The Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 ('the
EIRs') are based on Directive 2003/4/EC ('the Directive'). They
give the public rights of access to environmental information
held by Scottish public authorities. The EIRs came into force on
1 January 2005 along with the Freedom of Information (Scotland)
Act 2002 ('FOISA') and cover any information that is considered
to be 'environmental information' as defined by the EIRs. The
EIRs build on previous access to information regimes such as the
Environmental Information Regulations 1992, which were amended
in 1998. These regulations gave the public the right to ask for
information which 'relates to the environment' and which was
held by a 'relevant person', such as central and local
government and other bodies with responsibilities in relation to
the environment. In 1998, the UK signed the Convention on Access
to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and
Access to Justice in Environmental Matters ('the Aarhus
Convention'), from which