UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
60th session

Interactive dialogue with Special Rapporteur on hazardous substances and wastes 

16 September 2025

EU statement 

Mr. President,

The EU thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report [on Guidelines on access to justice and effective remedies in the context of toxics] and reiterates its support to his mandate.

The EU’s Environmental Liability Directive establishes a framework based on the "polluter pays" principle to prevent and remedy environmental damage. It primarily focuses on ensuring that operators responsible for causing environmental damage are held accountable, but it also touches upon aspects related to access to remedies. It also implicates toxic and hazardous wastes in terms of environmental damage and liability. 

Wider EU legislation targeting toxics establishes frameworks that indirectly support access to remedies by ensuring public participation, transparency, and accountability, which can lead to legal actions when environmental laws are breached. This access is facilitated by legal standing provisions that the EU has aligned with the principles of the Aarhus Convention. The EU supports initiatives to enhance public access to environmental information. This empowers communities to engage in legal processes and hold authorities accountable.

The EU invests in research programmes to better understand the impacts of toxic substances and develop safer alternatives. Horizon Europe, for instance, funds research projects that address environmental and health challenges.

Mr. Special Rapporteur,

We appreciate the list of specific guidelines you have outlined; they will serve to guide the work further including on ESG framework. 

Using this opportunity, we would like to express appreciation over your work throughout your whole tenure. 

Thank you.