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Warsaw, 10 June 2008 (10 June 2008, in Warsaw) The conference, as organised under Jean Monnet Programme (see Box below) was aimed at discussion on the Draft Proposal for the Act on the public rights in the protection of the environment, environmental impact assessment, and administrative authorities in this regard. The objectives of the meeting included also discussion of amendments proposed to this end in Nature Conservation Act. The conference was organized by Collegium Civitas, in Warsaw. Professor Maciej Nowicki, Minister of the Environment, delivered his welcome address to the participants. Then, Dr. Maciej Trzeciak, Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of the Environment, Chief Nature Conservator, delivered presentation titled "Directions for reform of environmental legislation on the background of the Draft Proposal for the Act on the public rights in the protection of the environment, environmental impact assessment, and administrative authorities in this regard, and the amendments proposed to this end in Nature Conservation Act". The issues of environmental impact assessment in the light of the amendments proposed by Ministry of the Environment were presented by Dr. Piotr Otawski, Adviser to Minister of the Environment, and those of the EIA in case law of the European Court of Justice were described by Dr. Aleksander Gubrynowicz, Coordinator of Jean Monnet Project at Collegium Civitas. Then, the EIA issues were further considered in course of numerous discussions and consultations, since EIA includes mostly important topic influencing national development, with regard not only to social or economic aspects but also those referring to respecting environmental principles. In case Poland fails to harmonise its environmental impact assessment legislation it, according to the standpoint by the European Commission, will be refused financial resources designated for infrastructure. No donation would be then approved by the EC for the Infrastructure and Environment Operational Programme in view of construction of roads and motorways. Just to recall, in 2006, European Commission adjudicated that Poland not entirely transposed the provisions of Directive 85/337/EEC (Council Directive of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment) and made our country obliged to introduce immediate changes in legal provisions on the investment process and environmental impact assessment procedures. With regard to this situation, the present Management of Ministry of the Environment prepared that new Draft Proposal for the Act on the access to information on the environment and its protection and environmental impact assessment that is entirely compliant with the Community EIA legal provisions will form the basis for the further implementation of the relevant investments. The Ministry's intention is that new Act could enter into force yet in this year and the beneficiaries could be then provided with both the decisions and donations this end. However, before the said
new Act comes into force, Ministry of the Environment in collaboration
with Ministry of Regional Development has had in place the guidelines prepared
for beneficiaries of the Operational Programmes. The guidelines are available
on websites of all three Ministries concerned, i.e. Environmental, Regional
Development, and Infrastructure. The aim of the guidelines is to reduce
any possible mistakes in pursue of environmental impact assessment that
could occur and affect preparation or implementation of projects co-financed
under the relevant Operational Programmes.
Photos: G.Stasiak
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