EU Directives and Decisions

Several legislative acts address particular exploration and production aspects, but there is no any discrete comprehensive regulation to address specifically the industry. Only one directive contains implicit oil and gas-related provisions, whereas other exploration and production aspects (e.g. generation of wastes, safety at work, environmental impact, social issues, etc.) are addressed additionally by several other legislative acts.

Directive 94/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conditions for granting and using authorizations for the prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons

The purpose of the Directive is to ensure equal opportunities to all interested entities. The document specifies the criteria of granting exclusive rights for prospecting, exploring for and producing hydrocarbons so as to ensure that licensing procedures are based on fair and non-discrimination principles. The Directive provides a set of minimum requirements and conditions to be met, while enabling Member States to impose other requirements and preconditions for the exercise of the activities under the Directive, provided that they are justified by necessary requirements that are in the public interest.

Directive 92/91/EEC of 3 November 1992 concerning the minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers in the mineral-extracting industries through drilling (eleventh individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16 (1) of Directive 89/391/EEC

The purpose of the Directive is to lay down the minimum requirements for improving working conditions at drill sites by ensuring better safety and health protection of workers. The Directive provides for employers' obligations (e.g. design, construction and equipment of workplaces), protection against fire and explosions, escape and rescue equipment, communications, health surveillance, etc.

Council Directive 96/82/EC of 9 December 1996 on the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances (the Seveso Directive)

The purpose of the Directive is to prevent serious industrial accidents involving hazardous substances and to mitigate their effects on humans and the environment. The Directive applies to each industrial plant in which hazardous substances are stored in quantities equal to or higher than those stated in Appendix I, parts 1 and 2, column 2, except for Articles 9, 11 and 13 that apply to industrial plants in which hazardous substances are stored in quantities equal to or higher than those stated in Appendix I, parts 1 and 2, column 3.

Directive 2006/21/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, dated 15 March 2006, on the management of waste from extractive industries and amending Directive 2004/35/EC

 The purpose of the Directive is to prevent or reduce any adverse effects of extraction waste on the environment and human health. The Directive lays down measures se measures to prevent and reduce adverse effect on the environment and any human health risks brought about as a result of the management of waste from the extractive industry.

Directive 2003/4/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2003 on public access to environmental information and repealing Council Directive 90/313/EEC.

The purpose of the Directive is to ensure that environmental information held by or intended for public authorities are available to the public, as well as to establish key principles and and practical methods for exercising that right. The Directive is intended to ensure that environmental information is automatically and systematically made available and distributed to the public, so that environmental information is best accessible and distributed in the society.

author: Anita Starzycka