Environmental Implementation Review (EIR)

1.9.2017

Question for oral answer O-000066/2017
to the Commission
Rule 128
Sirpa Pietikäinen, Simona Bonafè, Mark Demesmaeker, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Luke Ming Flanagan, Benedek Jávor, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

On 3 February 2017 the Commission published the first edition of the Environmental Implementation Review (EIR). The EIR aims to provide an overview of how Member States are implementing EU environmental law and to support them if necessary. The publication includes 28 country reports, a Commission summary of the most common problems and suggestions for improvement.

1. How does the Commission intend to ensure the timely and effective implementation of the policy proposals contained in the EIR?

2. How does it intend to improve the comparability of Member States’ data and plug existing gaps in environment-related data? What measures are being taken to ensure that in the next round, the EIR can objectively and, on the basis of accurate data, include climate change, chemicals and industrial emissions, as the Commission has suggested?

3. How does the Commission intend to act on the identified need to shift from sectoral approaches to holistic solutions, as is encouraged under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and improve the clarity, coherence and consistency of how environmental policy and legislation is implemented? How does it intend to use the EIR framework as a means of assessing the implementation of the relevant SDGs and the 2030 Agenda?

4. Will it draw up a publicly available scoreboard for Member States’ environmental performance in order to help raise awareness of implementation deficits? Will it consider a toolbox of best practice measures in order to set benchmarks for assessing Member States’ progress?

5. What action will it take to ensure and improve transparency and broad stakeholder participation, particularly with respect to the structured implementation dialogues with Member States?

6. In case of non-compliance with an obligation, what deadline has it set for ensuring implementation in Member States before initiating infringement procedures? Does it believe it is doing enough to commence infringement action against non-compliance by Member States?