Subthemes
- Approaches to screening and scoping
- Public Participation
- Relationship between SEA and strategic decision-making
- Consideration of Environmental and Health Risks
- Climate change
- SEA and Social Impact Assessment
- Cumulative impacts
- SEA and physical planning
- SEA and transboundary consultations
- Judicial practice
- SEA procedure efficiency
Possible thematic challenges
- Are we undertaking SEA for key plans and programmes? Are we missing any critical decision-making fields in the SEA application?
- How do we best approach SEA for minor modifications of plans/programmes and SEA for plans and programmes regarding use of small areas at local level and minor modifications to plans and programmes?
- Are we effectively linking the inter-related SEA processes and streamlining them based on the Article 4.3 and Article 5.3 of the SEA Directive?
- Are we focusing SEAs on key concerns related to environmental sustainability of proposed plans and programmes that matter in decision-making and public debates? What can be improved?
- How can we best consider Green Deal aspirations for climate neutrality, climate resilience and circular economy in SEAs?
- How can we effectively consider(„Do Not Significant Harm“)"and the new EU taxonomy for sustainable activities defined by the Regulation (EU) 2020/852 in SEA?
- What are the key challenges and typical shortcomings in our current assessments of cumulative effects? What approaches work well?
- How to ensure impartiality and quality in the SEA conclusions?
- Who has the overall responsibility for the SEA procedure: planning authority (i.e. authority responsible for the preparation of the plan/programme) or environmental authority?
- What is the role of the planning authority "in screening,, " in scoping"public participation, consultation with other authorities, taking into account the results of SEA and in monitoring etc)?
- What is the role of the authorities having"in screening", "in scoping", public participation, consultation with other authorities, in taking into account the results of SEA in the plan/programme and in monitoring?
- Are there any other bodies (independent commissions etc.) taking part in"in screening", "in scoping" public participation, consultation with other authorities, in taking into account the results of SEA in the plan/programme, and in monitoring?
- Is there only one or more authorities having “specific environmental responsibilities” involved in SEA procedure? If only one - which agency or body performs usually the role of the “environmental authority”?
- Which authority is responsible for the preparation of the“environmental report”provided for by art. 5 of the SEA Directive?
- What is the legal form (binding or non-binding) of consultations with authorities having “specific environmental responsibilities” "in screening" (art.3.6)"in scoping"(art.5.4) and in expressing“their opinion on the draft plan or programme and the accompanying environmental report”(art.6.2)?
- Is there any specific document serving as the"Conclusions" derived from the SEA process and documenting due account taken of the results of SEA (art.8)? Who prepares it? What is its legal status?
- If there is a separation of roles among the “planning” and the “environmental” agencies, what happens in case of a disagreement between them as to the conclusions (or conditions) derived from the SEA or about the way in which the proposed plan should be amended accordingly?
- Is it possible that the role of the “planning authority” and that of the “environmental authority”coincide in same body or agency??