27. 7. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 197/13 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Decision on preventing environmental damage by the implementation of 
education and training measures 
COM(88) 202 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 6 May 1988) 
(88/C 197/10) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 130S 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion 
Parliament, of the European 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas Article 130R (2) of the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community lays down that action 
by the Community relating to the environment shall be 
based inter alia on the principle of preventive action; 
Whereas education and training have an important role 
to play in this connection, whereas in environmental 
matters, their objective is to make the public aware of 
existing problems and possible solutions in this area, and 
to encourage everyone to pay the greatest possible 
attention to environmental requirements; 
Whereas the European Communities environmental 
action programmes of 1973 (»), 1977 (2), 1983 (3) and 
1987 (4) emphasize the importance of increasing public 
awareness through appropriate measures in the field of 
education; 
Whereas the resolution of the Council of the European 
Communities and of the Representatives of the 
(') OJ No C 112, 20. 12. 1973, p. 1. 
(2) OJ No C 139, 13. 6. 1977. 
(3) OJ No C 46, 17. 2. 1983. 
(4) OJ No C 70, 18. 3. 1983. Governments of the Member States meeting within the 
Council of 19 October 1987 (5), on the continuation and 
implementation of a European Community policy and 
action programme on the environment declares that it is 
important for Community action to concentrate on 
certain priority areas while observing the powers of the 
Community and the Member States and in this 
connection calls for increased efforts to promote en­
vironmental education and training at appropriate levels; 
Whereas the resolution of the Council and of the 
Ministers for Education meeting within the Council of 9 
February 1976 comprising an action programme in the 
field of education (6) provides for the implementation of 
various measures to promote closer relations between 
national education systems and cooperation in the field 
of higher education; 
Whereas, having regard to the diversity of education 
systems in the Member States, certain principles should 
be established, the implementation of which would be 
the responsibility of the competent authorities in the 
Member States; 
Whereas it is in particular necessary to encourage the 
observance of these principles at all levels of education 
and training (preschool, primary, secondary and higher); 
Whereas Member States should also train an adequate 
number of specialists in environmental matters in order 
to meet the growing demand from undertakings and 
administrations and contribute to the achievement of the 
objectives of Community environment policy in practice; 
Whereas in addition to national measures, the 
Community institutions should take action to encourage 
comparison and transfer of experience gained at national 
level, ensure that greater consideration is given to 
specifically European aspects and incorporate environ­
mental matters into existing Community programmes on 
education and training, 
(s) OJ No C 289, 29. 10. 1987. 
(') OJ No C 38, 9. 2. 1976. 
No C 197/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 27. 7. 88 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
1. Protection of the environment requires citizens to 
be made more aware of the problems existing in this area 
and of possible solutions. 
2. The achievement of these objectives demands an 
awareness of the following: 
— the environment as the common heritage of mankind, 
— the ecological balance and the need to safeguard it, 
— the right to enjoyment of an unpolluted environment, 
— the need for the national use of natural resources, 
— the effects of human activities on the local, national 
and world environment, 
— the1 way in which each individual can by his own 
behaviour, particularly as a consumer, contribute to 
the protection of the environment. 
Article 2 
1. The competent authorities of the Member States 
shall introduce the points set out in Article 1 (2) at all 
levels of teaching, general education and vocational 
training (including adult training), in cooperation with 
local bodies and, where appropriate, parents. 
To this end, the competent authorities of the Member 
States shall: 
— give consideration to these aspects when drawing up 
curricula and the disciplines in question and organ­
izing interdisciplinary courses, 
— make provision for extra-curricular school activities 
by means of which theoretical knowledge of the en­
vironment acquired in school can be tried out in 
practice, 
— take appropriate measures to develop teachers' 
knowledge of the environmental matters in the 
context of their initial and in-service training, and encourage their further training by means of pilot 
schemes and research projects, 
— undertake specific action to provide teachers and 
pupils with appropriate teaching materials. 
2. The Member States shall promote the training of 
specialists in the various disciplines relating to the en­
vironment by introducing ecological subjects into further 
training programmes. This shall also be encouraged in 
the field of vocational training, including university 
education, with a view to steering the behaviour of those 
with future responsibilities in a direction which is most 
favourable to the conservation of the environment and 
natural resources. 
3. In order to ensure that the actions set out in the 
two preceding paragraphs are incorporated more effec­
tively into the teaching structures and strategies of the 
respective education and training systems, the competent 
authorities of each Member State shall draw up a 
programme setting out the practical arrangements for the 
implementation of the objective referred to in Article 
1(1). 
4. These programmes shall take account of the fact 
that environmental education and vocational training is a 
principle of interdisciplinary teaching of relevance both 
to the field of natural sciences and that of social sciences. 
Article 3 
Member States shall take the necessary measures to 
comply with this Decision by 1 April 1990 at the latest 
and shall forthwith notify the Commission thereof. 
Article 4 
The Commission shall present a report on the implemen­
tation of this Decision to the Council and the European 
Parliament by 1 July 1992. 
Article 5 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.