The management of negative consequences such as the deterioration of the living environment, road hazard, energy consumption, air pollution, noise, biotope modification and road congestion are today's major challenges.

We often talk about the long term but work on a short-term basis without any realistically-targeted, forward-looking vision.

The aim over the longer term must be to address this problem fully, with no preconceived ideas, in order to establish strict standards and consistent measures for preventive action, integrated responses, controls, and rational land use planning. Work already exists in this field and the European directive of 27 September 1996 has defined a long-term strategy.