EU enlargement: a chance for the environment?

The 'Friends of the Earth Europe Briefing Paper on EU Enlargement and Environment' is a presentation based on consultation with our member groups in the accession states. The paper highlights the positive and negative effects of enlargement and the challenges for an EU of 25 member states.

EU enlargement will improve the environment in the new member states because of the implementation of EU environmental legislation. In addition new member states will bring well-preserved nature and a high biodiversity as a gift into the EU. However, the absence of sustainable EU policies in the areas of agriculture, transport or regional policy will pose serious threats to the environment in the accession countries, if they are not reformed.

European citizens should welcome the new EU member states in spite of potential problems and challenges. FoEE is calling for:

•  Fast implementation of environmental legislation in the new member states.

•  Making EU policies - e.g. transport, waste, agriculture and regional policy - more sustainable, integrating environmental concerns from the beginning.

•  The involvement and participation of civil society in these emerging democracies to ensure EU funds are not subject to fraud.

•  A renewed and intense sustainability debate in the new EU-25, to avoid a return to archaic mechanisms to promote economic growth.