Directive 2001/42/EC-SEA of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment - Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment - page 401

Appendix 2
Directive 2001/42/EC-SEA of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 27 June
2001 on the assessment of the effects of
certain plans and programmes on the
environment
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular
Article 175(1)thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 1
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee, 2
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions, 3
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty, 4 in the
light of the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee on 21 March 2001,
Whereas:
(1) Article 174 of the Treaty provides that Community policy on the environment is to
contribute to, inter alia, the preservation, protection and improvement of the quality of
the environment, the protection of human health and the prudent and rational
utilisation of natural resources and that it is to be based on the precautionary principle.
Article 6 of the Treaty provides that environmental protection requirements are to be
integrated into the definition of Community policies and activities, in particular with a
view to promoting sustainable development.
(2) The Fifth Environment Action Programme: Towards sustainability—A European
Community programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and
1 OJ C 129, 25.4.1997, p. 14 and OJ C 83, 25.3.1999, p. 13.
2 OJ C 287, 22.9.1997, p. 101.
3 OJ C 64, 27.2.1998, p. 63 and OJ C 374, 23.12.1999, p. 9.
4 Opinion of the European Parliament of 20 October 1998 (OJ C 341, 9.11.1998, p. 18), confirmed
on 16 September 1999 (OJ C 54, 25.2.2000, p. 76), Council Common Position of 30 March 2000
(OJ C 137, 16.5.2000, p. 11) and Decision of the European Parliament of 6 September 2000 (OJ C
135, 7.5.2001, p. 155). Decision of the European Parliament of 31 May 2001 and Decision of the
Council of 5 June 2001.