12.4.2022
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
L 114/29
policy.
This is also necessary in order to respect the prerogatives of the European Parliament and the Council pursuant to Article 192(3), first subparagraph, TFEU, without prejudice to the prerogatives of the Commission pursuant to Article 17 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU).
For that purpose, there should be a mid-term review carried out by the Commission by 31 March 2024, followed, where appropriate, in order to attain the thematic priority objectives, by 31 March 2025, by a legislative proposal adding an annex to this Decision.
(43)
In order to take account of evolving policy objectives and the progress made, the 8th EAP should be evaluated by the Commission in 2029.
The Commission should present a report to the European Parliament and to the Council containing the findings of that evaluation, followed, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal for the next environmental action programme.
Such a legislative proposal should be presented in a timely manner, with a view to avoiding a gap between the 8th and the 9th EAP.
(44)
Since the objectives of this Decision cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States but can rather, by reason of the scale and effects of the proposed action programme, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 TEU.
In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Decision does not go beyond what is necessary to achieve those objectives,
HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1 Subject matter 1.
This Decision sets out a general action programme in the field of the environment for the period up to 31 December 2030 (the ‘8th Environment Action programme’ or ‘8th EAP’).
It lays down the priority objectives of the 8th EAP and identifies the enabling conditions necessary to attain those priority objectives.
It establishes a monitoring framework to measure the progress of the Union and its Member States towards the attainment of the priority objectives of the 8th EAP and a governance mechanism to ensure attainment of those priority objectives. 2.
The 8th EAP aims to accelerate the green transition to a climate-neutral, sustainable, non-toxic, resource-efficient, renewable energy-based, resilient and competitive circular economy in a just, equitable and inclusive way, and to protect, restore and improve the state of the environment by, inter alia, halting and reversing biodiversity loss.
It supports and strengthens an integrated policy and implementation approach, building upon the European Green Deal. 3.
The 8th EAP forms the basis for achieving the environmental and climate objectives defined under the UN 2030 Agenda and its SDGs as well as for those pursued by multilateral environmental and climate agreements. 4.
The monitoring framework of the 8th EAP shall contribute to the Union’s efforts to measure progress towards sustainability, well-being and resilience. 5.
The 8th EAP shall be based on the precautionary principle, the principles of preventive action and of rectification of pollution at source and the polluter pays principle.
Article 2 Priority objectives 1.
The 8th EAP shall have the long-term priority objective that by 2050 at the latest, people live well, within the planetary boundaries in a well-being economy where nothing is wasted, growth is regenerative, climate neutrality in the Union has been achieved and inequalities have been significantly reduced.
A healthy environment underpins the well-being