It is widely recognized that environmental protection, social benefits and economic issues must go hand in hand. In the European Union, Environment Action Programmes (EAPs) have guided the development of EU environmental policy since the 1970s, and they have strengthened the achievement of environmental goals and the integration of environmental interests in other EU policy areas. Given their joint responsibility, EU environmental policy provides added value both for the EU and its Member States.In October 2019, the European Council called upon the Commission to present at the latest by early 2020 an ambitious and focused proposal for the 8 th EAP (2021EAP ( -2030, and underlined that the new programme must address environmental governance, such as public participation and access to justice. Hopefully, the missing link of EU environmental legislation will be resolved by the EU institutions as soon as possible.