Environmental Law Lecture Series

This lecture series provides a set of important insights from environmental law scholars across Europe on how EU environmental law helps to achieve the aim of a high level of environmental protection in the European Union, including impacts of EU environmental law across the world. 

With the European Green Deal from 11 December 2019 the European Commission tabled an ambitious legislative program, based on fundamental aims such as zero pollution, do no harm, and climate neutrality. Many legal developments took place and are still on-going, both at the European and national regulatory levels as in the courtroom, including the national courts. While efforts to protect the environment are direly needed, including effective implementation and enforcement, the regulatory acquis, and the flow of case law, has become utterly complex which poses challenges for acquiring a good understanding and application. Lectures will pay attention on how also after the elections for the European Parliament in June 2024 the environmental acquis of the EU and its application will develop.

Upcoming Lecture: Thursday, 6 February 2025,
Join us for an insightful lecture on the evolving framework of Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) within the European Union. Our expert speakers will critically examine the Industrial Emissions Directive (IE Directive) and its regulatory design, discussing its integrated approach, the use of best available techniques, and the challenges of balancing flexibility with legal certainty.

The session will also introduce the IE Directive 2.0, effective as of 4 August 2024, which aims to guide major European industries toward achieving the EU's zero-pollution goal by 2050.

Recorded lectures
This freely accessible online (and hybrid) lecture series started in March 2023 and will be continued in the academic year 2024-2025. All lectures have been recorded and are accessible through YouTube. 

Certificate of attendance
Maastricht University students will be invited to attend  the lectures on-site. Students are eligible for a certificate of attendance if they have attended at the least 3 lectures on-site and have signed the registration form. After registering for a lecture, you will receive a confirmation email. This email will contain instructions on how to request a certificate. For questions email to: law-greendeal-net@maastrichtuniversity.nl

This lecture series is part of the GreenDeal-NET initiative and hosted by MCEL and METRO, in cooperation with GLaw-Net.