With more than 200 legal acts currently in force at EU level, environment represents one of the most dense and far-reaching areas of EU law. EU environmental law covers a wide range of topics: both sectoral, such as for example waste management, nature protection or water management; and horizontal, such as public participation in environmental decision-making, environmental impact assessment or access to justice. All these topics are governed by a number of environmental principles, both at EU and national level. This seminar offers a comprehensive overview of the main principles which govern EU environmental law, such as the ‘polluter pays’ principle, the precautionary principle, the prevention principle, and the rectification at source of environmental damage. The crucial issue of access to justice in environmental matters will also be covered.