EU Environmental Policy and Turkey

INTRODUCTION

Protecting the environment is essential for the quality of life of current and future generations. The challenge is to combine this with continuing economic growth in a way which is sustainable over the long term.

European citizens are increasingly aware of the importance of high environmental standards for their health,well-being and overall quality of life. They demand high standards, both in their own interest and the interest of future generations. The EU continues to develop its environmental policy. The adoption by the European Council of the EU's first Sustainable Development Strategy in june 2001 was a direct response to that demand.

The E.U. Environmental Policy

The concept of environmental policy refers to the preferences and targets of a certain country on the environment. Although objectives and preferences of environmental policies in each country differ to a great extent, there are some basic values and principles informing the environmental policies in every country.

The Earth flag is not an official flag, since ther...

european union stars

English: EU and CIS block

Living in a healthy environment; the protection and the development of environmental resources belonging to the societies; ensuring the social justice principles during the process of sharing the burden of implementing the environmental policies are the main targets that unite the countries under a single framework

Evolution of the E.U. Environmental Policy

The environmental actions within the EU have been started in 1970s but there were difficulties to prevent the deterioration of the environment. Environmental policy within the EC has not had any strong impetus until 1980s. The years between 1980 and 1990 have brought remarkable changes into the history of environmental policy within the EU.

As the main aim of the establishment of the EEC was based on economic interests of the founding six members, during the first phase of this establishment, environmental policy area was not given its required impetus

European integration was driven primarily...