SUPPORTED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION’S OBNOVA AND PHARE PROGRAMMES

EIA TRAINING RESOURCE MANUAL FOR SOUTH EASTERN

EUROPE

“Screening”

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SCREENING

*Public involvement typically occurs at these points. It may also occur at any other stage of the EIA Process

Information from this process contributes to effective EIA in the future

No EIA

Initial environmental examination

EIA required

Approved

Not approved

Redesign

Resubmit

Proposal identification

*Public involvement

Screening

Scoping

Impact analysis

Mitigation and impact

management

EIA report

Review

Decision-making

Implementation and post-EIA monitoring

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SCREENING

What is screening?

The screening process determines:

• whether or not EIA is required for a particular project

• what level of EIA is required

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SCREENING

Screening outcomes

Full or comprehensive EIA required

Limited EIA required

No EIA required

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SCREENING

Screening tools

Project lists:

• Inclusive — listed projects must undergo EIA

• Exclusive — listed projects exempted from EIA

Case-by-case examinations:

• determine whether projects may have significant environmental effects

• if so, project should undergo EIA

Combination of above

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SCREENING

A framework for screening

Mandatory EIA

Case-by-case consideration of requirement

for EIA

EIA ruled out

Inclusive threshold

Indicative threshold

Exclusive threshold

Incr

easi

ng im

pact

Incr

easi

ng im

pact

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SCREENING

Screening in accordance with the EC EIA Directive

Mandatory application: Annex I to the EC EIA Directive lists projects for which an EIA is always required.

Discretionary application: Projects listed in Annex II require screening by case-by-case examination or by reference to thresholds criteria that are established by the member state. In doing so, the following criteria listed in Annex III need to be taken into account:

• project characteristics;• project location; and• characteristics of potential environmental impacts.

Screening results of Annex II projects must be made available to the public. (Art. 2.4)

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SCREENING

‘Traffic Light’ approach to screening(an example of applying the EC EIA Directive)

Indicative or Guidance Thresholds and

Criteria

Inclusion or Mandatory Thresholds and Criteria

Exclusion Threshold Criteria

EIA is required

Need for EIA must be considered

No EIA is required

e.g. Annex I projects of Directive

e.g. Annex II projects that are not considered having significantly env. impacts + military developments

excluded from EIA

e.g. Annex II, except excluded ones, have to be

screened against Annex III criteria

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SCREENING

Screening in accordance with EC Guidance on Screening

Is the project likely to have a significant effect on a Natura 2000 site EIA

required

EIA Not required

EIA required

EIA Not required

EIA required

EIA Not required

Step 5 - Recording the Screen Decision

STEP 2 Is the project on a Mandatory List under Member State Legislation

STEP 3 Is the project on an Exclusion List Exempting it from EIA

STEP 4 Case-by-case Consideration: Is the Project likely to have significant effects on the environment

STEP 1 Is the project listed in an Annex I or II

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

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SCREENING

Screening in accordance with World Bank procedure

All proposals submitted to the World Bank must undergo environmental screening.

Environmental screening results for projects are classified into one of three EIA categories:

• Category A proposals require full EIA

• Category B proposals require partial EIA

• Category C proposals do not require EIA

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SCREENING

Screening in accordance with EBRD procedure

All proposals must undergo environmental screening to identify potential environmental risks and liabilities.

As with the World Bank, all proposals are classified into one of three EIA categories (A,B, or C).

Screening also determines if an Environmental Audit is required. If ‘yes’, the proposal is classified as Category 1, if ‘no’, it is classified as Category 0.

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SCREENING

Screening in accordance with the Espoo Convention

All proposed activities listed in Appendix I to the Convention have

to be screened for possibly significant, adverse transboundary impacts.

General guidance for determining the significance adverse

transboundary impacts is provided in Appendix III to the Convention.

In addition, concerned parties may discuss whether other activities

not listed in Appendix I to the Convention are likely to cause significant

adverse transboundary impacts and are thus subject to transboundary

EIA.

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SCREENING

Recommended elements for effective screening in SEE countries

Mandatory application of EIA should be based on the list established in Annex I of the EC EIA Directive.

Discretionary application of EIA should be based on the list established in Annex II of the EC Directive. For these projects, case-by-case screening should be applied, based on criteria defined in Annex III to the EC Directive. This will enable the fulfilment of EBRD and World Bank screening requirements.

All projects that require EIA should be immediately screened for potential transboundary impacts, based on the criteria established in Appendix III to the Espoo Convention.