7th EAP: latest developments

On 12 March 2012, the European Commission launched a public consultation entitled “EU environment policy priorities for 2020: Towards a 7th EU Environment Action Programme (EAP)”. The aim of this consultation is to obtain feedback from stakeholders as to which should be the environmental policy priorities up to 2020. For example, the consultation encourages stakeholders to provide their views on how a new EAP could best add value to EU environment policy. It also asks which policies have the greatest potential in order to meet the EU’s climate objectives. Stakeholders have until 1 June 2012 to respond to the consultation.

On 29 February 2012, the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI) of the European Parliament adopted Jo Leinen’s (Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Germany) draft report on the review of the 6th Environment Action Programme (EAP) and the setting of priorities for the 7th EAP. In his report, Leinen acknowledges that several individual documents and roadmaps have been recently published by the Commission. Nevertheless, the report calls for a 7th EAP which gives a strong overarching framework, ensuring coherence. In particular, it should guarantee that all existing environment-related 2020 targets for the different policy areas are included and examined in conjunction with each other.

More information: Commission Consultation