Background paper analysing the Study and Report submitted by the Commission to the Council in relation to Council Decision (EU) 2018/881

On 18 June 2018, the Council requested the Commission to prepare a study on the options for the EU to address the findings of the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee (ACCC) and, “if appropriate in view of the outcomes of the study”, a proposal to amend Regulation 1367/2006 (the “Aarhus Regulation”).

On 10 October 2019, the Commission submitted the requested study prepared by an external consultant (the study) to the Council together with a Commission Staff Working Document (the Report).

This paper presents a short synthesis of the extensive study and Commission Report with a focus on the key findings and takeaways. It then concludes with a recommendation on next steps.