Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive
Overview
The main idea of the SEA is that the environmental effects of certain projects should be identified in advance, even at an earlier stage than specified by the EIA Directive. In contrast to the EIA Directive, which requires an environmental assessment for projects, the SEA Directive applies to the strategic or planning stage that precedes the action project stage. The application of the SEA is therefore prior to the EIA. Further, the SEA Directive does not refer to policies.
In line with this, the assessment of environmental concerns at such an early stage is an expression of the principle of sustainability.
The SEA Directive entered into force in 2001 and should have been transposed by July 2004 (Article 13 SEA Directive).
Article 1 of the Directive states that its objective is “to provide for a high level of protection of the environment and to contribute to the integration of environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of plans and programmes with a view to promoting sustainable development”.