ECT environment provisions

1
ECT environment provisions

• env legislative procedures
• art 175
• Art 95
• Common agricultural policy
• Common transport policy
• Common energy policy (not directly in Treaty)

2
Choice of legal basis

• why important?
• Limited competence of institutions
• Decision making procedure
• MS powers
• how to decide?
• Objective factors
• C 164,165/97 in Krämer 1-4, 6-12

3
Legislation under environment policy art 175

• Co-decision
• for art 174(a) measures (art 175(1))
• general action programmes (art 175(3))
• Council unanimity (art 175(2))
• Measures of a fiscal nature
• Measures affecting town and country planning,
  quantitative management of water resources or
  affecting, directly or indirectly, the
  availability of those resources,  land use,
  exception of waste management
• measures significantly affecting
• a Member State's choice between energy sources
• the general structure of its energy supply
• Council discretion

4

• art 95 harmonisation
• Balance requirements of common market with high
  level of protection (art 95(3))

5
other legal bases

• Common ag policy
• Art 33 env/sust dev not mentioned
• Art 6 integration principle
• UK v Council 68/86
• Drift net case 405/92
• C 164,165/97 in Krämer p1-4, 6-12
• Reg 746/96 on ag prod methods compatible with the
  requirements of the protection of the
  environment.

6
Other legal bases

• Common transport policy
• Art 70-80 no direct mention of env
• but art 72
• but Commission v Germany 195/90, 90R
• Art 6 intergration

7
Other legal bases

• Energy policy (scattered)
• Art 6 integration
• Under internal market
• Eg common rules for internal market in
  electricity, natural gas under art 95
• Under external relations
• supply
• Under art 175
• Emissions, conservation of energy, renewables
• Under research and development art 163-173
• Renewables, sust dev
• Under transport policy
• Vehicle taxes

8

• MS freedom to derogate
• Art 174(2) if measure includes safeguard clause
• Art 176 re more stringent measures
• compatible with Treaty
• notified to Commission
• Dusseldorp C203/96 in Krämer p 22-24, 28-33

9

• MS freedom to derogate
• after harmonisation
• Art 95(4) maintain national provisions
• Art 30 major needs or
• Protect env
• Protect working env
• Notify
• Grounds

10
MS freedom to derogate

• Art 95(5) introduce national provisions
• New evidence
• Protect env or working env
• Must be specific to MS
• Notify
• Grounds
• Commission must approve
• Commission must examine general need
• Measure would generally have safeguard clause

11
MS freedom to derogate

• In practice depends on scope of harmonisation
• Compassion in world farming C1/96, Red grouse
  C169/89, Nijman C125/88, Albert Heijn C 94/83,
  Balsamo C380/87, Toolex 473/98, Burstein 127/97
• Then determine if minimum or complete
  harmonisation
• Minimum harmonisation now the rule
• Implicit harmonisation
• Inter-Huiles C172/82
• Complete harmonisation
• VAG Sverige AB C329/95

12
MS freedom to derogate

• If specific MS problem
• Comm decision 94/783, see Krämer p 33-35, 38-42

13

• MS freedom to derogate
• Other general principles may need to be observed
• Proportionality
• Commission v Germany C 131/93
• Inherent derogation based on higher interests
• Leybuch C 57/89