Implementation Dialogue on environmental assessments and permitting

Commissioner for the Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy,  Jessika Roswall, will host this high-level Implementation Dialogue. The design and application of environmental assessments and environmental permitting rules at both EU and national level play a key role in integrating environmental and competitiveness considerations into projects that are crucial for our economy. These objectives are complementary and mutually beneficial, contributing to a stronger Europe. Ensuring faster permitting, while maintaining safeguards to protect human health and the environment, complements the simplification objectives.

The discussions will be structured in two blocks:

1. Aligning implementation of EU rules on environmental assessments and permitting with realities on the ground.

2. Simplification opportunities: Key ideas to make the legal framework better.

Three questions will guide the discussion:

1. What are the specific challenges with regard to environmental assessments and permitting procedures at national or regional level in Member States? Reflection is encouraged notably on strategic environmental assessment and environmental impact assessment Directives, as well as on the water, habitats, and birds directives-related requirements.

2. What best practices/success stories can be shared that facilitate environmental assessments and permitting under these instruments?

3. How can the Commission further help Member States/stakeholders to facilitate faster environmental permitting procedures including environmental assessments?

Participants

The following participants have accepted the invitation to join the meeting and to represent views from civil society, businesses - including defence, energy and energy-intensive industries - as well as European public authorities, including the judiciary:

• Arcelormittal Belgium
• Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD)
• Birdlife
• ClientEarth
• Danish Ministry of Green Transition
• Dow Benelux
• EDF SA
• European Environment Agency (EEA) - Observer
• European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
• EU Forum of Judges for the Environment (EUFJE)
• EUROMETAL / Holcim (Belgique) 
• German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection
• Holcim (Belgique) SA
• INEOS - Olefins & Polymers Europe
• Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara AB (LKAB)
• Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA)
• Ørsted Wind Power 
• Polish Ministry for Climate and Environment
• Renewables Grid Initiative
• RWE AG
• Solar Power Europe

Background 

The dialogue will gather ideas on what action is needed to promote economic development in the European Union and to ensure clean and sustainable solutions, with a particular focus on streamlining environmental permitting, including environmental assessments.  

EU legislation requires environmental assessments and public consultations to take place before plans, programmes and projects are approved or authorised. Environmental assessments can be undertaken for individual projects, such as a dam, motorway, airport or factory as well as for public plans or programmes. Adequate and timely public consultation is key for smooth project approval.

EU environmental assessments and permitting legislation aim at preventing environmental damage at source, rather than subsequently trying to counteract the effects of this damage as it would be economically more costly. 

As per President von der Leyen's mission letters, every Commissioner will organise at least two Implementation Dialogues with stakeholders each year ‘to align implementation with realities on the ground’. The European Commission continues to use other fora for discussion with Member States, businesses and civil society, such as strategic dialogues and expert meeting, and keeps generally open lines of communication, including bilateral ones, with all type of stakeholders. Implementation Dialogues are an addition in view of the intensified efforts by the Commission as regards implementation and on-ground delivery.