ABSTRACT
When the treaty setting up the EC was signed in 1957, environmental degra dation was not generally recognized as an important problem. As a result, no express provisions relating to the environment were included in the treaty. However, international awareness of environmental problems increased greatly in subsequent years and the EC was viewed as being in a good position to act in this field. Since 1972, the EC has adopted five action programmes for the environment and hundreds of laws relating to protection of water, air quality, waste management and control, controls over chemicals, protection of flora, fauna and the countryside and noise. The 1986 Single European Act gave the EC a clear legal basis for adopting its environmental laws. Changes to the way in which Community environmental laws are adopted were introduced by the Treaty on European Union, signed in 1992. The Treaty of Amsterdam, agreed in June 1997, will also have important implications for environmental law and policy if ratified by all member states.
