Siden 1986 har EU haft særlig lovgivning om anvendelse af dyr til videnskabelige formål. Den 22. september 2010 vedtog EU direktiv 2010/63/EU, som ajourfører og erstatter direktiv 86/609/EØF fra 1986 om beskyttelse af dyr, der anvendes til videnskabelige formål. Formålet med det nye direktiv er at styrke lovgivningen og forbedre velfærden for de dyr, som det stadig er nødvendigt at bruge, samt at grundfæste princippet om at erstatte, begrænse og forfine ("de tre R'er", replacing, reducing and refining) anvendelsen af dyr i EU-lovgivningen. Direktiv 2010/63/EU fik fuld virkning den 1. januar 2013.

The ENV data and indicators catalogue brings together the data inventory of DG ENV with the library of indicators that are used in environment policy. The indicators library was created in the context of the preparation of the 8th Environment Action Programme but is designed to be useful for many other purposes. Indicators include those managed by EEA, ESTAT or JRC, where relevant but also indicators developed in the context of policy development or implementation (including reporting). For now, this tool is available for DG ENV but will be made successively also available to other services and agencies. It is a version under development (‘beta version’).

Article 5(2) of Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 relates to the reduction of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW). With 1995 as the reference year (100% by weight), BMW to landfill had to be reduced to 35% in 2016 (or 2020 in case of a derogation).