On 21-22 October 2013, Lviv hosted a round-table discussion “Implementing European standards of environmental impact assessment in Ukraine”.
On the eve of the Vilnius summit and in view of Meetings of Parties to the Aarhus and Espoo Conventions next year, Environment-People-Law (hereinafter – EPL) organized a discussion of the issue of improving the national legal framework for environmental impact assessment involving national and international experts in this field, representatives of central executive authorities, academic institutions and the public interested in environmental protection.
Implementing in Ukraine the system of environmental impact assessment of European type is a prerequisite of Ukraine’s signing the EU Association Agreement. If Ukraine does not take certain steps, in particular if it does not adopt the draft law “On Amending Some Laws of Ukraine on Realization of Provisions of the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in Transboundary Context” (registration #2109a) that went through the first reading in the Parliament on 17 September this year, the most serious sanctions – deprivation of rights and privileges – will be imposed on Ukraine.
During the round-table there were discussions of recommendations for reforming the system of environmental impact assessment developed by experts of EPL project “Enforcing European standards of environmental impact assessment in Ukraine” on the basis of comparative analysis of Ukrainian and European legislation. The participants of the round-table discussed an optimal model of environmental impact assessment for Ukraine that would take into account political and economic situation in the country and comply with European standards.
The round-table was attended by the Head of the Parliamentary Committee on environmental policy, nature use and liquidation of consequences of Chornobyl accident Iryna Sekh. She stated that “ lack of environmental impact assessment opens possibilities for malpractices and non-compliance of developers with environmental legislation, desire to economize on environmental protection and healthy conditions for human life. Thus, it is vitally important to amend the Laws of Ukraine “On Regulation of Municipal Construction”, “On Environmental Expertise” that would restore the obligation of conducting proper environmental impact assessment of construction projects and holding public hearings for specific projects.” The Head of the Committee on environmental policy noted that the Committee will prepare the draft law #2109a for the second reading and invited participants of the round-table to submit to the Committee conclusions and proposals gathered in the course of the discussion.
A participant of the round-table was a member of the Espoo Convention Implementation Committee, professor of Wroclaw University Jerzy Jendroska who spoke about experience of Poland and other EU countries in the sphere of developing the institute of environmental impact assessment and wished Ukraine success in conducting reforms in this sphere.
Also, at the round-table there was a presentation of an analytical and referential publication on environmental impact assessment prepared by EPL lawyers and external experts. The publication can be found on the web-site of EPL in the rubrics “Publications”.
The round-table was held within the project “Enforcement of European standards of environmental impact assessment in Ukraine” realized by Environment-People-Law and supported by the European program of International Renaissance Foundation.
The goal of the European program of International Renaissance Foundation is to promote European integration of Ukraine through combining external pressure of the European Union with internal pressure of Ukrainian civil society for strengthening values of open society in Ukraine.
International charitable organization Environment-People-Law (EPL) was founded in 1994 with the aim to provide help for protection of environmental rights of physical and legal entities, to protect the environment for society, promote development of nature preservation, environmental education, science and culture.
