Hellenic-Romanian Cooperation on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context

The present Hellenic – Romanian research project (Bucharest-Athens, 2003) deals with environmental impact assessment (EIA) in a transboundary context at sub-regional level. Its principal aim is to help the Administrations of both countries, Greece and Romania, to develop and organize their EIA bilateral cooperation on the firm basis of the Espoo Convention. The project is financed by the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the framework of the Hellenic International Development Cooperation (HELLENIC AID).

Environmental impact assessment constitutes one of the leading instruments of modern environmental policy and law. At the international level, the Espoo Convention is a benchmark for multilateral environmental agreements, a central point of reference in the development of international environmental protection through treaty law. At European Union level, the catalytic role of the EIA directive 85/337 as amended by directive 97/11/EC in shaping the Community environmental and sustainable development policy is well-known and recognized.

The newly adopted directive on Strategic Environmental Assessment (2001/42/EC) enhanced the system of environmental protection covering the effects of certain plans and programmes which are likely to have significant effects on the environment, in the framework of promoting sustainable development. At the national level, in both countries, the political and legal/scientific discussion on environmental law and policy issues is concerned to a large degree with questions related to the appropriate drafting, interpretation and implementation of the “environmental impact assessment”-rules. Thus, the legal instrument of EIA is of equal importance as regards each side of this triangular relationship (international-Community-national legislation).

Therefore, the present project synthesizes the detailed study of EIA-elements of all these three legal spheres, in order to examine and evaluate the legal, administrative and institutional prerequisites for the effective application of this leading environmental law and policy instrument also to the transboundary and sub-regional  environmental relations of Greece and Romania.

From a practical point of view the project can prove of great assistance to the administrations of both countries. Developing an effective and forward looking sub-regional EIA cooperation is, without question, a great challenge for the Southeastern European region. Many countries in Southeastern Europe are still in an unpleasant economic situation. Governments in the region have to carry out infrastructure projects and to modernize existing industrial and other units, in order to foster development. New works and activities have to be planned, in order to fight unemployment and to promote social cohesion. Works and activities, plans and programmes have to be planned and carried out in an ecologically sound way within the carrying capacity of ecosystems.

CVs  comprise the profile of the scientific experts participating in the project.

CONTRIBUTIONS   contain the experts’ research papers

DOCUMENTS list environmental treaties, EC directives, national legislation and factual papers as maps and tables with EIA relevance.

The views expressed in the individual contributions are strictly personal and do not reflect those of the Institutions, Organs or NGOs, with whom the authors cooperate or by whom they are employed.
SCIENTIFIC TEAM – CVs

• “NOMOS + PHYSIS” (LAW AND NATURE)

• Ecological Co-operation Group (GEC)

• CVs of SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS

CONTRIBUTIONS

• INTRODUCTION. Prof. G. Papadimitriou

• IMPLEMENTING THE ESPOO CONVENTION THROUGH SUBREGIONAL COOPERATION. Petros Patronos

• THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE TRANSBOUNDARY (SUB-REGIONAL) EIA PROCESSES. Vivi Roumeliotou

• THE EU POLICY AND LAW ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND STRATEGIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN A TRANSBOUNDARY CONTEXT. George Karipsiades

• ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN THE GREEK NATIONAL LEGAL SYSTEM. Maria Florou

• THE SITUATION IN ROMANIA REGARDING LEGISLATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT. M. Dutu, M. Nistor, D. Manoleli, C. Sarbu

• ROMANIAN EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD OF EIA APPLICATION AND COOPERATION – CASE STUDIES. M. Nistor, D. Manoleli, C. Sarbu, M. Dutu

• THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCING INSTITUTIONS IN THE (TRANSBOUNDARY-SUBREGIONAL) APPLICATION OF EIA RULES AND PROCEDURES (EIB, EBRD, WORLD BANK). D. Manoleli, C. Sarbu, M. Dutu, M. Nistor

• SUMMARY OF THE ROMANIAN EIA SYSTEM AND COMPARISON WITH WORLD BANK REQUIREMENTS. D. Manoleli, C. Sarbu, M. Nistor, M. Dutu

• PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE ROMANIAN EIA SYSTEM FOR COMPATIBILITY WITH WORLD BANK OP 4.01. D. Manoleli, M. Nistor, C. Sarbu, M. Dutu

• PROJECT CYCLES AND EIA PROCESS. D. Manoleli, C. Sarbu, M. Dutu, M. Nistor

• TRANS-FRONTIER PROJECTS ON ROMANIAN BORDER. C. Sarbu, D. Manoleli, M. Dutu, M. Nistor

• CONCLUDING NEW BI-LATERAL AGREEMENTS ON TRANSBOUNDARY EIA. M. Dutu, M. Nistor, D. Manoleli, C. Sarbu

• CURRENT LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL STATUS EVOLUTION IN ROMANIA IN REGARD TO EIA IN A TRANSBOUNDARY CONTEXT. M. Nistor, M. Dutu, D. Manoleli, C. Sarbu

• GENERAL ASPECTS AS FRAMEWORK FOR ESTABLISHING EIA ON ROMANIAN BORDER. D. Manoleli, C. Sarbu, M. Dutu, M. Nistor

• MAIN PRINCIPLES IN THE SPATIAL PLANNING ACTIVITIES THAN CAN DEFINE SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR TRANSBOUNDARY AREAS. C. Sarbu, M. Nistor, D. Manoleli, M. Dutu

• PROPOSAL FOR A BILATERAL/SUBREGIONAL AGREEMENT ON COOPERATION FOR PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF TRANSBOUNDARY ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND FOR IMPLEMENTING PROCEDURES FOR EIA IN A TRANSBOUNDARY CONTEXT – MODEL 1. M. Dutu, D. Manoleli, M

• AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC AND THE GOVERNMENT OF ROMANIA ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN A TRANSBOUNDARY CONTEXT – MODEL 2. P. Patronos, V. Roumeliotou, G. Karipsiades, M. Florou

• CONCLUSIONS AND PROPOSALS

DOCUMENTS

• Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context – Espoo Convention

• Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment to the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context – Espoo Strategic Protocol

• Second Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context

• Guidance on Subregional Cooperation

• Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters – Aarhus Convention

• United Nations environment programme and Australian government environment regulation for accident prevention in mining tailings and chemicals management

• Directive 97/11/EC – EIA Directive

• Directive 2001/42/EC – SEA Directive

• Directive 2003/4/EC – Public Access to Environmental Information

• Directive 2003/35/EC – Public Participation

• EU Sixth Environmental Program 2001-2010

• 2003 Regular Report on Romania’s Progress towards Accession

• Romanian Law no.137 of 1995 on the Environmental Protection, as amended by Emergency Ordinance No. 91/2002

• Romanian Law No. 294/2003 amending Law No. 137/1995

• Romanian GD nr. 918 / 2002

• Romanian Order No.864/2002

• Romanian Decision 1115/2002 on Free Access to Environmental Information

• Romanian Order No. 1182/2002 on Environmental Information Management

• Current Policies, Strategies and Aspects of Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context – Experiences in UNECE Countries

• Romania, possible transborder environment impact – New Projects

• Romania, possible transborder environment impact – New projects – Energy lines

• Romania, possible transborder environment impact – Roads

• Romania, possible transborder environment impact – Railroads

• Agreement between the Government of Romania and the Government of the Hellenic Republic on Co-operation in the field of Environmental Protection and the Management of the Seashore Areas

• Brief Presentation of the SEA Protocol to the Espoo Convention

Facebook

0

Twitter

Linkedin

email

Print