What Should Be the System of Environmental Assessment?

Maria Karas, Legal Adviser of the Association of European Business, took part in the series of training workshops on developing legislative framework for the environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment in line with the UNECE Espoo Convention and its Protocol on SEA in Belarus.

During the workshop the international legal framework of environmental assessment, experiences regarding current legislative reform of environmental impact assessment systems in the countries of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus and existing environmental assessment framework in the Republic of Belarus were discussed. Conceptual differences between SEA and OVOS/environmental expertise system were presented as well.

The workshop participants discussed options to ensure compliance with international requirements under EIA in Belarus, the speakers focused on the role of EIA report and options to incorporate the results of consultations with national authorities and the results of public participation into the final decision.

The participants also discussed issues of implementing the provisions of the UNECE Protocol on SEA and the EU Directive on SEA in the legislation of the Republic of Belarus.