"Analysis, evaluation and prospects of the application of the 'polluter pays principle'" Working Group

This Working Group, established during the plenary meeting of the Network held on January 24, 2003, originated from the need to implement the provisions laid down in the Community Support Framework (CSF) concerning the
"specific evaluation of the progress made in the gradual enforcement of the 'polluter pays principle'".

The Group has identified three specific ambits to be taken into consideration: management of wastes, management of water resources, and electric power. The treatment of the subject focused in particular on aspects related to the regulations, the verification of current mechanisms and instruments and their level of implementation. The results of the investigation are shown in the document
"The evaluation of the 'polluter pays principle'". The draft of the document was based on both a conceptual approach, designed to outline, explain and delimit the meaning of the principle, and an applicative concept, aimed at ascertaining the concrete existence in the Objective 1 Regions of instruments for the implementation of the principle and the relative enforcement. Within this context, due consideration was given to the contribution of the Community Structural Funds.

The document produced by the Group is organized into three parts.

The first part deals in general with the interpretation of the principle, providing a conceptual framework for the various possible meanings of the principle, as well as the approaches for evaluating its level of enforcement, even with a view to probing into and, in case of need, getting over the usual interpretation on the basis of which the enforcement of the 'polluter pays' principle coincides with the criterion of the full recovery of the costs of the pollution management and treatment services.

The second part applies the conceptual and methodological scheme to the three sectors selected for the analysis. Although consistent with the common methodological reference framework, the evaluations feature a few peculiarities due to differences among the sectors, distinguished by a different regulatory system, a different progress in the institutional process that is to identify the instruments required for the introduction of the principle, the peculiar characteristics of the sectors, and a different access to the basic data required for evaluation purposes. Among these elements, the different regulatory setup weighs to a considerable extent upon the connotation of the process evaluation. While the sectors of wastewater and wastes feature an organic regulatory and institutional framework, where rates are the major tool of enforcement and the institutional and administrative course leading to the introduction of the principle is pre-established, the energy sector lacks these organic regulations. The energy sector is characterized by the coexistence of intervention tools inspired by different policy goals and governed by different regulations.

Finally, the third part of the document presents a systematic overview of the 'polluter pays principle' in the policy-making and programmatic documents as well as in the regulations, where there is an accurate account and a logical scrutiny, within a global, community and national context, of the regulations, proceedings and documents that pertain to the said principle.

RESULTING DOCUMENT:

• Evaluation of the ‘polluter pays principle’ –December 2003 [it] (zip, 1300 kb)