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Bending the Rules: A Dutch Approach to Improving the Flexible Application of Environmental Standards

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2019

Hanna Tolsma  and
Kars de Graaf

Abstract

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Environmental standards should not be a hindrance for economically relevant projects — especially in the fields of sustainability and green energy. Therefore, the Dutch legislature implemented experimental instruments in the Crisis and Recovery Act to improve the flexible application of environmental standards. They did this by allowing competent authorities to deviate from these standards. This article analyzes this Dutch approach, which can be characterized as “bending the rules.” Are these instruments legally sound and how are the relevant provisions applied in practice? Dutch government is currently working on a fundamental change of the system of environmental law with a new Environment and Planning Act. Should this new system of environmental law include a general permanent provision to deviate from environmental standards? This article provides environmental scholars with some lessons that can be learned from the Dutch Approach.

Type
Developments
Information
German Law Journal , Volume 17 , Issue 4 , August 2016 , pp. 691 - 704
Copyright
Copyright © 2016 by German Law Journal, Inc 

References

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