The heads of relevant subdivisions of the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Donetsk Regional State Administration during a working visit to Mariupol conducted a training seminar for the structural units of the City Council. We discussed the topics of particular requirements of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Environmental Impact Assessment’ and the entry into force of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Strategic Environmental Assessment’.
The aforementioned Laws adopted within the framework of European integration and the implementation of European directives in Ukraine are aimed at preventing damage to the environment, ensuring environmental safety, environmental protection and rational use of natural resources.
‘The City Council should carry out its activities exclusively within the framework of the current legislation; therefore, it is important for responsible specialists of relevant departments to thoroughly understand the requirements of the aforementioned new laws of Ukraine and take them into account in their work. For this purpose that we have invited colleagues from the regional state administration to hold such an event,’ Vahagn Mnatsakanyan, the Head of the Environmental, Energy Management and Labor Protection Department of the City Council.
Note that the Law of Ukraine ‘On Environmental Impact Assessment’ has been in effect since December 18, 2017 and establishes the legal and organizational framework for environmental impact assessment, aimed at preventing damage to the environment, ensuring environmental safety, environmental protection, rational use and reproduction natural resources in the decision-making process on economic activities that may have a significant impact on the environment, taking into account the state government, public and private interests. The scope of environmental impact assessment is defined in Art. 3 of the Law ‘On Environmental Impact Assessment’.
The Law of Ukraine ‘On Strategic Environmental Assessment’ entered into force on October 12, 2018 and regulates relations in the field of environmental impact assessment, including public health, when executing state planning documents and extends to state planning documents. State planning documents include: strategies, plans, schemes, town planning documentation, target programs etc. The scope is defined by Art. 2 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Strategic Environmental Assessment’. The Law also applies to the introduction of amendments to the relevant state planning documents adopted prior to the enactment of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Strategic Environmental Assessment’.