Decree on Environmental Impact Assessment - no. 21/GOL.

This Decree, consisting of 87 articles, divided into 13 Parts, provides for management and implementation of environmental impact assessment activities, in order to ensure correctness and transparency in doing these activities, to protect environment and mitigate or remedy negative impacts on it, to improve livelihood of affected people, to make an efficient use of natural resources and to contribute to the implementation of the National Social and Economic Development Plan. The Decree applies to persons, entities and organisations, in both the public and private sectors, domestic and foreign, that operate investment projects and activities in the Country. The Decree defines environmental impact assessment as a process of studying, analysing and evaluating beneficial and adverse impacts that investment activities or projects may cause on the social and natural environment. The Decree also provides the definition of relevant terms, including: environment; social environment; natural environment; environmental impact; environmental restoration; environmental management monitoring plan; affected person; direct, indirect, beneficial and adverse impact. The State promotes international cooperation and formulates policies in order to facilitate environmental impact assessment activities.
Matters covered by this Decree concern: screening and grouping of investment projects and activities; types of environmental impact assessment: preliminary and comprehensive assessment; rights, duties and responsibilities of specialists; public involvement in projects planning and inspection; issuance of environmental certificates; rights and obligations of affected persons and the project’s owner; data collection concerning environmental impact assessment; prohibitions; dispute resolution; final provisions.