Prevention and Remedying of Environmental Damage

It is widely recognised that our environment is instrumental to our well-being, with various related ecosystem services providing important aspects linked to our healthy, economy and society.

In 2004, the European Union introduced the new legislation establishing, for the first time in the EU, a comprehensive liability regime for damages to the environment, based on the ‘polluter-pays’ principle.

The polluter-pays principle is based on the fact that those that have caused environmental damage should be liable for remediation of damage, the so-called polluter-pays principle.

Additional Information and Links

EU Legislation and Resources:

• EU’s ELD Website
• EU’s ELD Legislation
• EU Commission ELD Guidelines
• Information Factsheet 
• Summary of the Environmental Liability Directive
• Brochure
• ELD Training Material
• Questions and Answers on the Environmental Liability Directive

National Legislation and Resources:

• National Regulations 
• Environmental Damage
• Criteria on Environmental Damage
• Remedying of Environmental Damage
• Environmental Liability Directive
• Prevention and Remedying of Environmental Damage Regulations

ELD Reporting:

• Malta’s Implementation Report – 2013
• Malta’s Implementation Report – 2021

Other International Collaborations:

• IMPEL Criteria for the Assessment of Environmental Damage (CAED) & Training