THE CONCEPT OF «LAW ENFORCEMENT» AS A MEANS OF IMPLEMENTING ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS IN MODERN UKRAINE 1
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34015/2523-4552.2026.1.01Keywords:
law application, implementation of environmental norms, environmental protection, environmental impact assessment, environmental control, legal liability, law application act, adaptive regulation, EUAbstract
The article examines the concept of law application (pravozastosuvannia) as a specific form of implementation of environmental norms. It is substantiated that law application in the field of environmental protection is characterised by a number of specific features that distinguish it from the classical general theoretical understanding of this category.
The purpose of the article is to define the concept and peculiarities of law application as a form of implementation of environmental norms, taking into account current trends in the development of environmental law and international standards.
Based on the analysis of general theoretical approaches to the forms of implementation of legal norms and their projection onto environmental law, the characteristic features of law application in the field of environmental protection are identified: preventive orientation, implemented through the permitting system and environmental impact assessment; multi-subjectivity, which involves the participation of state authorities, local self-government bodies, courts and civil society institutions; integration of enforcement and compliance approaches; multi-level character, covering national and supranational levels of law application.
The current state of application of environmental norms in Ukraine is analysed in the context of obligations under the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU. The expediency of introducing the model of responsive regulation in Ukraine’s environmental law is substantiated. The author’s definition of the concept of application of environmental norms is formulated as the authoritative organising activity of competent subjects of public authority and authorised institutions, aimed at individualisation of environmental norms in relation to specific subjects and situations in order to ensure the implementation of environmental rights, environmental protection and rational use of natural resources.
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