PlanNet Europe
European Planning Law Network on Environmental Impact Assessment in Urban Planning
European law is having a growing impact on urban development. The increasing influence of EU environmental law on urban planning is particularly strong. The environmental requirements imposed on urban planning law and practice for certain public and private projects by the EU Directives on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) provide a notable example, particularly affecting the listed "industrial estate development projects" and "urban development projects". In the near future, further requirements will have to be met pursuant to the "Strategic EIA (SEA)" (Directive on EIA for Plans and Programmes).
Given this situation common to all member states, the time is ripe for an exchange of experience at the European level on the implementation of EIA and SEA directives into national planning law and on EIA and SEA in urban planning practice. Being aware of the manifest lack of communication in Europe between urban planning law experts and practitioners in these fields, the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Housing has taken an initial step towards developing a European network. In 2001 and 2002 two European meetings dealing with the implementation of EIA and SEA directives in the member states and EIA and SEA in urban planning practice have been organised. Both conferences addressed urban development law experts from member countries of the European Union working at the interface with EU environmental law and urban planning practitioners and researchers from EU member states.
