I principi a tutela delle generazioni future nel diritto dell’Unione europea

Abstract

By using a prospective law approach, this contribution aims to demonstrate that the protection of future generations under EU law could be realised through four principles, namely the principle of sustainable development, the precautionary principle, the principle of solidarity between generations and the principle of nonregression. Insofar as they share, to varying degrees, the same intergenerational nature, these principles could be used as a lever to strengthen the protection obligations assumed by current generations towards future generations. Although the principles of sustainable development, precaution and intergenerational solidarity are already provided for in EU law and their application in the service of future generations can be better targeted and consolidated, it would be desirable for the principle of environmental non-regression to be introduced into EU law to complete
the set of rules available to decision-makers.