UK must rewrite EIA rules

The UK has until May 2017 to rewrite its rules on environmental impact assessment (EIA) after the revised EIA Directive was published in the EU’s official journal on 25 April.

The revised directive must be transposed into national law within three years after it enters force on 16 May.

The most significant change includes a more standardised approach to deciding when an EIA is needed (screening), a requirement to use “competent experts” for EIAs and requirements for monitoring after development takes place.