Article 4
1. The Commission shall ensure that the implementation of the relevant elements of the 7th EAP is monitored in the context of the regular monitoring process of the Europe 2020 Strategy. This process shall be informed by the European Environment Agency’s indicators on the state of the environment as well as indicators used to monitor progress in achieving existing environment and climate-related legislation and targets such as the climate and energy targets, biodiversity targets and resource efficiency milestones. 2. The Commission shall also carry out an evaluation of the 7th EAP. That evaluation shall be based, inter alia, on the European Environment Agency’s report on the state of the environment and on a consultation with interested stakeholders. The Commission shall submit a report based on this evaluation to the European Parliament and to the Council in due course before the end of the 7th EAP. 3. In the light of that evaluation and other relevant policy developments, the Commission shall, if appropriate, present a proposal for an 8th EAP in a timely manner, with a view to avoiding a gap between the 7th EAP and the 8th EAP.