Environmental protection

Environmental protection,through pollution control, waste minimization, and natural resource conservation, has become a high priority for developing nations as well as the advanced industrialized nations. International agreements have been created to address the most pressing issues (e. g., ozone depletion, biodiversity, and global warming). But government and industry leaders recognize that this is just the beginning of what must be done to achieve a sustainable balance between economic activity, which requires the use of resources, and global environmental protection, which requires the preservation of resources. Business leaders, and managers at every level of business activity from the corporate headquarters to the local retail outlet, are being challenged by the need to integrate ecological thinking into their managerial decision making.

Companies are learning how to adjust their products, manufacturing processes, purchasing activities, and business strategies to the need for sustainable economic and ecological practices. While much has already been improved, there is no doubt that reducing harmful ecological effects will continue to be a major social challenge for corporate managers in the 2000s and beyond. Pollution and waste cannot be stopped entirely, but their volume can be reduced through improved product designs, better controls, and the recycling of reusable materials. Environmental accidents such as oil spills can be prevented by careful planning, and cleanup efforts can be pursued vigorously with new techniques and technologies. The basic goal is to achieve a livable balance between human needs and nature’s limits.

Reading tasks

Answer the following questions:

1. What is done for environmental protection?

2. What does environmental protection require?

3. What must be done to prevent environmental accidents?

Vocabulary tasks

Word partnership

Speaking

A. Working in groups, discuss the following statements. Which ones do you agree or disagree with?

1. Environmental protection has become a high priority.

2. Pollution and waste cannot be stopped entirely.

3. Environmental accidents can be prevented.

B. Make up dialogues:

Student A: You have just read about pollution and waste. Ask student B any questions on the problem.

Student B: Speak about pollution, measures taken and to be taken.

Discussion

1. Measures taken to protect environment.

2. How to prevent environmental accidents.

Unit 27

The Basic Aspects

Of the European Union Legislation

Before you read

Discuss these questions:

1. What is the aim of EU foundation?

2. What are the functions of EU?

Now read the article. What does it say about the questions above?

At present in the area of globalisation one of the priority of many European countries is the possibility to accede to the European Union (EU). However, countries are to follow the certain conditions to enter the EU, namely – harmonisation of the internal legislation of each particular country with the legislation of the EU. In this connection the question arises: what the legislation of the European Union is? Let’s find it out step by step.

First of all it is worth to be mentioned that the European Union has it’s own institutional system. The key objective of this system is unification of Europe and creation of the European Union law. The principal institutions of the Community are the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the European Court of Justice and the Court of Auditors. The ancillary bodies of the Community are the European Central Bank, the European Investment Bank and also the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. There is also such an organisation as the European Council, which defines general political guidelines for the Union.

The European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission are engaged in the EU legislative process.

The European Parliament exercises three fundamental powers: legislative power, budgetary power, power to monitor the executive (for example, it monitors the way in which taxpayers’ money is spent). The main tasks of the Council of the European Union are the following:

– drawing up legislative;

– co-ordination of economic policy;

– budgetary control;

– external relations.

The European Commission is responsible for initiation of the further developing the Community law, administering and implementing the Community legislation, representing the Community in the international organisations. The Commission is the starting point for every Community action.

The European Community’s legislative system is based on the “principle of institution balance” which ensures that all Community institutions involved in expressing the will of the EC participate in the legislative process to an equal degree.

The law of the European Union is an independent legal system, which comprises primary legislation, secondary legislation and case – law.

Primary legislation of the European Union is based on the Treaties and other agreements having similar status, which are subject to ratification by the national parliaments. The founding Treaties and instruments amending and supplementing them contain the basic provisions on the EU objectives and also define the role and responsibilities of EU institutions and bodies involved in a decision making process.

European integration is based in the founding Treaties.

Secondary legislation is founded on the Treaties and consists of a variety of the procedures defined in different articles thereof. It may take the following forms: regulations, directives, decisions, recommendations and opinions.

Reading tasks

Mark these statements T (true) or F (false) according to the information in the text:

1. Harmonisation of each particular country with the EU legislation is necessary.

2. There are five principal institutions of the community.

3. Four fundamental powers are exercised by the European Parliament.

4. The European Union law depends on some legal systems.

5. The Treaties define the role and responsibilities of EU.

Vocabulary tasks

A. Match the words with their definitions:

B. Complete these sentences with the word from the box:

1.There is the possibility to _________ to the European Union.

2. Legislative power, budgetary power, power to monitor the executive _________are the fundamental of the European Parliament.

3. All community institutions ________ in the legislative process to an equal degree.

4. The Union general political guidelines are defined by the European ________.

5. To enter the EU countries are to ________ the certain conditions.

6. Secondary __________is founded on the Treaties.

C. Word families

Complete the chart:

Unit 28

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 819