Reforming strategic environmental assessment systems: lessons from Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

An increasing number of countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) have established some form of provision for strategic environmental assessment (SEA). Adoption and development in the region has been noteworthy and several countries have established legal frameworks that are relatively progressive. Some countries, notably the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland, also have a record of SEA practice. Their experience, particularly at policy level, is impressive even when judged by international standards and includes a number of aspects and lessons for SEA practitioners in other countries. Within CEE, this information has been shared already through regional exchanges, which themselves represent an interesting innovation in SEA capacity building and networking.

Keywords:

• strategic environmental assessment
• development planning
• environmental objectives
• Sofia EIA initiative
• transitional countries
• Central and Eastern Europe