SWD(2012) 355 Final
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EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 26.10.2012 SWD(2012) 355 final COMMISSION STAFF WORKING PAPER IMPACT ASSESSMENT Accompanying the document PROPOSAL FOR A DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment This report commits only the Commission's services involved in its preparation and does not prejudge the final form of any decision to be taken by the Commission. {COM(2012) 628 final} {SWD(2012) 354 final} EN EN COMMISSION STAFF WORKING PAPER IMPACT ASSESSMENT Accompanying the document PROPOSAL FOR A DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment This report commits only the Commission's services involved in its preparation and does not prejudge the final form of any decision to be taken by the Commission. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction.................................................................................................................. 1 2. Procedural Issues and Consultation of Interested Parties ............................................ 1 2.1. Organisation and timing............................................................................................... 1 2.2. External expertise......................................................................................................... 2 2.3. Consultation of interested parties................................................................................. 2 2.4. Consultation of the Impact Assessment Board (IAB).................................................. 2 3. Policy Context, Problem Definition and Subsidiarity.................................................. 3 3.1. Policy context: overview of the application of the EIA Directive............................... 3 3.1.1. Main features of the EIA procedure............................................................................. 3 3.1.2. Key information on the application of the EIA Directive across the EU..................... 4 3.1.3. Direct administrative costs from the application of the EIA Directive........................ 5 3.1.4. Environmental and wider socio-economic benefits ..................................................... 6 3.2. Problem definition........................................................................................................ 8 3.2.1. Factors limiting the environmental and socio-economic benefits of the EIA.............. 8 3.2.2. Higher socio-economic costs limiting the effectiveness of the EIA.......................... 10 3.2.3. Need for action to address the EIA shortcomings...................................................... 11 3.3. Specific problems and their underlying causes.......................................................... 12 3.3.1. Problems related to the insufficiencies of the screening process............................... 13 3.3.2. Problems related to the insufficient quality and analysis of the EIA......................... 14 3.3.3. Problems related to the risks of inconsistencies in the EIA process.......................... 15 EN 1 EN 3.4. The baseline scenario ................................................................................................. 17 3.4.1. Evolution of the environmental impacts in the baseline scenario.............................. 17 3.4.2. Evolution of the direct administrative costs in the baseline scenario ........................ 17 3.4.3. Evolution of the wider socio-economic impacts in the baseline scenario ................. 18 3.5. Who is affected?......................................................................................................... 19 3.6. Justification of the EU’s right to act .......................................................................... 19 4. Objectives................................................................................................................... 20 4.1. General objective ....................................................................................................... 20 4.2. Specific objectives ..................................................................................................... 20 4.2.1. Introduction and/or strengthening of the quality related elements of the Directive .. 20 4.2.2. Enhancing of policy coherence and synergies with other EU/international law and simplification of procedures....................................................................................... 21 4.3. Interdependence between objectives and consistency with EU policies ................... 22 5. Policy Options............................................................................................................ 23 5.1. Policy options discarded ............................................................................................ 23 5.2. Description of the policy options selected for the detailed impact assessment ......... 24 5.2.1. Option 0+ - Guidance approach................................................................................. 26 5.2.2. Option 1- Technical adaptation.................................................................................. 27 5.2.3. Option 2 - Modifications of substance....................................................................... 29 6. Analysis of Impacts.................................................................................................... 31 6.1. Environmental impacts .............................................................................................. 32 6.1.1. Environmental impacts of the various possible amendments to the EIA .................. 32 6.1.2. Environmental impacts of the identified policy options ............................................ 35 6.1.3. Summary of environmental impacts of the policy options ........................................ 36 6.2. Direct administrative costs......................................................................................... 37 6.2.1. Direct administrative costs of the possible amendments to the EIA.......................... 37 6.2.2. Direct administrative costs of the policy options....................................................... 44 6.3. Wider socio-economic impacts.................................................................................. 45 6.3.1. Wider socio-economic impacts of the possible amendments to the EIA................... 45 6.3.2. Additional wider socio-economic impacts specific to each amendment ................... 48 6.3.3. Wider socio-economic impacts of the policy options................................................ 50 EN 2 EN 7. Comparing the Options .............................................................................................. 51 7.1. Comparison and cost-benefits analysis of the possible amendments......................... 51 7.2. Comparison of the policy options .............................................................................. 53 8. Monitoring and Evaluation ........................................................................................ 56 8.1. Indicators of progress................................................................................................. 56 8.2. Monitoring and evaluation arrangements................................................................... 56 9. Glossary ..................................................................................................................... 58 10. Annexes...................................................................................................................... 59 10.1. Annex 1: Information on the EIA Directive .............................................................. 59 10.2. Annex 2: Information on the meetings of the IASG.................................................. 60 10.3. Annex 3: Main sources and studies used ................................................................... 60 10.3.1. Legislation.................................................................................................................. 60 10.3.2. Commission documents ............................................................................................. 61 10.3.3. Guidance documents and studies ............................................................................... 62 10.3.4. Literature.................................................................................................................... 62 10.4. Annex 4: Detailed information on the key parameters related to the application of the EIA Directive ............................................................................................................. 66 10.4.1. Number of EIAs processed ........................................................................................ 66 10.4.2. Number of screenings undertaken.............................................................................. 69 10.4.3. Share of positive and negative screening decisions ................................................... 70 10.4.4. Average duration of the EIA process......................................................................... 72 10.4.5. Number and size of actors involved in EIA processes............................................... 74 10.5. Annex 5: Detailed description of specific aspects of the problem............................. 76 10.5.1. Issues related to screening.........................................................................................