Report under Article 12(3) of Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment

This second implementation report on Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment (‘Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive’, or ‘SEAD’) presents the experience gained in applying the SEAD between 2007 and 2014. The findings of this report will feed into an evaluation of the SEAD that will be carried out as part of the Commission’s Regulatory Fitness and Performance (REFIT) programme.

The SEAD implements the principle of environmental integration and protection laid down in Articles 11 and 191 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. It provides for a high level of protection of the environment and helps integrate environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of certain plans and programmes. To this end, the Directive requires an environmental assessment of plans and programmes which are likely to have significant effects on the environment.

The SEAD does not lay down any measurable environmental standards. It is essentially a process directive, which establishes certain steps that Member States must follow when identifying and assessing environmental effects. The strategic environmental assessment (SEA) process is about helping policy makers take well-informed decisions, based on objective information and the results of consultation with the public/stakeholders and relevant authorities.