Europos Sąjungos ir Lietuvos aplinkos apsaugos reguliavimo politikos harmonizavimas (Europos aplinkos agentūros poveikis) ; Harmonization of Regulatory Environment Policies of The European Union and Lithuania (Impact of European Environment Agency)

Abstract

Policies being formed by the European Union have had a significant positive influence in developing an effective role of the state and forming economical policy of the country. However, there are cases when institutions of the European Union dictate certain decisions to the member and candidate states, and those decisions do not necessarily serve best interests of the states. Aim of this paper - is to analyze impact of the European Union and Lithuanian state environmental sector regulatory policy harmonization, using a case study of The European Environment Agency analysis. To reach the goal has been taken account European Union regulatory agencies' functioning characteristics, the main environmental priorities of the European Union and those of the Republic of Lithuania, and analyzing European Environment Agency's role in harmonizing Lithuanian environmental policy. Summarizing the results of the paper, it can be asserted that regulatory agencies are very important and useful for the efficient functioning of the European Union. National differences of member states can be eliminated by invoking the most proper method of regulatory policy. Environmental policy of the European Union is based on attitude that high environmental standards promote innovations, open business opportunities and further economical growth. When Lithuania joined the European Union, significant consideration was given to harmonizing new laws and projects of other legal acts with the guidelines expressed in the directives of the European Union. According to the survey The European Environment Agency effectively performs functions related to collection, coordination, systematization and presentation of information concerning Lithuania, but the agency does not have a direct impact on harmonizing the Lithuanian environmental policy. The Agency does not take part in coordination of environmental policies of the European Union and Lithuania. European Environment Agency provides information of recommendatory nature and has "soft" impact on Lithuania's environmental policy.