Member States are discussing standardisation of their environmental legislation in Budapest

Hungary, with the environmental provisions of its new Constitution, is providing strong background support for the operation of organisations such as IMPEL (the European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law), which was created to apply and enforce the EU’s environmental legislation – said Sándor Fazekas, Minister for Rural Development, at the international organisation's 7th General Assembly. The event – in which environmental protection bodies from thirty countries were represented – was organised as part of Hungary’s EU presidency.

The Minister for Rural Development called Hungary’s new Fundamental Law a bastion of environmental protection, because it asserts values that contribute to a sustainable economy and the preservation of biodiversity. He also emphasised the significance of the protection of natural resources, especially of land, forests and water resources, and the preservation of native plant and animal species; these aims are identified as the responsibility of the State and every citizen.
Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy

The Minister said that within just one year Hungary had created its National Rural Strategy and had made it available for public discussion, and that this also attaches great importance to the protection and cleanliness of the environment. The draft National Water Management Strategy, which will determine water policy for the next 10-15 years, is expected to be completed later this month. The programme concentrates on the economical use of water, water management adapted to climate change, and protection against groundwater flooding.

As far as the results of the Hungarian presidency are concerned, Mr. Fazekas said that in March the conclusions of the Hungarian presidency on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) were adopted by the Council of Agricultural Ministers with a majority of more than two-thirds. At the same time, a meeting for Ministers of Environment of European Union Member States was held at the Informal Environmental Council, where water policy – one of the Hungarian presidency's top priorities – was on the agenda.

He also stated that a major goal has been achieved with the adoption of the Danube Strategy by the unanimous agreement of Member States. Ministers for Environment in the EU have also reached an agreement on collecting and recycling electronic waste.

IMPEL is an international organisation responsible for the application and enforcement of environmental laws. Jánosné Tolnai, Deputy Director General of the National Agency for Environmental Protection and Water Resources (Hungary’s national coordinator of IMPEL), spoke about the objectives of this international network of environmental authorities of the European Union. She said that the international organisation works to create the necessary incentives for the development of effective application of environmental legislation within the European community. IMPEL also supports the standardisation of introducing, implementing and enforcing such legislation.
Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy

It is a goal that environmental authorities of all Member States follow best practice in licensing and controlling when implementing and enforcing environmental regulations. Thus illegal activities will become identifiable, and a level playing field can be created for legally operating organisations that impact on the environment. For Hungary’s part, the National Environment, Nature Protection and Water Management Inspectorate was one of the organisation’s eight founding members in May 2008.

Gerald Wolters, Chairman of IMPEL, spoke of the ways in which the body helps environmental authorities of Member States apply legislation in the European Union in a unified way. They aim to eliminate illegal waste dumping sites and to develop a regulatory environment which allows them to identify and penalise dumping. In addition, air quality issues, licensing and controlling piggeries, and the Water Framework Directive were on the agenda. A new chair was also elected at the meeting. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Rural Development on 23-25 May 2011.

kormany.hu