environmental rulebook, as well as the main challenges and opportunities for each Member State.

Infringement procedures remain an important tool to ensure the proper implementation of legal obligations and, therefore, the Environmental Implementation Review is without prejudice to e n f o ree ment act ions by the Commission under the Treaties, under the control of the Court ofJustice of the European Union . The Environmental Implementation Review makes it possible to enhance compliance with EU environmental laws by addressing the root causes of poor implementation and promoting more effective application, provided that Member States undertake swiftly and decisively at leastthe priority actions.

The package illustrates the status of environmental implementation as of January 2019 and aims to foster cooperation among public authorities and stakeholders to find tailor~made solutions to address implementation gaps more effectively. The 2019 country reports also cover several new themes co m pared to 2017, particularly in response to the feedback attained from Member States, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and different stakeholders in the first cycle, climate change, invasive alien species, industrial emissions and chemicals, as well as new information. Nevertheless, the structure remains similar to the 2017 Environ mental I m plementation Re view r e po rts .

¹ COWI and Eunomia, 'Costs of not implementing EU environmental law', 2019.

²COM(201 7) 63.

³ TAIEX-EIR Peer to Peer

⁴COM(2016) 316.

The findings as regards specific l\/l ember States in this Communication and its accompanying An nex are based on the information to the Commission before its adoption date and is without prejudice to any legal action that the Commission might take a fte r th i s da

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2. T

he state of implementation

am priorities

2.1. T u rning the EU

carbon economy

into a circular, resou rce^_eff icient, green and competitive low^-

I he transition from a linear to a circular economy is an opportun i ty to tra n sf o rm our economy and make it more sustainable, switching to a model where products, materials and resources are maintained and used for as long as possible. Sound waste prevention and management is an essential building block of the circular economy as it both helps prevent waste from having a negative impact on the environment and health, and di rects it to eff icient uses.

Since 2017, the Commission has been further implementing its Circular Economy action plan , which

included the publication of the EU Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy within the 2018

r 7 rcular Lconomy package and the adoption of the amendments to

Municipal waste recycling target

50 % preparation for reuse / recycle by 2020

Member States

At risk of missing 2020 target

On track to achieve 2020 target

2020 target achieved

he Commission also

9

ramework for the circular economy , a

waste legislation by the co^_leg islators adopted a Mo n itor i n g F new tool that will allow policy makers to identify good practices and prioritise areas where further action is needed

A new

10

communication on sustainable bio~economy for Europe was released in October 2018, aimed at strengthening connections between economy, society and the environment. The

2018

proposal to reduce the impact of certain plastics on the

¹¹ Fl I

environment further illustrates the combined efforts in the l_ LJ to tackle more effectively environmental problems linked to the design, production and disposal of plastics, its implementation will be assessed in the following Environmental Implementation Review cycles.

In

addition, the

Co

mmission has recently proposed various

Source: Eurcstatand Early warning reports

requirements that will contribute to extending the lifetime of

12 p

products . Consumer protection authorities are increasingly

focusing on the issue of premature obsolescence of products. I he mmission will further monitor these developments in the framework of the Consumer Protection

luirements on waste

Co Coop

In terms of progress, there has been some improvement in meeting EU reqi manage ment. At EU level, recycling rates have increased from 43.7 % in 2014 to 46.4 % i n 2017 and the volume of landfilled municipal waste has decreased by 20.6 % between 2013 and 2017^l4. However, the situation varies considerably among Member States. Waste treatment obligations are still not fully met, with large divergences of pertormance within the EU.

For the countries at risk of not meeting their 2020 preparation for re^-u se/recy c I i n g targets for

P 15 municipal waste, the worn mission has presented early warning reports with blueprints for action to

catch up with the EU waste legislation.

⁶COM(2015) 614. ⁷COM(2018) 028.

⁸ Publications 0 ffice of the European Union, Wa ste Package (Off i c ial Journal of the European Umon, L150, UJune 2018) European Commission, Circular Economy onitorinq Framework,

¹⁰COM(2018) 673.

Provisional intei— institutional agreement on 19 December 2018,

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Inter alia, eco^_design reguirements in product regulations which support better re p a ra b i I i ty, provision of useful information for repairs and provision of spare pa rts ,

¹³ In this context, the Commission held a workshop with the Member States' consumer protection authorities on planned/premature

obsolescence in October 2018,

European Com mission, Recycling rate of municipal waste,

¹⁵ COM(2018) 656

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Po!i

cy findings

Over a I1, the policy framework for circular economy has been strengthened since 2017. Ho wever, several fVlember States should better implement circular economy principles in different areas, for instance concerning water and energy savings, waste prevention, the recycling of m a ter i a is, th e promotion of reuse and repair, and the u pta ke ofseconda ry raw m ate r i a i s,

Some fVlember States should further incentivise resource efficiency measures, improve their eco~ innovation performance, increase awareness and foster the uptake of voluntary instruments such as th e EU Eoo label and Eoo-Ma n a ge m ent and Audit Schemes,' increase recycling and circular measures in the SKAtT sector, and/or facilitate green investments and ease the access to funding,

Wa ste prevention remains an important challenge in ail KAember States, including those with high recycling rates, Six KAember States produce at least twice as much municipal waste per inhabitant than the KAember State with the lowest waste generation . In addition, the average generation of municipal waste in the EU has increased since 2014: only nine Me mber States reduced their generation per capita between 2014 and 2016'.

According to data reported to the Co m mission, only a few Me mber States have a/ready reached

the municipal waste recycling target of 50% _by 202(f^c , while several Mem ber States have been

21 _T

identified as at risk ofmissing it . there is scope for th e i ntro d u cti o n or improvement ofpolicies,

D

ay as

including economic instruments (e.g. landfill taxes, Extended Pro ducer R.esp ons ib 11ity, Pa You Throw schemes), to further implement the waste hierarchy and make reuse and recycling more economically attractive,

KAany KAember States need to increase the effectiveness of separate waste collection, which is a prerequisite for improving recycling as regards quantity and/or quality. Another issue is the incineration or iandfiiling of recyclable waste. Nearly ail KAember States are encouraged to implement new measures aiming at sh ifti n g reusable and recyci a b ie wa ste a way from incineration and iandfiiling, and to improve and extend their separate collection systems. The number of

landfills not in line with the requirements of the Landfill Directive remains a matter of concern

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s

uccessful practices.

Slovenia illustrates that circular economy policies and improved waste management can be done in short time~frames. A comprehensive strategy on circularity has stimulated separate collection and recycling, with the help of EU f u n d s .

Denmark provides a good example of open cooperation along value chains and innovation to promote the circular economy. The percentage of SMEs offering green products or services is significantly higher than the EU "average.

France adopted an ambitious roadmap for circular economy in 2018, with actions aiming to reduce resource use by 30 % by 2030. It introduced an ambitious target of 100 % recycling for plastics by 2025, with an estimation of creating 300 000 new green Jobs.

¹⁶Au=,	:ria, Bu 1 ga ri	a, Cnoat,a,	Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Greei	ce, Hungary, li	-eland, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portuga
Roman	Ma, Slovakia	and Spa i n ,
"Aust		Greece, H i	jngary, Italy, l\/l alta, the Netherlands, Romania and Slov	a k ia ,
¹⁸Euno	pea n Co m m	ss,on, Mu	nicipal waste, bv waste operations, Austria, Cyprus, Der	i m a rk, Germ a r	iy, Luxembourg, l\/l a 1 ta ,
19 n De I g	urn, Buigar	,a, Dennnan	k, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Hungary, the Nether	lands and Spa,
²⁰ Aust	r,a, Belgiurr	l , Ge r many	, the Netherlands and Slovenia,
²¹ Tne	Conn nn issio	n has prese	■ nted early warning reports for Bulgaria, Croatia, Cypr	■us, Esto n i a, F i	nland, Greece, Hungary, La t v i a , l\/l a 1 ts

Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain, See COM (201 8) 656

²² Frenoh Ministry foran Ecological and Solidary Transition, Roadmap for the Circular Economy, 2018,

Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Ma Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom, ²⁴ Directive 1999/31/EC,

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2.2.C

li mate change and the environment

IVIany ecosystems, and some of the services they provide, have already changed due to global

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warming and are atfurther risk because of changing climatic conditions.

Climate action is essential to address many environmental challenges such as air pollution, biodiversity, water or invasive species, among others. Conversely, taking action in many environmental areas can have a direct benefit on the climate, inter alia, on agriculture and land use,

waste or air pollution. The Commission's strategic long "term vision for a prosperous, modern,

26 r

competitive and dim ate neutral economy confirms Luropes commitment to lead the global dim ate action and presents a vision that can lead to achieving netzero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

In 2018, the EU adopted legislation aiming to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 % by

2030, as co m pared to 1990²⁷. For the first time, the EU's framework covers both emissions and

removals from land. It has also raised the level of ambition on renewable energy and energy efti c i en cy . Wh en the agreed EU legislation is fully implemented, the cut to EU emissions is estimated to reach around 45 % by 2030.

By the end of 2018, M ember States had to submittheir draft national energy and climate plans, work on their draft national air pollution control programmes and on their plans for accounting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry. These plans should increase consistency between climate, air and energy policies and could therefore become good examples of how to link secto r ~s pec if i c policies, such as a g r i c u Itu re~ n atu r e~ water and transport" air~health, to address common challenges.

The Commission's approach to climate change adaptation aims to contribute to a more climate^-resilient Europe through better preparation and a stronger capacity to respond to the impacts of climate change at local, regional, national and EU levels. The Commission has evaluatedthe 2013 EU

adaptation strategy suggesting areas where more work needs to be done to prepare vulnerable regions

28 c

and sectors . Oynergies are needed between adaptation, sustainable development and disaster risk reduction efforts to avoid future damage.

Overall, Member States have made good progress in developing a National adaptation strategy and/or a National adaptation plan. This progress suggests that there is a significantly higher baseline of

preparation and adaptation policymaking than in 2013. Adaptation goals are to be included also in

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the national energy and climate plans under the energy union governance framework

Ron

cy findings.

Over a 11, th ere is a good level of implementation of climate legislation throughout th e EU and the 2020 ta rg ets are thereby likely to be met,

Ail Member States complied with their obligations under the Effort Sharing Decision in 2013-2015, Some KAember States need to mobilise the flexibility mechanisms foreseen in the legislation to comply with their current obligations,

T_he EU ETS has a very high compliance rate, as each year installations cover around 99% of their emissions with the required number of a 11 owa n ces,

/4s of October 2018, twenty~five KAember States have already developed A/a ti on a I r\d a ptati o n Strategies with continued efforts undertaken in the remaining three to finalise theirs,

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Special report on a Global Wa rming of 1 ,5 C,

²⁶COM(2018)773.

²⁷ Dmect.ve (EU) 2018/410.

²⁸ COM(2018) 738.

²⁹ Regulation (EU) 2018/1999

n 2016, Belgium, FinlanO, Germany, IrelanO, Malta and PolanO hag higher emissions than their annual emission allocations. In 2017, accorOing to preliminary data, Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Malta and Poland had higher emissions than their annual emission allocations

4

• Adaptation efforts in each Member State and at EU level need to be intensified, as appropriate action to prevent and/or minimise damage that can be caused by climate change carries significant economic and social benefits,

S

uccessful practices.

Under the Effort Sharing Decision, Sweden did not use its full allocation and cancelled the surplus annual emission alloc at ion to enhance the environmental integr ity of the system as a whole.

The EU Strategy for the Danube Region puts a special focus on adaptation to extreme weather events and provides an important platform to foster cooperation between Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the

Czech Republic, Germany, I lungary, Romania and Slovakia on Joint monitoring and flood

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management

r a 33 p 34 _T

I urthermore, international conventions on the rAlps and Carpathians are in place. I here is also

tr a n s bo u n d ar y cooperation with non "E U Members on biodiversity and adaptation issues in northern

Europe. The Fennoscandia Green Belt initiative supports a Joint nature conservation cooperation

between Finland, Norway and Russia, among other foci on threats to ecosystem services from

climate change.

2.3.Protecting, conserving and enhancing natural capital

Europe's unique and rich nature has intrinsic value and is a source of precious resources and benefits to people and the economy. The EU has developed a comprehensive system of rules covering nature, biodiversity, land and marine protection, which are key to achieve the headline target of the Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 of halting the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services and restoring them as far as possible.

Attaining favourable conservation status of protected species and habitats requires full implementation of the Mabitats and Birds Di rectives . The Action Plan for nature, people and the

³⁷ M

economy aims to rapidly improve practical implementation of the a bo ve m e nt i o n ed Nature Directives and accelerate the progress towards the EU 2020 goal of halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services . Every six years, Member States report on progress made in this respect and, therefore, new information is not available for this cycle of the Environmental

Implementation Keview, Keporting due later in 2019 will be reflected in the Commission's State of

Nature Report in 2020.

Overall, while some important gaps remain, the Natura 2000 network has continued to expand in marine areas and the EU has already achieved the 2020 Ai c h i targ et of 10% of coastal and marine areas covered by protected areas. Progress has also been made on the adoption of the necessary conservation measures, such as sites management plans, although they still cover only 70% of Natura 2000 sites. Major efforts are still necessary to ensure the implementation — including financing^- of such measures on the ground and the achievement of their conservation objectives. This also applies to measures in some of the Outermost Regions and the Overseas Countries and Territories.

Al I member States but Bulgaria, Croatia and La'

turopean Lorn mission, IVI acro~reqional strateqi

Al pine Convention, we b s i te , 34 _r _r

Carpathian Convention, we b s i te ,

35

COM(2011) 244.

³⁶ D.reot.ve 92/43/EEC and D.reot.ve 2009/147/EC.

³⁷ COM(201 7) 198.

³⁸ COM(201 1) 244.

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I he introduction an d spread of invasive alien species poses a growing threat to Europe's biodiversity

The invasive alien species Regulation provides to species included on the list of Union concern

he invasive alien species Regulation provides a set of measures to be taken across the EU in relation

39

I he available information indicates that marine and land ecosystems as well as soil continue to be affected by several pressures, ranging from inappropriate agricultural practices, land abandonment, climate change, infrastructure development, urban sprawl, pollution of air, soil and water, to increasing pressures from invasive alien species. Addressing such a wide range of pressures requires, among others, the effective integration of biodiversity objectives into other policies, especially those related to funding, and promoting dialogue between actors.

Po I i cy findings.

• Significant gaps in i m p Ie m e ntati o n, enforcement, financing and policy integration are affecting efforts to protect European ecosystems, Biodiversity loss continues in the EU, even if some progress has been achieved at local level,

• Despite some progress since 2017 with regard to the completion and management of A/a tu r a 2000, m ost ofthe mber States need to speed up efforts for the completion of their networks, especially in the marine environment, and complete the process of designation of special areas of conservation while developing and implementing more effective conservation measures, Some Member States should also develop and promote smarter and more streamlined implementation approaches to ensure compliance, Better capacity in national administrations and adequate funding are needed to prevent deterioration and ensure good management of A/a tu r a 2000 sites

• The mapping of ecosystems and their services has generally improved since 2017, but some Member States are still lagging behind,

Some Member States should improve their protection of forest and grasstand habitats through incentives for foresters and farmers, following the EU Eorest Strategy of 2013 , Sustainable forest management and efficient use of biomass are key for a sustainable use of natural resources.

Some Member States have not adopted national legislation to comply with the invasive alien

species Regulation and/or have failed to notify on time the eradication measures to the

47

? m m iss ion

Cor

Insufficient data, monitoring and reporting is affecting the evaluation of protective measures for

_c 48 49 50

marine areas, öome countries have failed to report on time , while many others need to

improve their cooperation and monitoring programmes,

^J) Requlat.on (EU) No 1 143/2014.

Au stria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom,

Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia,

Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, M alta, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenië Spa,„.

Au stria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, La t v ia, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden,

⁴⁵ COM(2013) 659.

gium, the Czech Republic, Greece, Ireland, Portuga

gary, Tortuga

Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia, ^ As required under the Marine Strate gy Framework Directive (Directive 2008/56/EC) ,

Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, La t v i a, M alta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sv\ the United Kingdom,

Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and the United Kingdo The Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, France, Hungary, Portugal and Spain,

6

Successful practices.

I n r\o m a n i a, the LIFE project 'Connect Carpathians' aims to enhance landscape connectivity within

ecological corridors of Natura 2000 sites in western Romania. These sites are areas where flagship species such as bears and wolves can move without risk of being hunted or accidentally killed. The project is complemented with several activities to improve administrative capacity, involve local stakeholders and secure land to develop linkage corridors.

Cyprus is one of the countries with advanced implementation of the EU T imber Regulation. Despite its small size, the country performed more checks on domestic and foreign timber operators than any other Member State. 100 % of national operators received training on their legal obligations and the fines applicable to infringements are among the highest in the EU.

2.4. Ensuring citizens' health and quality of life

Air quality and noise

Air quality in Europe has improved over the last decades, thanks to Joint efforts by the EU and national, regional and local authorities . Jince 2000, the EU's G ross Domestic Product grew by 32 % while emissions of the main air pollutants decreased between 10 % and 70 %, depending on the pollutant. Ambient concentrations for most of the air pollutants have also decreased in the last years. However, in most Member States, the quality of life of citizens remains hampered, as the concentration of certain air pollutants are above EU air quality standards. The situation is especially severe in urban areas, where a majority of Europeans live.

In 2018, the C ommission came forward with the Communication A Europe that protects, e a n air for ail , which outlined measures available to help Member States fight air pollution and set into motion more high level national Ulean Air D ialogues . r\ fitness check of the two EU Ambient Air Quality Directives is ongoing, evaluating their relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and added value . Member States have started compiling their national air pollution control program mes,

due in 2019. I n addition, Research and Innovation initiatives have been launched to help national and

55

local authorities in understanding and fighting air pollution

As part ofthe effortto tackle noise pollution, the EU has laid down a common approach to prevent or reduce the harmful effects of exposure to environmental noise. This approach is based on using common methods to map noise, on providing information to the public and on adopting and implementing tailor~made action plans at local level.

Po I i cy findings.

• There is a risk that air pollution is being underestimated in some instances because it may not

always be monitored in the right places . Sampling points shall be located both "where the highest concentrations occur" and in areas "representative of the general population \s exposure ", to measure air quality also near major industries or main urban traffic routes.

• Although the situation has i m proved in some of these countries, eighteen KAember States still need to accelerate reductions in nitrogen oxide (N0_X) emissions and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

LIFE Connect Carpathians, we b s i te ,

⁵² European Commission. Emissions of air pollutants, ELJ-28, 199Q-2016.

⁵³ COM(2018) 330

European Corn mission, Air quality fitness check,

As an example, the Horizon Prize on Engine Retrofit for Clean Ai r has been awarded to an innovative retrofit system for diesel cars with excessive NOx emission that demonstrated very good performance, See European Commission, Engine retrofit for clean air Prize " Evaluation of NOx em issions. Horizon Prize,

The European Court of Au d i to rs (Special Report 23/2018) has also pointed out this finding, Au stria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, France, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, United Kingdom,

7

Su

concentrations by further reducing transport emissions, particularly in urban areas, This may also require proportionate and targeted restrictions on vehicle access to urban areas and/or fiscal incentives, Where exceedances persist, the Commission has initiated infringement cases, including referring several Me mber States to the Co urt of justice of the European Un ion,

Acceleration of reductions in particulate matter (PM₂.5 and PM_W) is needed in fifteen EU Me mber

n 58

ötates , inter alia by promoting cleaner energy production and efficient and clean district heating, In th is regard, th ere are several I nfri n g em ent cases pending. So me of the KAem ber Sta tes concerned have been referred to the Court of Justice of the EU over persistently high levels of particulate matter (Pi\/ilo) ^nd the Court has already ruled in two of these cases,

Reducing emissions of ammonia (NH3) in six KAember States requires a reduction of emissions from agriculture, This can be achieved by introducing low emission agricultural techniques, including for livestock, manure and ferti I iser management,

Action plans for noise managements are stilt missing in thirteen KAember States and seven

61

co u ntr i es still need to adopt required noise maps,

ccessful practices.

Since 201 7, M ember States and the Commission have engaged in a round of dialogues focused on air

quality. By the end of 2018, six "Clean Air Dialogues" had been organised to address specific

challenges in the Czech Republic, I lungary, Ireland, I_uxembourg, Slovakia and Spain. Th

ese

efforts have been complemented by the organisation of thematic workshops with the support of the

European Commission's TAIEX-EIR Peer2P eer mechanism.

In roland, the LIFE project 'Malopolska Reg 10n provides support and advisory services to

implement measures tackling severe air pollution in the region.

industrial emissions

Industry accounts for 24 % of the EU's Gross Domestic Product and em ploys 50 million people,

63

making a significant contribution to the economic welfare and development of our continent Nevertheless, pollution from industrial activities can negatively affect people and the environment. A clean industrial sector is therefore essential. Through a comprehensive approach — spearheaded by the Industrial Emissions Directive — the EU aims to ensure a high level of protection for human health and the environment, while enhancing innovation and competitiveness.

Currently, industry emits 40 % of the total pol lutants to air and 20 % of the total pol lutants to water The Industrial Emissions Directivetacklestheseemissions by monitoringtheenvironmental impactof the 50 thousand largest industrial installations and setting emission limits for more than 80 air and

water pollutants. Industry's environmental impact is also lowered by performance standards. The

Directive sets out the main principles for the permitting and control of installations based on an integrated approach and the application of best available techniques to achieve a high level of environmental protection, taking into account costs and benefits. Many breakthrough technologies able to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gases and pollutants, often combined with technologies for circular industry, are already being deployed.

Au stria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, France, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia SI < Au stria, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Ireland and Spain,

Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Sp Belgium, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and S

y, Greece, Italy,

ly Kortuga ^ °

⁶² European Com mission, LIFE Malopolska Region.

European Com mission, Cleaner Industry, what is in it for you 7 2018, p.2. ⁶⁴ D.rect.ve 2010/75/EU

Publications Off ice ofthe European Union, Cleaner industry, what is in itfor you , 2018, p, 2,

8

Pon

cy findings.

/\ii FU Member States need to review granted permits as regards their compliance with newly adopted best available techniques conclusions as well as strengthen control and enforcement on th e g ro u n d,

/Air and/or water pollution related to emissions from installations in the power sector are the main pollution source for eleven FLJ fVlember States , For seven countries , emissions from the sector of intensive rearing of poultry and pigs represent the largest share of emissions, Furthermore, the current situation in two Member States regarding air pollutant emissions from iron and steel plants gives serious cause for concern, Emissions from waste treatment activities remain a concern in three fVlember States

ater quality, floods and water management

The protection of water resources, fresh and seawater ecosystems, and drinking and bathing water is an important component of environmental protection in Europe. The existing body of EU water law has put in place a framework for the management of freshwater and marine waters as well as addressing specific pollution sources. The Common Fisheries Policy aims to limit the impact of fisheries to levels appropriate to sustainably harvest the productive potential ofstocks while limiting ecosystem im pa cts .

Europe's waters are being increasingly affected by climate change. Compliance with EU water law is

already helping to manage the effects of a changing climate, by anticipating more droughts and floods. EU water policy holds considerable potential to mitigate climate change, provided effective action is taken now. In addition, EU water policy has helped develop a dynamic wo r I d ~ I ea d i n g water

sector that includes 9 000 small and medium enterprises and provides almost half a million full~time

71

jo bs .

The Commission's assessment of Member States' second river basin management plans under the

Water Framework Directive concluded that knowledge and reporting on the Water Framework

Directive have significantly improved. The Commission's assessment of Member States' first flood

risk management plans under the Floods Directive concluded that important steps have been taken, even if the practical degree ofelaboration varies. The Commission has taken into account the results of the 2018 EU W ater Conference in Vienna , which allowed a range of stakeholders and Member States to provide input regarding the implementation of EU water legislation, showing a mixed p i ctu re.

Ron

cy findings,

Dased on the Member States' second generation of river basin management plans , the

Commission has assessed compliance with the Water Framework /Directive objectives and concluded that it is gradually increasing, However, the path towards full compliance with the

Water Framework Directive's objectives by 2027, after which exemption possibilities are limited,

seems very challenging at this stage,

Mu ch remains to be done to fu iiy achieve the o bjectives of th e Wa ter F<~ a m e wo rk Dire ctive and other related F)irectives. Increased investments are essential to meet these objectives, Member States will benefit from a greater involvement of all relevant market and civil society actors to

Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Irelands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and United Kingdorr Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, La t v ia, the Netherlands and Spain,

bb i i

Italy and Luxembourg 69 r I o

Lsto n i a , l_a tv i a and Jp

70

Th,s includes the Bathing Waters Directive f 2006/7/EC) ! the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC); the Drinking Wa

(2007/60/E
⁷¹ Europee,		, Weterreu	se, background and policy context,
⁷² Europee,	i Com mission	, EU Wete,	■oonferenoe 2018, 20-21 Se p te m b e r 2 01 8,
⁷³ F I I LU re p o r	-ton the Wate	r Framewo,	-k Di re ctive and the Floods Di re ctive {Ja nuary 2019) .

9

secure a better enforcement of the polluter pays principle, ELJ funds will continue to support these implementation efforts,

Although a number of KAember States have taken good policy measures, including investments, improvements in water quality will still take some time for many river basins,

Wh i I e a la rg e m ajor ity ofgroun dwa ter bodies have achieved good status, less th an half of sur fa ce water bodies are in good status, Nevertheless, trends in several underlying individual quality elements and su bsta n ces are more positive,

Pursuing the Flood Directive's objective of reducing the potential adverse COnS equences from

significant flooding will require sustained efforts from mber States in the following cycles.

an wa stewate r is still not treated as it should be in many l\/ie m b e r States , which is why most of them are still facing infringement procedures and a few have been subjected to financial penalties, Progress depends on KAember States prioritising the investments for urban wastewater treatment plants, including through efficient use of the Cohesion licy funding where available, and European Investment Bank loans,

Water pollution from nitrates caused by intensive agricultural practices has decreased in Europe in the last two decades, However, despite this positive overall trend, nitrates pollution and eutroph ication continue to cause problems in many KAember States , as agricultural pressures on water quality are still increasing in some areas, KAember States should step up their efforts to address diffuse pollution from nitrates and phosphates,

Successful practices.

Green infrastructure is being financed within the SIGMA I I plan for the Jcheldt estuary in Delgium.

I_uxembourg and Portugal have recently achieved sat is factory levels of compliance with the

requirements of the Urban W aste Water Treatment Directive despite difficulties in the past. They are good examples of how decisive public investments addressing compliance issues can reduce environmental risks and protect citizens in their daily lives.

em ica Is

The environmentally sound management and safe use of chemicals in the Single Market is the primary focus of EU chemicals legislation. The regulations on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of

substances and mixtures (CLP) are the spearhead of this legislation. However, specific groups of

78

products, such as biocides, pesticides, pharmaceuticals or cosmetics , are covered by their own I eg i s I at i o n .

The directly applicable legislation ensures the free circulation of substances in the internal market while increasing competitiveness and encouraging innovation. June 2018 marked the deadline for registration of the last batch of existing substances under REACH, i.e. those manufactured or imported at one tonne or more. This means that REACH only became fully operational in 2018 with the first implementation report expected in 2021 providing a full picture of implementation in the Member States.

Targeted compliance checks are regularly carried out by the European Chemicals Ag en cy (ECHA) to bring registration dossiers into compliance with information requirements. However, shortcomings in

Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, La t v ia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, l\/l alta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain,

In particular, Au stria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Finland, France, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain and United Kingdom, ⁷⁶ Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 " Regulation (EC) No 1 272/2008.

⁷⁸ f r r„ , .

European Lom mission, Chemicals legislation,

10

this process have been identified in the Commission Communication 'Report on the operation of

REACH' , and ECHA has been required to significantly increase the efficiency of the evaluation procedures by 2019 through different actions.

le data on the properties of the substances is available at

EU

level, the a bo ve ~ m e nt i o n ed

Communication has also concluded that "the enforcement of the obligations on al i actors, including registrants, downstream users and in particular importers" has to be strengthened. To coordinate and

evaluate harmonised enforcement projects and Joint inspections,

S

tates cooperate in the

Forum for Exchange of Information on Enforcement established under REACH. An important future task will be better integration of customs border controls to prevent banned substances from entering the internal market on their own or in manufactured articles.

The upcoming Environmental Implementation Review cycles will seek to include more information on compliance at Member State level, dealing with issues such as the number and quality of custom checks by national authorities and the capacity of national inspectorates.

Su

ccessful practices.

kaiy is using the Commission's enterprise Europe network to improve awareness of companies of

their REACH roles and obligations, a particular challenge considering the high number of micro and small and medium enterprises in the chemical sector in this country.

The Dutch government is preparing a 'National safe chemicals innovation agenda' (SCIA), an

initiative designed to promote safe materials and products that can replace hazardous chemicals. This

research agenda aims to serve as guidance for R&D po I

cies at

E U and

ember State level

80

Environmental tax revenues in 2017 (% GDP)

2.5. Gre en taxation, green public procurement and environmental funding

Financial incentives and economic instruments offer an effective and efficient way of achieving environmental policy objectives. The country reports provide an analysis of environmental taxation, the phasing out of environmentally harmful subsidies and green public procurement. The Commission discusses the use of such economic instruments in the broader context of the European Semester and therefore no specific new priority actions are included here.

Dedicated funding is often necessary to achieve environmental goals. Ouch funding can come from EU and national public funds as well as from loans from the EIB and national banks, and can complement the necessary private investments. The analysis in the country reports attempts to reflectthe various sources of public invest ment and put them into perspective, for instance as a percentage of the GDP .

Po I i cy findings.

Tt

he ratio of environmental taxes to

GDP

varies from

arounc

to

/ember Otates have

EL 51 DK LV HR NL II Fl CY [[ PL M I BG PT HU [U28 UK AT ER BF SE

cz

LT RO ES DE SK IE

■ 2014

■ 2017

Thirteen Member ^ States and the EU ' as a whole showed | decrease since 2014

Souice: Eurostat

2017,

0.0 0,5 1.0 1,5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

introduced environmentally related taxes

82

Including Increasing the cost of diesel fuel , or lowering environmentally harmful subsidies.

COM(2018) 116, p.6 and p.9

Govern	ment of the Nether	lands, Workshop towards a Safe Cher	nicals Innovation Aq e n d a from Substitution to Sa f e " b y " d es i q n ,
Europe	an Corn mission, E\	'aluation study of the payment for aqr	icuitu ra I pra ctices beneficial forthe climate and the environment, 2017,
Bel g i u	m , De n m a rk , Esto i	*i\a,* Finland, F ra nee, reland, Lithuar	*i\a,* Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Romania, Swed e n and United
ngdom	, European Com mi	ssion, Taxation Trends in the Europea	n Umon, 2018 ed,t,on

11

HowGVGr, tax advantages for the private use of company cars persist in several Member States

83

impeding progress in dealing with traffic congestion and air pollution

• Within the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), 'environmental protection and resource efficiency' constitutes the highest allocation in the 2014-20 period in 12 Mem ber

States , In addition, the IE I J allocations for environment were higher than the national government public expenditure on environment in the period 2014-2018 for 11 l\/iem ber Sta tes

• In several KAember States, the main challenge for environmental financing is to ensure that it remains at an adequate level , In some KAember States, there is an issue with the effective use of EU funds , sometimes caused by insufficient capacity of the administrations, Re d i recti n g the funds to non~env iron ment projects may avoid losing money, but this may trigger delays regarding environmental implementation,

Successful practices.

The landfill tax in the United Kingdom has begun to produce clear impacts on reducing landfilling. The increasing landfill tax — currently one of the highest in Europe ~ has effectively reduced the disposal of waste, thus maximising the recycling of dry materials and f o o d waste.

Austria has established a platform and help^_desk to facilitate the exchange of experiences between green public procurement officers on different governmental levels.

Poland has a wastewater fee, the revenue of which is used for environmental protection investments. Swed en has and S0₂ taxes in place, which has led to the reduction of these air pollutants, and in

2018 taxes on chemicals, air travel as well as a system of indexation of environmental taxes were introduced. Croatia has a Forest Public Benefit Function Fee, which requires companies to contribute financially to forest management. Ba d en ~Wu rtte m berg (Germany) remunerates farmers for having wildflower species in their grassland

2.6. S upporting multilateral action

The EU is committed to strengthening environmental laws and its implementation globally, inter alia by supporting the Global Pact for the Environment process, which was endorsed by the United Nations (UN) G eneral Assembly in May 2018. The Paris agreement on climate change is also of crucial importance, and both the Commission and the Member States work actively on its full implement at ion. In addition, as part of its international obligationsand in light of the global n at ure of environmental challenges and opportunities, the EU is committed to supporting environmental protection in partner countries through its international cooperation and development mechanisms.

The Environmental Implement at ion Re view is one of the to ols to ensure that M ember States give a good example by respecting European environmental policies, laws and international agreements, and therefore continues to monitor the ratification stat us and implement at ion of intern at ional agreements.

The new country reports also look into the administrative frameworks for dealing with international trade in tropical timber, access to genetic resources and international wildlife trade. The EU Timber Regulation is an example of concrete support by the European Commission, in 2018, two multi" country workshops were organised on howto improve its implement at ion, underthe TAIEX-EIRP eer to Peer to ol, with the participation of twelve M ember States.

Good environmental implement at ion within the EU is essential to achieve full implement at ion of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), agreed in 2015. T his concerns in particular the goals on

Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Portugal and Slo

public, Trance, Hungary, Ireh

yprus, Denmark, Fmland, Trance, Oreece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Sloveni Au stria, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Po Sweden and the United Kingdom, pubh

Au stria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, l\/l a I ta and Sv

Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania and Slov

12

protecting water ecosystems from pollution and using water sustainably (SDG6), s u sta i n a b I e consumption and production (SDG12), dim ate act i o n (SDG13), protecting marine ecosystems

(SDG14), and tackling the pressures on Europe's natural capital (SDG15). To tackle environmental

implementation gaps, it is key to have effective institutions and governance (SDG16), and to improve policy coherence and stimulate collaboration in m u It i "sta k e h o I d er partnerships (SDG17). The sustainable development goals also stimulate environmental integration because they link environmental, social and economic policies into a coherent framework.

Po I i cy findings.

• IVfany KAember States still need to sign and ratify one or more multilateral environmental

88

agreements

• Some KAember States should improve their implementation of the EU rules on the use of genetic resources, a n d sever a I co u ntr i es are n ot yet fu i I y implementing th e rules on tropical timber,

Su

ccessful practices.

Horizontal coordination of actions to achieve the SDGs is gaining momentum in Europe. Spain a p po i nted a High C ommissioner for the 2030 A_g enda, who reports directly to the President of the Government. France has appointed an I nter ~ m i n i ster i a I Delegate for Sustainable Development under the authority of the Prime Minister.

3. Str engthening environmental governance

3.1. Environmental governance

I h e q u a I ity of Member States' public administration has a significant impact on the results of EU

policies. According to a 2018 study , the quality of a countrys public services correlates with the level of trust in public administration, the ease of doing business, and societal well"being.

The 2017 Environmental Implementation Review identified a number of common root causes of

90 a implementation gaps related to governance , but a more systematic analysis was needed. r\n

assessment of the environmental governance performance ofthe M ember States has been launched as

91 _T p

a first step towards mutual learning and finding tailor~made solutions . I he commission will discuss, within the Environmental Compliance and Governance Forum and in the Environmental

I D ⁹³

Implementation Ixeview expert group , how the results and data collected within the project can be used and updatedto underpin future Environmental Implement at ion Rev i e w cycles.

In terms of progress since 2017, the important standards for transparency, public participation and access to Justice set by the Aarhus Convention have not yet been fully realised across the EU. Further efforts in these areas would benefit citizens, businesses and administrations. The right of concerned stakeholders to bring legal challenges before national courts, often based on thejudgments ofthe Court ofJustice ofthe European Union, is increasingly recognised. To facilitatejudicial act ion by natural and legal persons, an interpretative communie at ion on access to Just ice in environmental matters was adopted in 2017^ys.

Au stria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, l\/l alta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain,

European Com mission, A Comparative Overview of Public Ad ministration Characteristics and Performance in EU28,

90 i

Ineffective coordination among local, regional and national authorities, lack of administrative capacity and insufficient financing, lack of knowledge and data, insufficient compliance assurance mechanisms and lack of integration and policy coherence, (see COM (201 7) 63)

⁹¹ European Commission, Study project "Development of an assessment framework on environmental governance in EU Member States"

(see project library) ,

Environmental Compliance and Governance Forum, we b s i te

European Com mission, Expert Group Greening the European Semester/EIR, European Com mission, the Aa rhus Convention,

⁹⁵ COM(201 7) 2616

13

In addition, the Action Plan on Compliance Assurance adopted at the beginning of 2018 _is set to deliver good practices and guidance on how to handle complaints, combat environmental crime and ensure compliance in rural areas, as well as a wider framework for assessing how Member States ach ieve environ mental co m pi iance.

The Regulation on the governance of the energy union and climate action entered into force in December 2018, and will significantly strengthen the integration between energy, climate and

environment policies, notably with the obligation for Member States to prepare National energy and

97

c I i m ate plans

The need to address environmental crime, and especially wildlife and waste trafficking, has been recognised as a priority as part of the EU policy against organised crime for the period 2018-2021^ya. As a result, many concrete actions, led by enforcement agencies in the Member States, with support from Europol and EU funding, have been carried out throughout the EU against various types of environ mental offences.

Not least, the networks of professionals (e.g. IMPEL ) are playing a crucial role and the Uom mission

intends to further strengthen their role. D i g ita I i sat i o n and e'Govern ment services can also help to

c r I 100

develop a more effective and better integrated enforcement administration. Jeveral l_ LJ initiatives support Member States to this end.

Po I i cy findings.

• /\ stronger environmental governance in the KAember States improves the implementation of environmental policy, KAember States can further improve their overall environmental g o vern a n ce,

• Increased transparency clearly benefits implementation, It improves knowledge, responsibility, public involvement and support, l\/ie m ber Sta tes should make better use of d ig ita I opport unities to improve transparency by better informing the public on the actual state of the environment at local/regional level, stimulating behavioural change,

• Despite general progress, KAember States still need to improve access to environmental information, particularly to spatial data and services, so they can be easily and freely re~used (in line with the INSPIRE¹'"¹, A ccess to En vironmental Information and the Pu biic Sector Information

D i recti vgs I

)W2

103

So vera I mber States should ensure that there is legal standing for environmental NGOs to bring legal challenges on environmental issues and that environmental claimants stop facing hurdles, such as proh i biteiy high costs,

Twe n ty ~s I x mber Sta tes should improve th e application of th e En vironmental L i a b i I ity

Directive in one or more of the following areas, financial security, guidance, and collection and publication ofinformation on environmental damage,

⁹⁶COM(2018) 10.

⁹⁷ Regulation (EU) 2018/1999.

"Council of the European Umon, Council conclusions on setting the ELTs priorities for the fight against organised and serious international

EU network for Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Legislation, Such as e~Govern m ent Acti on Plan, Environmental Compliance and Governance Acti on Plan and Quality of Public Ad m i n istrati on Handbook

¹⁰¹ INSPIRE: n f ra stru ctu re for Spatial Information in the European Community.

¹⁰² DmecUve 2007/2/EC. Direotive 2003/4/EC. Direotive 2013/37/EU A dedicated project ,= currently analysing nat,cnal environmental information systems in more detail and preparing guidance for good practices, European Commission. EIS Data

Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, l\/l alta, Poland and Romania,

Au stria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, La t v ia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, l\/l alta, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom ,

14

3.2. En

viron mental integration

I he achievement of environment and climate objectives does not solely depend on the implementation of environmental laws, but also requires that environmental considerations are

integrated into other policies as underlined repeatedly in the Commission's environmental action

programmes . This can be illustrated with the example of the Common c u Itu re Po I i cy (CAP):

given that agricultural land covers approximately half of the Union's surface. The Common

Agriculture Policy can significantly contribute to environmental and climate objectives, such as halting the loss of biodiversity, reducing land and soil degradation, ensuring water quality, reducing ammonia emissions, and managing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Recent reforms of the Common Agriculture Policy have brought promising changes to the policy framework in terms of improved coherence with environment and climate objectives. The legal proposals for the Common

Ag riculture Policy post" 2020 will further strengthen this coherence. The updated bio~economy

106

strategy is also an attempt to integrate environmental, social and economic objectives in a cross^-policy and coherent manner.

Policy and laws made by different authorities in different sectors should be coherent and based on a Joint logic, scientific evidence and the good use of available technologies. This is also underlined in Art ic I e 11 ofthe Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. E nvironmental integration requires effective cooperation between authorities while, in reality, different ministries and subnational authorities still

tend to work in isolated 'silos'. Insufficient policy and institutional coherence is one of the main

causes of implementation gaps with regard to achieving the objectives of EU environmental policy and law.

Fostering policy and institutional coherence is a permanent challenge. The country reports show that

environmental pressures are closely related to economic sectors (agriculture, transport, industry, food

or energy, among others) in many Member States. An example is how the circular economy depends

on product innovation, effective waste management and stimulation by sustainable public

procurem ent. At EU level, an analysis of the relations at the nexus between agriculture and water

107 I

showed that a more integrated approach is possible . In many cases, a collaborative approach with respectto different interests could be a better way forward, ratherthan adopting new legislation.

In addition, cross'sectora I meetings at political level (e.g. Joint meetings of Council formations) and Joint project expert teams provide the means

The TAIEX-EIR P2P in 2018

_a _	tTTf Circular economy t?/ 9 events*

' Wt& 28 Member\*	tf«Jl Air quality
*1 ^ÉÉM ^states J
	1 ' *6 events*
	(jLl£7 Timber Regulation 2^ *2 events* (ËTft Nature and biodiversity
19 projects—*	*1 event* UVj^fl) Water quality (urban) »—i> *1 event*

to identify, analyse and solve occurrences of weak environmental integration.

Peer to peer learning proved to be an important instrument in improving

environmental implementation. The TAIEX-EIR P2P tool, introduced during the first Environmental Implement at ion Review

cycle, has been well received by the environmental authorities. In 2018, the first operational year of the tool, all Member States were involved in at least one event and more than 50% ofthe events were multi"

country workshops. In the 19 projects executed in 2018, the tool has been used mainly by the environmental authorities, but it may serve better integration by including other relevant authorities, as i n d i cate d by the policy findings.

¹⁰⁵ 7" Envmonmenta Act,on Programme 2014-2020.

¹⁰⁶ COM (2015) 614

^ European Commission, Agriculture and Sustainable Water Management in the EU, 2017

15

Pol,

Su

cy findings.

/\ii KAember States can further improve their overall environmental governance, In several l\/iem ber Sta tes, environmental authorities are severely u n d e rsta ffe d and th is lack ofcapacity and resources affects their ability to implement and enforce, Coordination structures across sectoral administrations and at different levels exist in most KAember States but their effectiveness varies.

T !\A C ¹⁰⁸

I hree IVIember Otates are strongly encouraged to address regional and local fragmentation by developing better coordination mechanisms for the environment,

Two fVlember States stilt need to complete the transposition of the revised Environmental Im p a ct /Assess m ent /Directive fEI/\J into national law, Environmental assessment procedures need to be streamlined and efficient public participation needs to be ensured throughout the IEU,

Peer to peer exchanges have been mainly used for thematic challenges, but there is scope for also using the tool for exchanges on the root causes of weak implementation in the area of public administration quality and governance mechanisms,

ccessful practices.

Bulgaria has taken steps to provide for streamlined environmental assessments by incorporating the appropriate assessment under the Habitats Directive, the integrated pollution prevention and control

(IPPC) perm itt i n g prOCCSS and the 'Seveso' process for chemical safety into its EIA procedures.

Str ea mlining helps to reduce the admini str at ive burden, enhances coherence and accelerates decision^-making, and efforts should turn towards adequate implementation of these provisions.

4. T he way forward

The Environmental Implementation Review has identified a few root problems that require special attention in the coming years and has raised the attention of key authorities and citizens to environmental implementation gaps in their countries.

Integration of environmental objectives with other legitimate policy goals is often weak and this has negative effects on implementation. Better integration of all these objectives at the stages of policy planning and implementation is essential for the success of each of the relevant policy areas and ultimately for our societies. The perspectives indicated by the latest State of the Environment report and the Environmental Indicator Report 2018 are rather grim and full implementation of the current EU environmental laws is, indeed, merely a starting point in changing the trends.

The current progress in real implementation is too slow and better environmental integration can be a

g a m e~c h a n g er . The situation can be improved only if the environmental concerns are taken into

consideration in the framing and execution of public policies with a significant environmental

_T - '112

footprint, such as energy, transport and agriculture. I he nexus approach could be strengthened as a guiding principle, it is about examining issues systematical ly and in advance, with a view to identify further integrated solutions for the involved sectors and to underpin environ mentTelated investments at EU, national, regional and local level.

The quality of the relevant governance systems is a key catalyser for full implementation. The country reports identified that inefficiency and ineffectiveness of public administrations constitute another important root cause for poor implementation. The Commission already addresses the quality of public administration and governance in the context of the European Semester, through the structural and investment funds, the structural reform support program me and with specific guidance

108 _r- i c

Oreece, Italy and Op

109 _r- i Oerrmany and Lithus

European Environmental Ag e n c y, Report on the State of the Environment, 2015,

European Environment Ag e n c y, Environmental Indicator Report 2018, approach , referred to in tt

:,on for s u sta , n a b , I , ty, COM(2016) 739, exam mes the interrelatedness and interdependencies of di ffe rent c h

¹² The "Nexus approach" , referred to in the Communication from the Commission, Next steps fora sustainable European future Europe

16

113 I

instruments . In particular, it is clear that while the needs differ from one system to another, there cannot be any improvement in this respect without securing the necessary human and financial resources to the relevant ad m in istrations.

Environmental implementation cuts across and depends on the active engagement of a wide spectrum of stakeholders, public and private, from decision makers to citizens, businesses and industries. Such a wide range of interested parties can be activated only if the relevant inform at ion is made available to them in an effective way. "Transparency of environmentally relevant information goes beyond the legal obligations, it is a precondition for effective collaboration in environmental implementation. W ithouttransparency, trust disappears and the mobilisation ofstakeholders is not successful.

Tackling the implementation gaps requires solid evidence to identify the 'distance to target', the

underlying difficulties and available options and then to monitor the effectiveness of the chosen solutions. Therefore, the Commission calls upon the Member States to be transparent when

implementing EU rules and policies, building on the EU's open data portal , and using modern

information technologies for communication, data and information purposes. These will also enable the Commission to tailor its supportto the realities on the ground.

The Commission is committed to supporting the Member States to improve environmental implementation. Expressions of this are the thematic Environmental Implementation Review dialogues and the dedicated Peer 2 Peer tool helping to assess the problems, exchanging good practice and peer learning. Nevertheless, successful country dialogues require active engagement of regional and local authorities and of other stakeholders. There is a need for more thematic debates at and between all levels of administration, which should result in operational conclusions followed by action. The debates should take into consideration possible further environmental integration in other policy areas. The Commission has published documentsthat can serve as a starting point, including the Vvommuni cat ion on Ulean Air (2018)¹ , the Working Document on agriculture and water

(2017) the A ction Plan for nature, people and the economy , and the Early warning reports on the

/ 118 r e^-u se/recy c I i n g of waste

The Commission invites Me m ber States to act on the Environmental Implementation Rev iew findings and to use the country reports as a basis for further discussion. Member States are also encouraged to continue working on the implementation of the environmental rules in place to deliver better environmental outcomes to the citizens, to protect their health and to cushion and offset the environmental pressures th at are costly f o r our societies and economies.

A good environment is a common asset of people of the EU, both of the present and future generations, and it constitutes a critical foundation for the other social and economic activities. The EU has put in place comprehensive environmental legislation, with the aim of making sure that air is breathable, water is safe to use, our food is healthy to consume, things around us are safe to use, and pollution is kept at bay. These standards are as good as their implementation. M aking implement at ion happen is in our hands, whether we act in a public or private capacity.

E.g. 'Quality of Public Administration - A Toolbox for Practitioners' and the Study 'Public adr perform a nee in

European Commission, EU Open Data Po rta I ,

' Eur

018) 330. 017) 153

,n Co

,nd SWD(2017) 139.

ss i o n , Report on the rn pi

;ion of waste leqisl;

I y warning repor

17