The 6th Environment Action Programme (6EAP) lays out the framework for the EU’s environmental policy-making for the period 2002-2012. With this period now drawing to a close, the Ecologic Institute, together with the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) and the Central European University (CEU), is providing the European Commission with an in-depth assessment of the achievements of the 6EAP to be fed into the European Commission’s final assessment of the programme. The final report is now available online.

The project places particular emphasis on the added value that the 6EAP has brought to environmental policy in the EU. The fulfilment of environmental goals will be analysed through a review of all relevant EU policies and legislation since 2002 as well as extensive research and targeted consultations with key European stakeholders from different sectors.

Content wise, the assessment will focus on the four priority areas in addition to cross-cutting governance issues:

• climate change;
• nature and biodiversity;
• environment and health;
• natural resources and waste;
• strategic approaches;
• governance and international issues.

The mid-term review of the 6EAP concluded that the EU was generally on track in its adoption of the measures outlined in the Action Programme. However, it was also made clear that although there had been progress since 2002, the EU needed to increase its level of ambition, as it was not yet on a path towards sustainable development. The final assessment of the 6EAP is therefore designed to see whether progress has improved since the mid-term review and to identify areas where efforts need to be strengthened.

The final report [pdf, 2.1 MB, English] is available for download.