AbstractThe geographical dimension in the environmental policy of the European Union (EU) is mainly visible in a twofold sense: neighbouring countries are likely to share similar concerns because pollution is sometimes a transboundary problem (the ‘physical’ dimension); and neighbouring countries will probably develop similar interests and pursue similar goals in environmental policy (the ‘political’ dimension). In combination these two dimensions have fostered a division between northern countries (defending a strict pollution control policy) and southern countries (fighting against soil erosion, forest fires …) in environmental policy. Southern countries, along with Ireland, have got the EU to approve the cohesion fund as a mechanism for financing environmental measures, among others, in the poorer European countries.