Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

Article 19 Public consultation and information

1. In accordance with relevant existing Community legislation, Member States shall ensure that all interested parties are given early and effective opportunities to participate in the implementation of this Directive, involving, where possible, existing management bodies or structures, including Regional Sea Conventions, Scientific Advisory Bodies and Regional Advisory Councils.

2. Member States shall publish, and make available to the public for comment, summaries of the following elements of their marine strategies, or the related updates, as follows:

(a) the initial assessment and the determination of good environmental status, as provided for in Articles 8(1) and 9(1) respectively;

(b) the environmental targets established pursuant to Article 10(1);

(c) the monitoring programmes established pursuant to Article 11(1);

(d) the programmes of measures established pursuant to Article 13(2).

3. With regard to access to environmental information, Directive 2003/4/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2003 on public access to environmental information(1) shall apply.

In accordance with Directive 2007/2/EC, Member States shall provide the Commission, for the performance of its tasks in relation to this Directive, in particular the review of the status of the marine environment in the Community under Article 20(3)(b), with access and use rights in respect of data and information resulting from the initial assessments made pursuant to Article 8 and from the monitoring programmes established pursuant to Article 11.

No later than six months after the data and information resulting from the initial assessment made pursuant to Article 8 and from the monitoring programmes established pursuant to Article 11 have become available, such information and data shall also be made available to the European Environment Agency, for the performance of its tasks.

(1)

OJ L 41, 14.2.2003, p. 26.