Press Release: Environmental information: New directive giving the public better access takes effect

New rules giving the European public better access to environmental information became binding for all European Union Member States on 14 February 2005. The new directive strengthened the existing EU rules in this area, aligning them with the environmental information requirements of the 1998 Aarhus Convention. This Convention grants the public access to environmental information, provides for public participation in environmental decision-making and allows the public to seek redress when environmental law is infringed. The new rules were a key step towards improved transparency in environmental policy making.