Britain, France, and the European Union - Comparing Environmental Policies in 16 Countries - page 119

various groups. The economic analysis requirement is intended to provide
a rational basis for this, but it is essential that the process is open to the
scrutiny of those who will be affected. The second reason concerns enforce-
ability. Greater transparency is intended to make it more obvious when
violations occur. The directive calls for correct pricing for water to encour-
age conservation and to avoid subsidies that distort the market. The whole
program is to be in operation by 2015 with milestones along the way.
At the 10-year mark, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), the
large citizen federation, published an assessment harshly critical of the
framework. It reported that only 14 of 27 member states had written their
River Basin Management Plans. Many countries had evaded cleaning up
by giving exemptions to heavily polluted water bodies. The EEB found
particular weaknesses in ending eutrophication, where agricultural runoff
was a major problem. 11 Other assessments were more generous, believing
the framework had made progress and that it should not be expected to
solve pollution problems when the national governments were not enforc-
ing their own laws.
Auto emissions have been a recurring issue, one that has juxtaposed the
EC-EU origins in a common market for manufactured goods with a later
concern with clean air. In 1970, the community issued its first directive on
exhaust. This was in reaction to national regulations in Germany and in
France that threatened continent-wide uniformity. These covered carbon
monoxide and hydrocarbons, to which nitrogen oxides and particulates
were soon added. From the perspective of sales, uniformity within the
EEC-EC was essential. Manufacturers needed to be able to export to all
countries on the continent, and were obligated by the Treaty of Rome to
open their own domestic markets. Failure would have led to a trade war.
Moreover, at this time, German public opinion was becoming alarmed
at damage to the Black Forest from air pollution. The particular method
of meeting air quality standards varied by country and by manufacturer.
In Germany Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen built larger vehicles
for which a catalytic converter would work best. In Italy, Fiat built smaller
vehicles for which a clean-burning engine was cheaper. France and Britain
likewise made smaller vehicles such as the Renault, Peugeot, and Leyland,
and their public opinion was not so green. 12
Automotive standards tend to be among the most detailed of any.
The industry is huge, and any loopholes would be quickly exploited.
Bureaucratic implementation comes from two directorates. The DG for
Internal Markets and Industrial Affairs favors the manufacturers and the