ABSTRACT
The European Community (EC) is keen to promote the subnational level of government and non-governmental activity. It is perhaps only possible to examine some of the issues that will influence the development of nature conservation policy and practice within Europe. These influences come from a variety of sources, including moves within the Community and some global influences. With the decline and ultimate demise of the Communist bloc, led by the Soviet Union, at the end of the 1980s it was thought that, even within the EC, the emerging states and countries would join the EC sooner rather than later. Consequently the growth of the EC in geographic terms looks set to be relatively slow in the early part of the 21st century. There is no doubt that the issues surrounding the concept of subsidiarity will lie at the centre of much debate within Europe.
