4.2.2006 Official Journal of the European Union L 331 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) REGULATION (EC) No 166/2006 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 18 January 2006 concerning the establishment of a European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register and amending Council Directives 91/689/EEC and 96/61/EC (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EURO- PEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu- nity, and in particular Article 175(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), After consulting the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), Whereas: (1) The Sixth Community Environment Action Programme adopted by Decision No 1600/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (%) requires supporting the provision of accessible information to citizens on the state and trends of the environment in relation to social, eco- nomic and health trends as well as the general raising of environmental awareness. (2)  The UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (hereinafter ‘the Aarhus Conven- tion’), signed by the European Community on 25 June 1998, recognises that increased public access to environ- mental information and the dissemination of such infor- mation contribute to a greater awareness of environmental matters, a free exchange of views, more effective participa- tion by the public in environmental decision-making and, eventually, to a better environment. (3)  Pollutant release and transfer registers (hereinafter PRTRS’) are a cost-effective tool for encouraging improvements in environmental performance, for providing public access (") Opinion of 6 April 2005 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (?) Opinion of the European Parliament of 6 July 2005 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Decision of the Council of 2 December 2005. () OJ L 242, 10.9.2002, p. 1. to information on releases of pollutants and off-site trans- fers of pollutants and waste, and for use in tracking trends, demonstrating progress in pollution reduction, monitor- ing compliance with certain international agreements, set- ting priorities and evaluating progress achieved through Community and national environmental policies and programmes. (49 An integrated and coherent PRTR gives the public, indus- try, scientists, insurance companies, local authorities, non- governmental organisations and other decision-makers a solid database for comparisons and future decisions in environmental matters. (5 On 21 May 2003 the European Community signed the UNECE Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Regis- ters (hereinafter ‘the Protocol). Provisions of Community law should be consistent with that Protocol with a view to its conclusion by the Community. (6) A European Pollutant Emission Register (hereinafter ‘EPER’) was established by Commission Decision 2000/479/EC (4. The Protocol builds on the same principles as EPER, but goes beyond, by including reporting on more pollutants, more activities, releases to land, releases from diffuse sources and off-site transfers. (7)  The objectives and goals pursued by a European PRTR can only be achieved if data are reliable and comparable. An adequate harmonisation of the data collection and transfer system is therefore needed to ensure the quality and com- parability of data. In accordance with the Protocol the European PRTR should be designed for maximum ease of public access through the Internet. Releases and transfers should be easily identified in different aggregated and non- aggregated forms in order to access a maximum of infor- mation in a reasonable time. (4 OJ L 192, 28.7.2000, p. 36.