The Enforcement of EC Environmental Law

by Wenneras, Pal

• ISBN13: 9780199229017
• ISBN10: 0199229015
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-10-11
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

It is widely accepted that the future development of environmental law depends not on further legislation, but on more effective enforcement. Within the EC legal system, the conventional view is that the enforcement deficit is due to the fact that the environment is distinct from other fieldsof Community law. EC environmental law normally does not confer rights on individuals and may therefore not be judicially enforced in the same manner as rules concerning the internal market, competition and gender discrimination.The Enforcement of EC Environmental Law explores and challenges this assumption. Drawing from constitutional aspects of EC law, the author examines to what extent the general case law on procedures and remedies may be transposed to the field of environment, whilst at the same time taking stock ofthe existing environmental case law and the distinctive features of environmental legislation. In a critical exposition and assessment of 50 years of jurisprudence by the European Court of Justice as well as recent legislative developments, the author explores the potential of enforcement ofenvironmental law through law suits by individuals as well as the European Commission. By demonstrating that the environment is not so different from other fields of law in terms of rights and remedies, the book provides not only new insights to the enforcement of EC environmental law but also tothe central characteristics of Community constitutional law.

Author Biography

Pal Wenneras is an advocate in the office of the Attorney General of Civil Affairs, Norway

Table of Contents

Abbreviations	p. xii
Table of Cases	p. xiii
Introduction	p. 1
Enforcement	p. 1
Rights	p. 6
Evolution	p. 9
EC Environmental Law in the National Legal Order	p. 14
Introduction	p. 14
Direct effect	p. 15
Rights	p. 15
Conditions	p. 25
Horizontal effect	p. 44
Consistent interpretation	p. 55
Introduction	p. 55
Substance	p. 55
Added value	p. 57
Duties on national courts and authorities	p. 68
Conclusion	p. 71
Judicial Review Before National Courts	p. 75
Introduction	p. 75
Jurisprudential harmonization of procedural law	p. 76
Introduction	p. 76
The principles	p. 77
Relevance for EC environmental law	p. 84
Rule of reason and proportionality	p. 88
The Aarhus Convention and implementing EC legislation	p. 90
The Aarhus Convention	p. 90
Community implementation	p. 91
Jurisprudential harmonization v the Aarhus Convention and implementing legislation	p. 91
Procedural requirements	p. 93
Introduction	p. 93
Passive role of judges	p. 93
Time limits	p. 96
Res judicata	p. 98
Legal costs	p. 100
Acts susceptible to review	p. 104
Introduction	p. 104
Case law	p. 104
The Aarhus Convention and implementing legislation	p. 107
Standing	p. 108
Introduction	p. 108
Case law	p. 109
The Aarhus Convention and implementing legislation	p. 114
Standing in matters concerning information and public participation	p. 117
Standing in proceedings against private parties	p. 118
Grounds and intensity of review	p. 120
Introduction	p. 120
Case law	p. 120
The Aarhus Convention and implementing legislation	p. 123
Legal consequences and basic remedies	p. 124
Introduction	p. 124
Legal consequences of procedural infringements	p. 125
Remedies against illegal acts	p. 130
Remedies against illegal failures to act	p. 134
Interim relief	p. 137
Introduction	p. 137
Case law	p. 138
Reparation on the basis of direct effect	p. 141
Introduction	p. 141
Directive 2004/35/EC and other liability legislation	p. 142
Specific performance	p. 143
Nullify unlawful consequences	p. 145
Nullify unlawful consequences v state liability	p. 146
Reparation by private parties	p. 147
State liability	p. 149
Introduction	p. 149
Rights and damage	p. 150
Sufficiently serious breach	p. 157
Causation	p. 160
Acts and omissions by the judiciary	p. 163
Sanctions	p. 167
Conclusion	p. 169
Preliminary References	p. 171
Introduction	p. 171
General conditions	p. 172
Competence	p. 172
Obligations	p. 173
Admissibility	p. 175
Ex officio	p. 176
Interpretation	p. 177
Introduction	p. 177
Acts susceptible to interpretation	p. 178
Consequences	p. 180
Judicial review	p. 183
Introduction	p. 183
Time limits	p. 184
Reviewable acts	p. 185
Grounds of review	p. 189
Consequences	p. 202
Interim relief	p. 204
Sanctions	p. 211
Conclusion	p. 212
Judicial Review Before Community Courts	p. 215
Introduction	p. 215
Direct and individual concern	p. 216
Introduction	p. 216
Decision addressed to the plaintiff	p. 216
Community acts of direct and individual concern	p. 217
Internal review	p. 226
Introduction	p. 226
Personal scope	p. 227
Time limits	p. 229
Substantive scope	p. 230
Grounds and nature of review	p. 237
Judicial review	p. 238
Introduction	p. 238
Standing	p. 239
Time limits	p. 240
Grounds of review	p. 241
Consequences	p. 243
Interim relief	p. 244
Community liability	p. 246
Grant of rights	p. 246
Causation	p. 247
Sufficiently serious breach	p. 248
Conclusion	p. 249
Enforcement by the Commission	p. 251
Introduction	p. 251
Article 226 EC	p. 252
Introduction	p. 252
Monitoring	p. 253
Prejudicial stage	p. 256
Judicial stage	p. 256
General and persistent (GAP) infringements	p. 262
Introduction	p. 262
Substantive conditions	p. 263
Procedural conditions	p. 266
Added value	p. 268
Futher development	p. 272
Article 228 EC	p. 274
Introduction	p. 274
Legal framework and ECJ's discretion	p. 275
Penalty payments	p. 277
Lump sums	p. 286
Structural deficits	p. 290
Duration	p. 291
Independence	p. 293
Rights of private parties	p. 295
Introduction	p. 295
Access to information	p. 296
Right to participation	p. 299
Access to judicial review	p. 299
Community liability	p. 301
Horizontal enforcement	p. 302
The complementary role of private enforcement	p. 304
Conclusion	p. 309
Introductory remarks	p. 309
Private enforcement against national authorities and private parties	p. 309
Rights and remedies	p. 309
Effectiveness	p. 313
Private enforcement against Community institutions and bodies	p. 316
The Aarhus Convention	p. 320
Recommendations	p. 322
Final conclusion	p. 323
Bibliography	p. 326
Index	p. 337
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