environment policy

in the law of the European Communities, a policy of the Communities added by the SEA, or Single European Act. The Communities are now legally enjoined to preserve, protect and improve the quality of the environment, to contribute towards health and prudently and rationally utilise natural resources. Detailed provisions exist for preventive action and a rule that environmental damage should be dealt with at source – a useful rule when the consequences of one member state's pollution may run down a river and harm the environment of another. The person polluting should pay in principle, not the Community taxpayers. The Community itself is empowered to act where it can do so more effectively than the member states. It is important to appreciate that even before the inclusion of the policy in the Treaties, the Community had done much in the field under other powers. The 1990 Environmental Directive permits free access to environmental information of public authorities. There is to be an environmental agency that will act as a monitoring body.