Towards a 7th Environment Action Programme

For the past year, IEEP has been working on a project on the future strategic framework for EU environmental policy - the 7th Environment Action Programme (7EAP). This project explores the challenges the 7EAP needs to address and subsequent priority areas and actions through a series of research papers, policy dialogue meetings and interviews. Two policy dialogue meetings already held looked at the added value of a 7EAP and its concrete priorities. In the aftermath of the Rio+20 Conference, a third meeting will examine the global dimension of the 7EAP which is an important element of the future Programme.

Beyond better integration of environmental considerations in EU bilateral agreements, development aid and trade policies, the 7EAP could begin to address the global dimension of EU policies more systematically and integrate these impacts in policy design. We will explore how EU policies can better address the global aspects of EU resource use both in terms of reducing overall levels of EU resource use and the environmental impacts of this resource use. We will also look at key activities for the EU in the follow-up to the Rio+20 Conference, for example the process of developing Sustainable Development Goals and other international initiatives such as the international resource panel.

The project is nearing its completion. A final synthesis report and concluding conference will be organised towards the end of the year. To access research papers that have been produced throughout the project, presentations made and a timeline of activities in the run-up to the publication of the proposal for a 7EAP, please see our dedicated project website.

Contact: Axel Volkery or Sirini Withana