The EU on the environmental path IntroductionThe European Union (EU) is a local political and economic union between 28 member states. However, in addition to its domestic political significance, it is also considered an important international player, participating in ongoing debates on numerous issues. These issues go beyond traditional security and economic threats along with questions posed to members of international organizations such as the United Nations (UN). So, apart from negotiating or assessing traditional threats, issues such as environmental problems, poverty, illiteracy etc. became an important part of the global and international political agenda. As a result of growing public concern and awareness about ecological problems, the “politicization” of the environmental agenda has had an impact on the creation of a number of international and regional resolutions to be included in the daily politics of states. The EU has ratified the UN treaties on environmental protection. and has adopted its own regulations to comply with them and consequently create its own environmental policies. In other words, the EU's main goal was to become a global leader in progress in this field. Thus, a rising wave of environmentalism occurred in the 1980s, with the inclusion of “green” parties in the strengthened European Parliament (Hey 2005, 22), together with a growing interest in completing the single market agenda in Europe (Yesilada and Wood 2010, 43). Therefore, the improvement of similar environmental standards, greater public access to the agenda-setting process in the EU institutions and international political trends were the main reasons for the environmental direction of EU policy. However, there were other underlying issues...... half of paper......07/carbon-and-energy-taxes-in-europe/ (accessed 28 October 2013)."The European elections in 1994 ." 9 June 1994. http://www.europarl.org.uk/en/your_MEPs/European_elections/Previous_Election_Results/9-June-1994.html (accessed 26 November 2013). European Integration. "The week: 07-20-99(s)." The week: 20-07-99(s). http://www.europarl.europa.eu/press/sdp/pointses/en/1999/p990720s.htm (accessed 26 November 2013).European Parliament. "European elections 1994." élections européennes 1994. http://www.europe-politique.eu/elections-europeennes-1994.htm (accessed 26 November 2013). European Parliament Office in the United Kingdom. "1999 Election Results." European Parliament Information Office in the United Kingdom. http://www.europarl.org.uk/resource/static/files/european_elections/http___www.europarl.org.uk_section_1999_1999-election-results.pdf (accessed November 26, 2013).