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| European Union directive | |
 | |
| Title | Directive 2003/4/EC on public access to environmental information and repealing Council Directive 90/313/EEC |
|---|---|
| Made by | European Parliament & Council |
| Made under | Art. 251 |
| Journal reference | OJ L 41 of 14 February 2003, p. 26–32 |
| History | |
| Date made | 28 January 2003 |
| Implementation date | 14 February 2005 |
| Other legislation | |
| Replaces | Directive 90/313/EEC |
| Current legislation | |
The Directive on public access to environmental information (2003/4/EC) is a European Union directive with the formal title "Directive 2003/4/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2003 on public access to environmental information and repealing Council Directive 90/313/EEC".[1][2]
The purpose of the Directive is to ensure that environmental information is systematically available and distributed to the public.[3] The Directive requires Member States to ensure that public authorities are required to make the environmental information they hold available to any legal or natural person on request.[3]
In 1998, the European Community signed a Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters (the Aarhus Convention).[3] The directive implements the Convention.[3]
Public authorities are required to release information on request subject to the following exceptions:[4]
In the United Kingdom, the Directive was implemented by the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004. In the Republic of Ireland, the Directive has been implemented as the European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007.
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