The European Commission has agreed measures to improve public participation in the development of EU environmental policy through electronic media.
At today’s Environmental Council meeting, a directive was approved in cases where EU plans have "significant environmental impact" on the public.
"Public participation in environmental decision-making needs to become a fully integrated part of administrative procedure", Environment Commissioner Ms Margot Wallström said.
"Today's political agreement is an important step to pave the way for the Convention being ratified by the Community".
The measurte is seen as a boost to the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, which was signed by the member states in June 1998 to promote public involvment in environmental issues within the EU.
"If the public is aware of environmental issues, and involved in decisions, then the decisions are likely to be of a better quality, because relevant information and interests will have been taken into account," Ms Wallström said.
"And those decisions are also likely to be better implemented and respected, because stakeholders will have been involved in the decision."