The guiding principles of European community environmental law‐making

There now exists a body of principles which serve to guide European Community' law‐makers in the formulation of environmental policy responses. Some are unique to the environmental sector, such as the preventive, the precautionary and the polluter pays principles, while others, such as the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, apply to Community law‐making generally. The extent to which these guidelines are adhered to would appear to vary according to the manner in which they are included in the Treaty of Rome and the practical requirements of law‐making. Though most of these principles are unlikely to prove binding and actionable they help to ensure consistent policy‐making and assist interested parties in understanding and influencing the environmental law‐making process.