Accidents at Bhopal and Mexico City have prompted the European Community to consider extending the 'Seveso' Directive on major accident hazards to Include land use control. Planning has an Important role to play in preventing the juxtaposition of hazards and population and there is a need for greater consistency across Europe. However, some countries such as the Netherlands, France and the UK have already established safety as a planning concern, with significant variations in approach. Any European Community provisions will need to accommodate these pre-existing regulatory cultures. Proposals which balance between the need for consistency and flexibility are made and likely implementation problems identified.