During the ‘Environment’ Council held on Tuesday, 17 March, several European ministers called for measures to expedite permitting procedures.
France stated that it supports the effort that the European Commission is making to simplify project authorisations. “Nevertheless, we note that, so far, this approach has resulted in sectoral derogation measures, particularly with regard to time limits for appraisals”, stressed the French delegation (see EUROPE 13829/17). France listed more than 200 potential procedures for appraising a project that has an impact on environmental legislation. It called for “a radical change in approach” by adopting a comprehensive strategic vision for priority projects benefiting from fast-track environmental procedures. France proposed introducing a single framework that is sufficiently flexible to adapt to Member States’ particularities.
France has received support from Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.
According to Commissioner for [the] Environment Jessika Roswall, the draft regulation aims to expedite environmental assessments while maintaining a high level of environmental protection. Key measures include transparent deadlines, digitalisation, and a single point of contact for those initiating projects. The commissioner stated that the rules remain flexible in order to adapt to Member States’ national structures. Furthermore, the proposal preserves recently adopted legislation (Chips Act, Net-Zero Industry Act) and is in line with other recent texts. It encouraged the EU Council to swiftly make progress on the ‘omnibus’ for simplifying environmental legislation.
Note from these countries: https://aeur.eu/f/l7q (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)