Political agreement on the Aarhus Regulation: Commission welcomes increased public scrutiny of EU acts related to the environment

The Commission welcomes the provisional political agreement reached yesterday between the European Parliament and the EU Member States in the Council on amending the Aarhus Regulation that will allow for increased public scrutiny of EU acts affecting the environment. The Commission had proposed the amendment in October 2020, following its commitment under the European Green Deal to improve access to administrative and judicial review at EU level for citizens and environmental non-governmental organisations.

Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius said: “I welcome the amendment to the Aarhus Regulation provisionally agreed between co-legislators. It will strengthen the capacity of European civil society and a wider public to exercise scrutiny over decisions affecting the environment. This is an important element of the checks and balances in the environmental rule of law to ensure that the European Green Deal brings a lasting change.”

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