Environmental audit includes assessment of the factual data necessary to evaluate performance.

An environmental assessment carried out under this Directive shall be without prejudice to any requirements under Directive 85/337/EEC and to any other Community law requirements.

The environmental assessment referred to in Article 3 shall be carried out during the preparation of a plan or programme and before its adoption or submission to the legislative procedure.

An environmental assessment, in accordance with Articles 4 to 9, shall be carried out for plans and programmes referred to in paragraphs 2 to 4 which are likely to have significant environmental effects.

Environmental assessment is an important tool for integrating environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of certain plans and programmes which are likely to have significant effects on the environment in the Member States, because it ensures that such effects of implementing plans and programmes are taken into account during their preparation and before their adoption.

b) assessment of identified effects in terms of the environmental objectives of the plan;

- details of the assessment of possible alternatives with regard to the effect on the environmental objectives of the plan;

DECREE on the environmental report and on the detailed procedure for a full environmental assessment of plans

For plans and programmes subject to strategic environmental assessment, each Party shall ensure that an environmental report is prepared.

A ` Project Preparation Facility` provides financial support for the preparation of the Final Project Proposals (e.g. feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments, etc.).

(1) The preparer of the plan shall commence the global assessment procedure at the second stage when he forwards to the ministry a draft of the plan, the environmental report and the review of the audit report.

protected areas), the provisions of the regulation governing assessment of acceptability of the effects of the implementation of plans on protected areas shall also be applied in the preparation of the environmental report.

the draft plan is a phase in the preparation of the plan where the plan is prepared to a degree of finality that enables assessment of its effects on the environment on the basis of an environmental report;

the ministry) for an opinion on the suitability of the starting-points for the preparation of the environmental report for specific cases of global assessment of the environmental effects of the implementation of plans (hereinafter:

The environmental report shall, in accordance with the determination under article 6, identify, describe and evaluate the likely significant environmental, including health, effects of implementing the plan or programme and its reasonable alternatives.

Applying the precautionary principle, the polluter pays principle and the method of environmental impact assessment, and utilizing the best available techniques and the best environmental practices, as provided for in Article 4 of the Convention,

Mindful of the need for and importance of enhancing international cooperation in assessing the transboundary environmental, including health, effects of proposed plans and programmes, and, to the extent appropriate, policies and legislation,

` Strategic environmental assessment` means the evaluation of the likely environmental, including health, effects, which comprises the determination of the scope of an environmental report and its preparation, the carrying-out of public participation and consultations, and the taking into account of the environmental report and the results of the public participation and consultations in a plan or programme.

The relevant provisions of this Protocol shall apply without prejudice to the UNECE Conventions on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context and on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters.

` feasibility study` means the study before designing of the gas pipeline, carried out by the founders with a view to determine technical, environmental, economic and financial feasibility of the construction of the gas pipeline and/or assess the viability of utilisation of the existing gas pipeline for the implementation of the project.

Each Party shall encourage operators whose activities have a significant impact on the environment to inform the public regularly of the environmental impact of their activities and products, where appropriate within the framework of voluntary eco-labelling or eco-auditing schemes or by other means.

(1) This Decree sets out, in accordance with Article 5 of and Annex I to Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment (OJ L 197 of 21 July 2001, p. 30), the detailed contents and scope of the information that must be provided by an environmental report.

(a) Assess, on the basis of all information made available to it in accordance with the provisions of this Protocol, the implementation of this Protocol by the Parties, the overall effects of the measures taken pursuant to this Protocol, in particular environmental, economic and social effects as well as their cumulative impacts and the extent to which progress towards the objective of the Convention is being achieved;

Regulation (EC) No 761/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2001 allowing a voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS)

Regulation (EC) No 761/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2001 allowing a voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) (OJ L 114, 24.4.2001, p. 1).

Regulation (EC) No 761/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2001 allowing voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco management and audit scheme (EMAS) (OJ L 114, 24.4.2001, p. 1).

Should contracting authorities, in the cases referred to in Article 48(2)(f), require the production of certificates drawn up by independent bodies attesting the compliance of the economic operator with certain environmental management standards, they shall refer to the Community Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) or to environmental management standards based on the relevant European or international standards certified by bodies conforming to Community law or the relevant European or international standards concerning certification.

"costs" means costs which are justified by the need to ensure the proper and effective implementation of this Directive including the costs of assessing environmental damage, an imminent threat of such damage, alternatives for action as well as the administrative, legal, and enforcement costs, the costs of data collection and other general costs, monitoring and supervision costs.

(1) To realize the principle of prevention and to assess the compatibility of an envisaged activity with technical and other regulations and environmental characteristics of the location, an environmental impact assessment shall be carried out to determine the acceptability of the intended activity relative to its direct and indirect long and short term effects on the environment.

In such cases, should the contracting entities require the production of certificates drawn up by independent bodies attesting the compliance of the economic operator with certain environmental management standards, they shall refer to the EMAS or to environmental management standards based on the relevant European or international standards certified by bodies conforming to Community law or the relevant European or international standards concerning certification.

I-A. 5. 4. Environmental management system audit

REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING INTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITING

knowledge of information audit (Environmental Statement).

The eco-management and audit scheme and its objectives

knowledge and understanding of environmental auditing requirements and methodology;

carry out, or cause to be carried out, environmental auditing in accordance with the requirements set out in Annex II.

The organisation's environmental auditing programme shall define in writing the objectives of each audit or audit cycle including the audit frequency for each activity.

The audits shall be designed to assess the environmental performance of the organisation;

These methods are capable of greater precision than is likely to be required for environmental assessment.

technical defects in the environmental review, or audit method, or environmental management system, or any other relevant process,

allowing voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS)

have the environmental management system and audit programme verified in accordance with the requirements of Annex V, point 5. 6;

(9) The Council and the Member States adopted on 15 July 1996 a Resolution on Environmental Assessment in Development Cooperation.

The organisation shall establish and maintain (a) programme(s) and procedures for periodic environmental management system audits to be carried out, in order to

initial environmental review if appropriate, environmental management system, environmental audit and its results and the environmental statement;

- support for the development and application of environment assessment tools in the preparation and implementation of policies, strategies, programmes and projects,

Inter alia, the environmental verifier should use spot-checks to determine whether the results of the internal audit are reliable.

In connection with the environmental impact assessment the environmental sensitivity of the sea area around a proposed offshore unit should be assessed with respect to the following:

- the inclusion in development cooperation projects of environmental considerations enabling the sustainable dimension of these projects to be distinguished, identified and assessed,

In addition, the environmental verifier shall be independent, in particular of the organisation's auditor or consultant, impartial and objective in performing his or her activities.