The Environment Chronicle

With the German reunification entering into force, the environmental legislation of the former BRD and the European Union becomes valid all over Germany. Dedicated regulations deal with the special situation in the new states ("länder").

The state shall set up a public institute, the " German Federal Environmental Institute".

The purpose of the act is 1. to protect the life and health of humans, animals, plants, the environment affected by them and property from possible hazard from genetically engineered products and processes, and to prevent such hazards from arising. 2. to create a legal framework for the research, development, use and funding of the scientific, technical and economic potential of genetic technologies.

§1 The purpose of this Act is to ensure that for the projects set out in the Appendix to Article 3 in order to guarantee effective preventative environmental protection on the basis of uniform principles: 1. the effects on the environment are identified, described and assessed in time and comprehensively, 2. the results of the environmental impact assessment are taken into account as early as possible in all cases in which authorities decide upon the approval of projects.