The updated Environmental Information Regulations 2004 came into force on 1 January 2005. They implement European Directive 2003/4/EC on public access to environmental information and replace the 1992 Environmental Information Regulations.

Members of the public have the right to access environmental information held by public authorities.

The EIR 2004 is one of the three pieces of legislation, which make up the UK’s access to information regime along with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000 and the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998.