European environmental policy was adopted at the Paris European Council in 1972, where (following the first UN conference on the environment) European Heads of State or Government declared that a Community environmental policy to accompany economic expansion and called for an action program. The Single European Act of 1987 introduced a new title „Environment”, which provided the first legal basis for a common environmental policy aimed at preserving the quality of the environment, protecting human health and ensuring a rational use of natural resources. Further Treaty revisions have reinforced the Union’s commitment to environmental protection and the role of the European Parliament in its development. Through the Maastricht Treaty (1993), the environment has become an official EU policy area, the co-decision procedure has been introduced, and a qualified majority vote in the Council has become a general rule. The Treaty of Amsterdam (1999) established the obligation to integrate environmental protection into all EU sectoral policies in order to promote sustainable development. Through the Treaty of Lisbon (2009), „fighting climate change” and sustainable development in relations with third countries have become specific objectives. The legal personality thus enabled the EU to conclude international agreements.