Presidential Decree establishing criteria for the implementation of article 40, paragraph 1, of Act of 22 February 1994, No. 146 on the Environmental Impact Assessment.

The Decree establishes conditions, criteria and technical provisions for the application of the Environmental Impact Assessment procedure to the projects included in Annex II to the Council Directive No. 85/337/CEE. Annex A to the present Decree lists out the projects that are subject to the Environmental Impact Assessment (e.g., production of pesticides, storage of hazardous substances, waste treatment plants, etc.). Annex B concerns the projects to be carried out, totally or partially, in protected nature areas and, therefore, subject to the Environmental Impact Assessment (e.g., animal breeding, fish culture, metals processing or food processing plants, building of infrastructures, etc.). The Environmental Impact Assessment aims, inter alia, at: (a) the protection and the improvement of the quality of life and the conservation of the biodiversity and reproduction capacity of the ecosystems; (b) the evaluation of the impact on humans, fauna, flora, soil, underground and surface waters, air, climate, landscaping aspects; (c) exchange of information between the applicant and the appropriate authority. Articles 5-12 describe in details the procedure of the Environmental Impact Assessment (application, documentation to be submitted, evaluation by the appropriate authority, issue of the authorization, etc.).