Target group
All parties interested in understanding the EU’s dense environmental legislation without necessarily having a legal background, civil servants and staff of public administrations, NGOs, environmental networks, as well as private sector actors with an interest in EU environmental law.

Description
With more than 200 legal acts currently in force at EU level, environment represents one of the densest and furthest-reaching areas of EU law. EU environmental law covers a wide range of topics: both sectoral, such as for example waste management, nature protection or water management; and horizontal, such as climate change and environmental impact assessment. Environmental legislation also confers rights to individuals or NGOs, such as access to justice, access to information, and public participation in environmental matters.

All the above-mentioned topics greatly influence the everyday work of a wide range of public authorities and administrations, private companies whether carrying out industrial activities or providing services, and NGOs who aim at protecting the environment; this seminar thus offers a comprehensive overview of the main areas of environmental protection at EU level, including the obligations it imposes on Member States and sometimes on the private sector, as well as rights it creates for individuals and NGOs.

Learning methodology
The programme has been designed to offer a combination of presentations, active discussions and practical case studies based on real case law from the Court of Justice of the European Union. Recent legislative and jurisprudential developments in the relevant areas will also be presented and discussed. The presentations will be given and the case studies moderated by a small team of recognised experts and practitioners, with an emphasis on practical examples, active involvement of the participants, and exchanges of experiences. All sessions include time for questions and answers.

Objectives
• To provide a practical overview of the main areas of environment protected by EU legislation principles and the concrete application, both at EU level and national level.
• To raise awareness with regard to the challenges of the enforcement of EU environmental law, as well as rights granted and obligations imposed by EU environmental law.
• To provide concrete tools for understanding and applying EU environmental law.
• To fine-tune practical understanding of the relevance and impact of EU environmental legislation on the daily work and the mechanisms of its correct implementation into national systems.
• To provide a platform for networking, exchange experiences and information sharing.