This book examines, in line with the demands of the Aarhus Convention, the participation opportunities for civil society organizations in the area of environmental protection at the European Union (EU) Institutions throughout the policy cycle as a whole. The study aims at alleviating the paradox that arises in litigation in environmental matters before the European Court of Justice. For this purpose, the current standing rules are assessed and potential reforms are discussed in detail. Based on the rules existing in, for instance, the EU Member States and the USA, the author formulates a proposal for a new article in the Statutes and Rules of Procedure of the European Court of Justice to allow for the submission of "amicus curiae" briefs.