Britain, France, and the European Union - Comparing Environmental Policies in 16 Countries - page 116

fled to escape Hitler. He returned to Germany for secondary school, then
went back to France for university, where he joined an anarchist group.
In 1968, he was a leader in the student uprising against the Gaullist govern-
ment. Another group supporting the environment is the European United
Left-Nordic Green Left. The Socialist group often supports the environ-
ment. The parliament has its official Standing Committee on Environment,
Public Health and Food Safety to handle pending legislation. The parlia-
ment meets in Strasbourg, its official seat, and in Brussels. The founders
in the 1940s and 1950s believed Strasbourg would be a symbol of peace
and unity since this city on the Rhine River had been fought over so many
times in the past.
The EU has numerous administrative departments or ministries, known
as directorates, to implement its programs. Collectively, they are known as
the commission, employing a total of 24,000. Like the other directorates
general, the DG Environment strives to ensure that member states adhere
to EU law. It investigates complaints and can take legal action. It often rep-
resents the EU at international meetings. Unlike the bureaucratic imple-
mentation of laws typical of most governments, the commission is not
required to be exact in its implementation. Most EU legislation takes the
form of “directives.” These are not identical to laws found in national gov-
ernments. They are weaker and more flexible. According to Article 288 of
the Treaty of European Union, a directive is general, leaving the member
state to choose the form and methods. They are binding on the member
state in terms of the results to be achieved, but not the exact wording.
Some say that the directives are more like suggestions. They are passed
by the council and parliament. Often they were originally proposed by
the commission. Alternatively, the EU may issue “regulations,” which are
binding. These are becoming more common with each passing year. The
fact that the EU directorates based in Brussels can issue regulations bind-
ing on ordinary citizens and businesses sometimes annoys them. It seems
so far away and not connected to their own parliament and agencies. They
refer to this as a “democracy deficit.”
Within the commission, the DG Environment is one of 40 and is
often outgunned by bigger ones such as DG Industry, DG Economics, or
DG Energy. In 2010 climate issues were split off into a new DG Climate
Action. This bureau leads international negotiations on climate, helps
the Union deal with the consequences of climate change and to meet its
targets for 2020, and develops and implements the Emissions Trading
System. The commission offices are located in Brussels. A separate bureau,