Biodiversity offsets have been identified as an essential component of an EU No Net Loss initiative. Offsets will contribute to achieving the EU's strategy to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2020, providing they are carefully designed to achieve measurable and sufficient conservation benefits...

This study assesses if there are differences in the costs of implementation of EU environmental law across Member States. Identifying differences can show where there is scope for best practice to be adopted to cut costs. This study is relevant for the Regulatory Fitness and Performance...

As part of its Regulatory Fitness and Performance Programme (REFIT), the Commission is undertaking a Fitness Check of the Birds and Habitats Directives. This comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of the current regulatory framework determines if it is 'fit for purpose' and delivering against...

As a follow-up to the Blueprint, the European Commission (EC) aims to evaluate the most suitable EU-level instruments to encourage water reuse, including the possibility of a Regulation establishing common standards. In 2015, the Commission intends to make a policy proposal, subject to an...

High Nature Value (HNV) farming is a relatively new concept that describes the farming systems in Europe of greatest biodiversity value. The environmental importance of HNV farming has been recognised for some time, but there has been very little research done on the agricultural and economic...

How should Europe respond to the increased demands on our food and agriculture systems arising from global population growth, changing diets, and competing demands on agricultural land? This report offers a view on how the EU could play a role in meeting these challenges in the coming decades...

How should Europe respond to the increased demands on our food and agriculture systems arising from global population growth, changing diets, and competing demands on agricultural land? This report offers a view on how the EU could play a role in meeting these challenges in the coming decades...

Agriculture is the predominant land-use in the EU and there is robust evidence that there are widespread declines in farmland biodiversity in agricultural areas. The drivers of these declines therefore need to be identified and addressed if the EU is to achieve its target of halting the loss of...