Ministry of Environment and
Water
State of the Environment Bulgaria 2003
Assessment of the Impact on Environment
Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control
Elimination of Past Environmental Damages
The requirement for performing an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in Bulgaria was established in the Environmental Protection Act published in 1991. EIA has been implemented in practice following the endorsement of the Regulation on the EIA in 1992, which sets the procedure, competent authorities, scope, and contents of assessment documentation.
The EPA in its part regarding EIA has undergone considerable development, drawing on the practical development of the EIA process in Bulgaria, as well as the experience and knowledge of its implementation by the European Union member-states. The most significant amendments were made in 1997 and 2001, when specific criteria for performing obligatory EIAs were set and authorities competent of making decisions concerning EIA were clearly appointed.
The framework of the EIA procedure in the Republic of Bulgaria is in conformity with the European Union legislation, and Directive 85/337/EEC amended by Directive 97/11/EC in particular. Obligations for implementing EIA in the Republic of Bulgaria ensue also from the UN/ECE Convention on EIA in a Transboundary Context, which was ratified by Bulgaria in 1995 and has been in force since 1997.
Current legislation makes unambiguous provision for the right of the public (persons injured and concerned by the project realization, including not-for-profit company representatives) to express their attitude towards the EIA results in the course of public discussions, as well as for the right of concerned persons to appeal against the decisions issued with regard to the EIA before the court.
In 2001 Bulgaria hosted the Second Meeting .......................
Last update on March 2003