Brussels, 15/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - The new EU legislation on the assessment of the impact of certain public and private projects on the environment (directive amending Directive 85/337/EC, known as the EIA directive) has been adopted. The Council gave final approval at first reading without debate, on Monday 14 April, of the directive which adapts a 30 year-old text, reinforcing it by modernising the assessment procedure, but without adding any obligatory assessment for fracking. The agreement of the Parliament, which was confirmed on 12 March, allowed this step forward to be taken (see EUROPE 11036).
New environmental factors such as biodiversity, climate change and the risk of natural disasters will be taken into account; the evaluation methods will be clearer and public involvement will be facilitated through a centralised web portal. The updated text will also make it possible to ensure that decisions to authorise development projects are not influenced by any conflicts of interest and to limit the use of derogations.
This directive, which will apply to 200 types of project - from the construction of bridges, ports and motorways right through to the intensive farming of chickens and pigs, via landfill sites - will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU. The member states will have three years to transpose it into national law. (AN)