Environmental Damage Act

The Environmental Damage Act transposes the EU directive 2004/35/CE into German law. The German environmental damage act was implemented on 14th November 2007.

The Environmental Damage Act takes account of liability for damages caused between 30^th April and 14^th November 2007 (when the EU directive on environmental liability should have been enacted in national law). Within this act, standardized requirements for remediation of accidental environmental damage – and specifically of ecological damage- have been formulated. Ecological damage includes damage to:

• Water bodies,
• Soil, and
• European protected species and habitats, the so called ‘biodiversity damage’.

The liability encompasses certain professional activities and impacts on the normal operation of authorized undertakings/projects. In cases of environmental damage, the damage has to be documented and evaluated. Adequate and suitable remediation measures need to be assessed and implemented where necessary.  As a result, the process can be complicated for companies, authorities and insurance companies who are involved in evaluation of risk to businesses, required risk management strategies and insurance against potential environmental damage.

What can we provide?

We have well established links with landscape architects Mr. Markus Schulze and Mr. Siegfried Matthes (company Schulze – Matthes. Umwelt, Planung, Arbeitsschutz GbR), and through these relationships, are able to offer services relating to the Environmental Damage  Act.