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Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Consultation on European Commission White Paper
on Environmental Liability

Environmental Liability

This letter invites you to consider and comment on the Communication to the Council of Ministers and European Parliament (referred to as a "White Paper") on Environmental Liability, which was published by the European Commission for public consultation on 9 February 2000 (ref: COM(2000)66 final).

2.     The White Paper includes proposals for the development of new European Community legislation. Any such legislation would, of course, have to be based upon a further proposal from the European Commission and would be subject to the normal European Community legislative process, involving the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.

3.     The Government regard it as important to stimulate awareness of the ideas in the White Paper and ensure that the potential benefits and problems are thoroughly considered, so that responses to the European Commission from the UK provide a sound basis for further consideration. Comments are therefore being sought from a wide range of organisations with possible interests. A list of those to whom this letter is going is enclosed. If you believe that there are others who should be consulted, please let us know. A copy of this letter is also being placed on the DETR website: http:// www.environment/detr.gov.uk/consult/liability/index.htm

England, Scotland and Wales

4.     This invitation to comment is going to organisations with interests in this topic in relation to England. The Scottish Executive and the Northern Ireland Departments will be responsible for considering their special interests and feeding them into the formation of the UK position. We shall be discussing with the National Assembly for Wales what is required to take account of implications for Wales.

Where to find the White Paper

5.     The White Paper may be found on the Commission's website at http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/liability/index.htm. It is about 30 pages long. We understand that it is not going to be printed in the Official Journal of the European Communities, but printed copies will shortly be obtainable direct from the Commission, on request, by ringing 00 32 2 295 3744 (Brussels). Alternatively, please ring John Coleman here on 020 7944 5287 for a copy. At Annex A to this letter is a short summary prepared by the Department.

Issues

6.     At Annex B to this letter is a note which sets out some of the background to the European Commission's thinking, and draws attention to issues which appear to us to be significant. This note is not intended to be in any way limiting - comments are welcome on all aspects which appear to you to be significant.

Comments

7.     Comments are needed by 15 May 2000, if they are to be taken into account in preparing the Government's own response to the White Paper. You may of course also wish to comment direct to the European Commission. (The Department will not be forwarding individual sets of comments to the Commission.)

8.     Copies of responses sent to DETR may be placed in the Department's library for consultation by the public or in the Libraries of either House of Parliament, and may be submitted to any inquiries which Committees of either House of Parliament may decide to hold. Please state clearly in your response if you would prefer that it is not made available in these ways. We will include all responses in any numerical summary of the results.

9.     Responses to the Commission should be sent direct to them by 1 July 2000, at the address shown at the end of their White Paper. We would welcome a courtesy copy too, and would be grateful if this could be accompanied by a clear indication of whether this copy is to be regarded as your response to the DETR consultation exercise as well.

10.   We look forward to seeing your comments. These should be sent to:

Yours faithfully,
ALAN SIMCOCK
Marine, Land and Liability Division

Organisations which this letter is being sent to, inviting comments on the European Commission White Paper on Environmental Liability.

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Published 20 March 2000 / Updated 7 September 2000
European Commission White Paper on Environmental Liability: Summary of Responses seen by DETR
United Kingdom Response to European Commission White Paper on Environmental Liability
Environmental Protection Consultation Papers Index
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