52025PC0984

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 10.12.2025

COM(2025) 984 final

2025/0391(COD)

Proposal for a

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on speeding-up environmental assessments

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1.CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

•Reasons for and objectives of the proposal

In the context of the pressing geopolitical and competitiveness challenges, coupled with an acute triple planetary crisis, EU action is urgent to accelerate planning and permit granting procedures whilst ensuring high environmental standards. On 23 October 2025, the European Council called on the Commission to intensify its efforts to stress-test the EU acquis 1 . In the context of the ongoing stress-testing exercise, the Commission puts forward this proposal with concrete measures to speed-up environmental assessments across the European Union since they are at the core of the planning and permit-granting process.

The proposal for a Regulation on speeding-up environmental assessments (“the proposal”) ensures the protection of the environment and human health as objectives recognized in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. It builds on the existing environmental acquis and provides a common procedural framework for environmental assessments across all sectors of the economy. Indeed, to ensure streamlined and effective environmental assessments, it is also necessary to provide for a uniform and coherent framework for environmental authorisations, as otherwise divergencies decrease efficiencies and reduce legal certainty for project developers.

The proposal brings simplification, coherence and legal certainty for faster and better environmental assessments, providing a legal framework for all sectors. This is in the interest of economic operators, public authorities, and of the public in general. The proposal simplifies and ensures a high degree of coherence for environmental assessments in the EU whilst recognising the priority needs for some sectors.

Renewable energy, electricity grids, storage projects and recharging stations, data centres and AI factories or gigafactories, circular economy-related projects, decarbonisation of energy intensive industries, or port infrastructure are some of the strategic sectors for the European Union and worldwide in today’s context. This list is not exhaustive, and other sectors may be identified as strategic and core to reduce the Union’s dependences and ensure its security of supply and overall resilience whilst fighting against climate change. Furthermore, access to affordable housing is strategic for the European Union’s competitiveness, including for labour mobility.

For strategic sectors, this proposal provides for an enhanced accelerated and streamlined regime for environmental assessments. Environmental assessments are an integral part of the authorisation and/or planning procedures and are essential safeguards to ensure that significant environmental effects are prevented or minimised, as well as to ensure transparency and effective public participation in decision making processes related to plans, programmes and projects. Following the precautionary principle enshrined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, environmental assessments systematically provide a high level of protection of the environment and contribute to the integration of environmental considerations into the preparation of plans, programs and projects with a view to reducing their environmental impact and making them more sustainable, thus contributing to sustainable development goals.

The proposal contributes to implementing the Communication on ‘a simpler and faster Europe’. In order to lighten reporting burdens and compliance costs, the Commission further integrates the ‘digital by default’ through the use of and interoperability of systems with European Digital Identity Wallets and European Business Wallets and ‘once-only’ principles in the proposal, which are to be implemented in partnership with national, regional and local authorities and the relevant EU agencies.

This proposal includes targeted provisions concerning the application of environmental Directives as regards environmental assessments within the permit granting procedures, which are strictly necessary to achieve the objectives of the proposal. Possible modifications of or derogations from those Directives 2 are entirely outside of the scope and aims of the present proposal. The Commission will constructively engage with the co-legislators, in order to ensure that the legislative process on the present proposal fully preserves its essential object and does not distort it.

•Consistency with existing policy provisions in the policy area

The proposal is coherent with the existing environmental legal framework which encompasses environmental assessments under the Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) 3 and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) Directives 4 , the Habitats (HD) 5 and Birds Directives (BD) 6 , and the Water Framework Directive (WFD) 7 . The proposal complements these directives and will ensure a coherent and cohesive overall legal framework of environmental assessments.

The proposal is also coherent with legislative acts adopted during the last years with a view to accelerating the permit-granting process in certain sectors of the economy. That legislation included provisions to streamline and accelerate environmental assessments in some strategic sectors, namely the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) 8 , the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) 9 , and the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) 10 . Additional legislation covering this area is being negotiated by co-legislators, namely the Critical Medicines Act 11 and the Regulation on the acceleration of permit-granting for defence readiness projects 12 . Moreover, the proposal is consistent with upcoming Commission proposals for sectorial legislation that are under preparation, namely the Industrial Accelerator Act 13 , the Circular Economy Act 14 , the European Grids Package 15 , and the EU Cloud and AI Development Act 16 .

Moreover, the proposal is consistent with the political priority of a more circular and resilient economy announced in the political Guidelines for the 2024-2029 Commission. Under the Commission Work Programme 2026 17 , the Commission intends to present a proposal for a Circular Economy Act that will establish a Single Market for secondary raw materials, increase the supply of high-quality recycled materials and stimulate demand for these materials within the EU. It would aim to contribute to the ambition laid out in the Competitiveness Compass to make the EU the world leader in the circular economy by 2030.

•Consistency with other Union policies

This proposal is consistent with the Commission’s Competitiveness Compass 18 , a new roadmap to restore Europe’s dynamism and boost our economic growth. The proposal will particularly contribute to its objectives to simplifying the regulatory environment, reducing burden and favouring speed and flexibility.

The Draghi report 19 also made important observations on national permit granting procedures and their efficiency. While the EU has developed initiatives to shorten permit the duration of granting procedures, there are still significant hurdles to implementation, in particular lack of administrative capacity and digitalisation.

Moreover, meeting the European Union's ambitious green targets is of key importance, as the future of the EU hinges on this commitment 20 . The consequences of failing to act are multifaceted, encompassing environmental, economic, and geopolitical dimensions. Enhancing performance in environmental assessments as part of the permit-granting process, learning from the experience with the Net Zero Industry Act, the Critical Raw Materials Act and the revised Renewable Energy Directive, will further facilitate the development of EU industrial policy projects, in particular those that contribute to the decarbonization of the economy. This proposal will address disparities in technical and administrative capacities among Member States and their enterprises which is essential for ensuring a level playing field within the Single Market. This will require investment in training and the establishment of forums for sharing best practices and identifying promising projects across the Union.

This proposal is also consistent with the Green Deal Industrial Plan 21 which sets out a comprehensive approach to support a clean energy technology scale-up. This Plan is based on four pillars. The first pillar aims to create a regulatory environment that simplifies and streamlines permit-granting processes for new net-zero technology manufacturing sites, and to facilitate the scaling up of the Union’s net-zero industry, granting processes for new net-zero technology manufacturing sites, and to facilitate the scaling up of the Union’s net-zero industry.

The proposal is consistent with the Union commitment to decarbonise its economy including through the ambitious deployment of renewable energy sources in order to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. That objective is at the heart of the European Green Deal 22 and the Industrial Strategy 23 , and is in line with the Union’s commitment to global climate action under the Paris Agreement 24 . In order to reach the Union’s climate neutrality goal, the European Climate Law 25 sets a binding Union climate target to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990.

Moreover, this proposal is consistent with the objectives of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Continent Action Plan 26 . The European Union is determined to become a global leader in AI. However, the average time to obtain a permit and the related environmental authorisations for building a data centre in Europe are still too long. In this vein, it is appropriate to include the construction of data centres as strategic sector under this proposal.

This proposal is also consistent with the EU Strategy for Housing and Construction and the European Affordable Housing Plan that the Commission plans to adopt. These initiatives set out as a priority to simplify and digitalise residential construction permit granting and administrative procedures beyond environmental aspects by reducing redundancy, uncertainty and compliance costs through the digitalisation of processes, including for residential permitting. In this vein, it is appropriate to include new residential buildings and renovation of existing residential buildings in view of the special lack of residential stock as strategic sector under this proposal.

Furthermore, this proposal is consistent with the EU Ports Strategy. This Strategy covers issues such as digitalisation, automation, research and innovation, environment, skills, safety, investment needs and financial support for the development of ports. In this vein, it is appropriate to include the decarbonisation of ports as strategic sector under this proposal. By prioritizing the decarbonization of ports as a strategic sector, the proposal aligns with the political guidelines on advancing environmental sustainability staying the course of the European Green Deal. This approach leverages technological advancements and innovation within the ports sector to reduce emissions and promote clean energy practices, while strengthening the wider functions of port areas linked to circularity and climate change adaptation.

Digitalisation has strong potential to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness of environmental impact assessments and authorisation processes. It is key to enable access to data, environmental reports and information on environmental assessment procedures. This facilitates the work of economic operators and public administrations, and stakeholder engagement, and provides clear and timely information to decision-makers.

Therefore, the proposal is consistent with broader digitalisation policies. The proposal integrates the ambitions of the Interoperable Europe Act 27 which regulates trans-European digital public services with the view to enhancing cross-border interoperability, fostering common standards and governance and building on the sharing of experience and solutions as well as exchange and promotion of good practices. The proposal enables the use of European Digital Identity Wallets and European Digital Business Wallets to ensure a coherent and horizontal application of Union legislation, reduce administrative costs and improve budgetary efficiency. The proposal is consistent with the Single Digital Gateway Regulation 28 which facilitates online access to information, administrative procedures, and assistance services to EU citizens and businesses; and with the Open Data Directive 29 which aims to facilitate the reuse of public data by establishing harmonised rules for data exchange, ensuring datasets are provided in structured, machine-readable format, in an open format that can be machine-readable and that ensure interoperability, re-use and accessibility.

This proposal supports and is without prejudice to the Commission proposal for a Regulation on the acceleration of permit-granting for defence readiness projects 30 , which is part of the Defence Readiness Omnibus. Defence readiness projects are designed to support the urgent needs of Member States in the face of emerging security threats. The Regulation on accelerated permitting for defence readiness projects shall be considered as lex specialis, providing specific rules for defence readiness projects. However, improvements brought by the current proposal should also benefit defence readiness projects in the sense that the most favourable Regulation will apply to defence readiness projects.

Finally, and importantly, the proposal is consistent with the EU and Member States’ international obligations. Compliance with the Aarhus Convention 31 is ensured safeguarding access to environmental information, effective public participation and access to justice in environmental matters. Effective public engagement and access to administrative or judicial review are also in line with the Charter of Fundamental Rights, in particular its Article 41, right to good administration and Article 47 on effective remedies and fair trial.

2.LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY

•Legal basis

The legal basis for this proposal is Article 192(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union that sets out how Article 191 of the Treaty should be implemented. Article 191 of the Treaty provides the objectives of EU environmental policy:

–preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the environment;

–protecting human health;

–utilising natural resources prudently and rationally;

–promoting measures at international level to deal with regional or worldwide environmental problems, in particular to combat climate change.

•Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)

The subsidiarity principle applies insofar as the proposal does not fall under the exclusive competence of the European Union.

The objectives of the proposal cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States. The existing legislation sets minimum requirements for the environmental assessment of plans and projects throughout the EU and aims to comply with international conventions (e.g. Espoo 32 , Aarhus 33 , Convention on Biological Diversity). This principle is maintained in the proposal which further harmonises the principles of environmental assessment and further aims to streamline procedures. All Member States must take measures to comply with the minimum requirements; individual national inconsistent action could impair the functioning of the internal market, as varying national regulation might hamper transboundary economic activities.

EU action will better achieve the objectives of the proposal that are important to the EU as a whole and that have a cross-border nature. The energy and climate crisis, coupled with the tense geopolitical situation resulting from the war against Ukraine and calling for action to address competitiveness, autonomy and security imperatives, call for action at EU level on environmental assessment procedures in the interest of effectiveness and efficiency. Scope and seriousness of climate and environmental issues to be tackled and the number of major EU-scale infrastructure projects have both increased (e.g. transboundary projects in the field of energy or transport). Because of the transboundary nature of environmental issues (e.g. climate change, disaster risks) and of related projects, action at EU level is necessary and brings added value compared to individual national actions.

The proposal therefore respects the subsidiarity principle.

•Proportionality

The proposed measures do not exceed what is necessary to ensure more streamlined and faster procedures on environmental assessments as part of permit-granting processes. There is a demonstrable added value in acting at the Union level due to the scale, urgency and scope of the efforts needed. Based on recently gathered evidence via the different stakeholders’ meetings and consultations 34 key topics were identified where targeted intervention at EU level would facilitate the attainment of the overall objective of streamlining environmental impact assessment procedures. The targeted measures would shorten timelines of impact assessment procedures, ensure better coordination, by building on a higher level of streamlining, reducing the risk of duplication of efforts and simplifying the procedures by cutting red tape.

Given the transboundary character of environmental assessments in most strategic sectors, the measures proposed are proportionate to the objectives aimed to be achieved. Developers will have a predictable and legally certain harmonised regulatory environment, also when having to face impact assessment of plans, programmes and projects that are covering several Member States or even the whole of the EU.

•Choice of the instrument

The proposal takes the form of a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

This is the most suitable legal instrument given the need for a uniform application of the new rules. There is a need to ensure that uniform coordinated and/or joint procedures are set up in all 27 Member States, also underpinned by the cross-boundary nature of these procedures and that the minimum time-frames for the different stages of the assessment procedures are applied across the EU. The enabling framework, such as the provisions on skills, training and digitalisation are essential to be set up, in order to ensure that the implementation is guaranteed. The provisions on the procedures regulated under the Regulation do not require the transposition through national measures and are directly applicable.

A regulation is considered the most appropriate instrument. It makes it possible to set requirements that apply directly to national authorities and relevant stakeholders. This will help ensure that the requirements are implemented in a timely and harmonised way, leading to greater legal certainty.

3.RESULTS OF EX-POST EVALUATIONS, STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

•Ex-post evaluations/fitness checks of existing legislation

Environmental assessments under the EIA 35 and SEA Directives 36 have been the subject of implementation reports in 2025.

A fitness check was performed for the Habitats and Birds Directives 37 which highlighted the need for an integrated approach that streamlines assessment procedures. Moreover, the fitness check 38 of the Water Framework Directive recommended to streamline its environmental assessment procedures in order to improve efficiency, ensure consistency and reduce costs.

•Stakeholder consultations

In 2025, implementation Dialogues were held on environmental assessments 39 and permitting and on permitting for renewable energy projects and related infrastructure 40 . They gathered various stakeholders, including business and industry, civil society, public authorities and judges. The main outcomes of these dialogues include the identification of the urge to balance different interests including the need to advance on decarbonisation objectives, ensure energy security and a high level of protection of the environment and human health. In particular, participants underline the need for digitalisation of environmental assessments and permit granting procedures; to further simplify permit granting procedures by reducing the regulatory burden, improving data quality and data sharing on environmental assessments in order to accelerate procedures and save costs. There is a broad call to clarify certain aspects of environmental assessment procedures, authorisations and permits by way of guidance documents, to further support Member States’ capacity building, including where possible through funding, and to facilitate dissemination of best practices across Member States authorities and stakeholders.

Most recently, the Commission published a call for evidence (CfE) on the environmental simplification package on the Have Your Say website: Simplification of administrative burdens in environmental legislation 41 – with a feedback period until 10 September 2025. Fifty-six contributions to the CfE provide substantive input on authorisation processes with focus on environmental assessments under the SEA and EIA Directives, the Habitats (HD) 42 and Birds Directives (BD) 43 , and the Water Framework Directive (WFD) 44 . Six of the contributions belong to environmental organisations or non-governmental organisation 45 , thirty to business associations 46 , thirteen to businesses 47 , three to public authorities 48 , and two to other type of entities 49 .

A majority of those stakeholders raise challenges related to efficiency, duration and digitalisation of environmental assessments. They refer to the need for a one-stop shop for all permit granting procedures, including one single permit application, and joint processing of permit granting and digitalization via electronic permitting systems. Many stakeholders express the need for a maximum duration for the permit-granting process and subsequent legal actions (maximum 2-3 years in total) and setting clearer timelines for responses by public authorities, e.g. for screening, and to allow for sufficient time and quality in early-stage planning and environmental assessments.

Many of those stakeholders raise concerns relating to public engagement, litigation, legal certainty, lack of coordination between authorities and their lack of knowledge and resources. They highlight that it is important to avoid vexatious litigation and unjustified delays. Several contributions call on to address lack of resources and lack of knowledge of competent authorities on complex assessments regarding environmental legislation, as well as poor coordination between authorities and insufficient financial resources. Access to justice is raised as a concern and there are suggestions to limit challenges to a single initial phase of decision-making, preferably during zoning procedures and that a first step of the review should be a reasoned request (not an appeal) to the competent administrative authority. Clearer guidance is needed on the scope and level of detail required for biodiversity impact assessments and to avoid duplications between strategic environmental assessments, environmental impact assessments and other assessments.

•Collection and use of expertise

Not applicable.

•Impact assessment

This proposal is not accompanied by a formal impact assessment due to the urgency to act, as laid down in this explanatory memorandum. However, the analysis and supporting evidence is laid down in the Commission Staff Working Document [Ref. pending] which comprises the “climate consistency check”.

This proposal draws on the study commanded by the European Commission and published in February 2025 on the implementation of the Strategic Environmental Assessments Directive 50 . As explained above, the proposal also builds on the 2025 Implementation Dialogues on environmental assessments and permitting, and on permitting for renewable energy projects and related infrastructure   held respectively by Commissioner Jessika Roswall and Commissioner Dan Jørgensen; and on the Call for Evidence on the environmental simplification package: Simplification of administrative burdens in environmental legislation 51 .

•Regulatory fitness and simplification

Not applicable.

•Fundamental rights

The proposal respects fundamental rights and the principles enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The proposal lays down measures to achieve more streamlined environmental assessments. This will provide a higher level of environmental protection. The proposal seeks to integrate into EU policies a high level of environmental protection and to improve the quality of the environment, in line with the principle of sustainable development laid down in Article 37 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. It also puts into concrete terms the obligation to protect the right to life as laid down in Article 2 of the Charter.

The proposal contributes to the right to an effective remedy before a tribunal, as laid down in Article 47 of the Charter, with detailed provisions on access to justice.

4.BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS

The legislative financial statement attached to this proposal sets out the implications for budgetary, human and administrative resources. Based on an initial assessment, implications for the EU budget derive from the current Article 7(1) of the draft Commission proposal. Pursuant to that Article and upon request by the concerned Member States, the Commission shall play the role of a facilitator to support cooperation between concerned national competent authorities and facilitate agreement on joint procedure in the case of environmental assessments with transboundary effects.

Practical experience in applying the EIA procedure to large-scale 'transboundary' projects has been gained through a number of projects, notably in the energy and transport field, e.g. through the 'Nabucco' gas pipeline, the 'Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link', the 'South Stream' gas pipeline of the railway 'Brenner Base Tunnel'. From the SEA angle, a conservative estimate points to around 54 plans or programme with transboundary effects per year 52 .

In the EU, the European Commission does not participate in EIA and authorization procedures; these responsibilities lie solely with the EU Member States authorities. The text of Article 7(1) of the draft Commission proposal opens the door to intervention of the European Commission as facilitator in administrative procedures between Member States in highly complex and resource intensive projects.

Given that activation of Article 7(1) depends entirely on the activation of this facilitation mechanism by Member States, concrete budgetary, human and administrative resources, are difficult to estimate. A conservative assumption at the first stage would be the equivalent to two full time officials given that even if the process is triggered only for one project at the same time, the role of the Commission would involve in-depth technical, economic and/or legal know-how and operating in the context of national administrative and permit granting procedures and in the relevant sectorial regulatory field. This new Commission role would also involve organisation of meetings to be possibly hosted by the European Commission.

The administrative impact and costs on Member States are estimated to be moderate and temporary. In the short term, Member States will face some costs in implementing the single points of contact and the requirement to establish an environmental single portal to facilitate access to environmental assessments and related information, including as regards the procedural stage of projects, even though some Member States have such portals already in place. In any event, over time, these investments will cut down on administrative expenses and workload. Moreover, the overall streamlining of procedures is expected to bring significant cost savings for Member States. Initial and temporary costs will also be balanced by the reduction of costs for project developers and the overall economy, and by other economic, environmental and social benefits and greater resilience against externalities.

5.OTHER ELEMENTS

•Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements

The Commission will actively monitor the implementation of the proposed regulation and will ensure that the proposed regulation achieves its objectives. Monitoring will focus in particular on ensuring that the measures proposed under this Regulation shall achieve their purpose, in particular to accelerate national impact assessment procedures by relying on digitalisation, respecting the timeframes, rendering the cooperation between competent authorities more effective, while also monitoring national training and resource needs. It will also take into account the impact on business and in particular on SMEs.

•Explanatory documents (for directives)

Not applicable.

•Detailed explanation of the specific provisions of the proposal

Article 1: Scope

This provision sets out the environmental impact assessments and screening of plans, programmes and projects falling the within the scope of the proposal.

Article 2: Definitions

This provision contains definitions of the terms used in the proposal, such as scoping or screening, which are not already defined in the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive and the Strategic Environmental Assessments Directive, to ensure legal certainty and predictability of processes.

Section 1: Common provisions on streamlining of environmental assessments

Article 3: Environmental single point of contact

This provision governs the establishment of environmental single points of contact.

Previous and ongoing initiatives have sought to require Member States to establish a “Single point of contact” (SPOC), and some Member States may have already established them on their own initiative, for project developers to facilitate and co-ordinate permit-granting processes as a whole. Where those initiatives do not already provide for such SPOC for the overall permit granting process, the proposal will establish an environmental SPOC for all environmental assessments relating to a project.

Article 4: Streamlining of environmental assessment procedures

This provision aims at streamlining the various environmental assessments procedures that may be required by EU legislation for a same plan, programme or project.

This provision ensures that in the case of plans, programmes, or projects for which there is an obligation to carry out assessments of the effects on the environment or a screening arising simultaneously from Directive 2001/42/EC, Directive 2011/92/EU, Council Directive 92/43/EEC, Directive 2009/147/EC and Directive 2000/60/EC. Member States apply coordinated or joint procedures fulfilling all the requirements of those Union legislative acts.

This responds to concerns by stakeholders that length in authorisation procedures are very different between Member States due to the fact that some Member States combine environmental assessments procedures to the maximum extent possible whilst some others require one assessment process to be finalized before the following one is performed.

Article 5: Changes to projects

This provision clarifies when changes to projects would require an environmental impact assessment.

Article 6: Substantial preclusion

This provision sets out the possibility for Member States to introduce the option of substantial preclusion in judicial proceedings. Arguments may be precluded from being raised before a court of law where they were not raised during the administrative stage, without prejudice to the right of access to justice.

Article 7: Duration of screening and environmental assessments

This provision aims to define maximum timeframes for impact assessment under the EIA and SEA Directives, to respond to the generalized request to accelerate environmental assessments.

Article 8: Protected species

This provision outlines that occasional harm to protected bird and other species during project activities is not considered deliberate be considered to be deliberate within the meaning of Directive 2009/147/EC and Directive 92/43/EEC if appropriate and proportionate mitigation measures are used and best technologies are considered, requiring Member States to monitor effectiveness and adapt measures to prevent significant impacts on species populations.

Article 9: Environmental assessment of transboundary effects

The provision mandates effective collaboration among national authorities in assessing transboundary environmental effects for plans requiring multi-state decisions, with the Commission available as a facilitator for joint procedures.

Article 10: Online accessibility of information and digitalisation of the environmental assessments

This provision aims to fully digitise impact assessments procedures and related data management. In the interim, project developers should be allowed to submit their applications digitally.

Article 11: Administrative costs of environmental assessments

This provision encourages Member States to bear the administrative costs (levies) associated with the environmental assessments for a given project, in order to reduce costs for project developers across the covered priority projects.

Article 12: Resources and training

This provision requires Member States to ensure that an environmental single point of contact and relevant authorities involved in screening and environmental assessments are adequately staffed and resourced, including opportunities for up-skilling and re-skilling, to effectively carry out their duties under this Regulation and related Directives. This provision aims at strengthening administrative and technical capacity in Member States to enable rapid and quality environmental assessments.

Article 13: Applicability of United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Conventions

This provision aims to recall the rights of members of the public to be afforded the right of access to environmental information, participation in decision making and access to justice in line with the Aarhus 53 and Espoo 54 Conventions.

Article 14: Toolbox for strategic sectors or categories

This provision refers to a toolbox applicable to strategic sectors or categories, set out in the Annex.

Article 15: Notification of national implementing rules and measures

Article 16: Entry into force and application

2025/0391 (COD)

Proposal for a

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on speeding-up environmental assessments

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 192(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee 55 ,

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions 56 ,

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure,

Whereas:

(1)The political guidelines for the European Commission’s 2024-2029 term 57 , sets out a plan for the Union’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness. Making business easier and deepening the Single Market are among the key priorities.

(2)The Union has committed to the accelerated decarbonisation of its economy to achieve climate neutrality, namely net-zero emissions or emissions after the deduction of removals, by 2050. That objective is at the heart of the European Green Deal and is in line with the Union’s commitment to global climate action under the Paris Agreement.

(3)At the same time, the findings of the 2024 Draghi report 58 indicate that lengthy and uncertain permit granting procedures are an obstacle for the roll-out of critical projects such as new power supply and grids. The Clean Industrial Deal Communication 59 indicates that it is to speed up permit granting procedures, in particular for the deployment of grids, energy storage and renewables projects, industrial access to energy and industrial decarbonisation projects as well as manufacturing of clean technologies. Faster permit granting procedures are necessary, amongst other, for Data centre projects, EuroHPC supercomputer facilities, AI factories, AI Gigafactories, semiconductor projects. Also, this is needed for projects supporting the digital transition, for those related to the decarbonisation of maritime and inland ports, airports and railways of trans-European transport network. Faster permitting is also necessary for projects which are critical to ensure food security in the Union.

(4)Affordable housing should be available to households that are not able, due to market outcomes and notably market failures, to access housing at affordable conditions. For this purpose, housing affordability should be measured on the basis of reliable indicators such as for example the housing cost overburden rate, a rent-to-income ratio, a mortgage payment to income ratio, a price to income ratio, or years of income to buy a home. Energy costs should be considered as part of the total housing costs, at least for buildings with a low energy performance.

(5)Procedures linked to environmental assessments should be accelerated and streamlined for plans, programmes and projects across all sectors of the economy by establishing a common acceleration framework for environmental assessments in order to boost EU’s roll out of key technologies, reduce dependencies and strengthen competitiveness. This Regulation provides for such framework, while maintaining the same level of protection of human health and of the environment.

(6)Some sectors may, however, require yet faster environmental assessments. Therefore, in order to safeguard the coherence of the legal framework of environmental assessments, whilst allowing for the additional needs for acceleration in certain strategic sectors, a dedicated toolbox should be provided which applies where appropriate, with particular focus on decarbonisation, resource efficiency and resilience. This should apply where existing sectorial Union legislation, such as on critical raw materials 60 , net zero industry 61 , semiconductors 62 as well as maritime and inland ports, airports, railways, which are part of trans-European transport network 63 and future sectorial Union legislation defines strategic sectors or categories of projects for the purpose of faster permitting.

(7)Environmental assessments required under Union law are an integral part of the project authorisation and planning procedures and are essential safeguards to ensure that significant environmental effects are prevented or minimised, as well as to ensure transparency and effective public participation in decision making processes related to plans, programmes and projects likely to have significant effects on the environment.

(8)In line with the precautionary principle enshrined in the Treaty, environmental assessments provide systematically a high level of protection of the environment and contribute to the integration of environmental considerations into the preparation of plans, programs and projects with a view to reducing their environmental effects and making them more sustainable, thus contributing to sustainable development.

(9)The permit granting process covers all relevant consents and permits to build, expand, convert or operate a project, including relevant environmental assessments, as applicable to each specific project, and in particular as regards water, soil, air, ecosystems, habitats and biodiversity. Environmental assessments encompass all relevant assessment procedures required under Union environmental law and provide decision-makers and the public with necessary information on the environmental effects of a given plan, programme or project issued or to be authorised by the competent authority.

(10)To ensure that environmental assessments, as part of the overall permit granting procedures, are faster, more effective and cost-efficient, measures with the potential to accelerate and streamline such assessments should be put in place while maintaining a high level of environmental protection as set out in Article 192(1) of the Treaty.

(11)In order to improve the effectiveness of the assessments, reduce administrative complexity and increase economic efficiency, where the obligation to carry out environmental assessments arises simultaneously from this Regulation and Directive 2000/60/EC 64 , Directive 2001/42/EC 65 , Directive 2009/147/EC 66 and Directive 2011/92/EU 67 of the European Parliament and of the Council, as well as from Council Directive 92/43/EEC 68 , Member States should ensure that coordinated and/or joint procedures fulfilling the requirements of those Directives are provided. Where coordinated or joint procedures are set up, Member States should designate an authority responsible for performing the corresponding duties. Taking into account institutional structures and their specific organisational characteristics, Member States should have the possibility, where they deem it necessary, to designate more than one authority.

(12)Pursuant to Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council 69 , in the case of a new installation or a substantial change where Article 4 of Directive 2011/92/EU applies, any relevant information obtained or conclusion taken pursuant to Directive 2011/92/EC should be examined and used for the purposes of granting a permit under Directive 2010/75/EU.

(13)This Regulation should not alter the criteria or conditions under which screening or environmental assessments are required under other Union environmental legislation, such as Directives 2000/60/EC, 2001/42/EC, 2009/147/EC and 2011/92/EU, and Directive 92/43/EEC. Rather, it should provide the necessary legal framework to combine and accelerate the procedures set out in those Directives.

(14)Data centre projects, construction of EuroHPC supercomputer facilities, AI factories, and giga factories under Regulation (EU) 2024/1732 70 and Regulation (EU) 2025/xxxx amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1173 on establishing the EuroHPC, semiconductor projects, affordable housing development projects, and projects on recharging points for electric vehicles fall within Annex II of Directive 2011/92/EU. Projects falling within that Annex are not subject to a mandatory environmental impact assessment. Instead, it is for Member States to determine whether those projects need to be subject to an environmental impact assessment because of their likely significant effects on the environment either case by case or through the establishment of thresholds or other criteria.

(15)Member States should establish an environmental single point of contact for environmental assessments. Member States should be able, in light of their internal organisation, to choose whether to establish or designate their points of contact at local, regional or national level, or at any other relevant administrative level. Moreover, the relevant competent authorities should specify and make available to the environmental single point of contact the requirements and extent of information to be requested from the developer. The environmental single point of contact should, in its role of coordinator, facilitate the provision of information to the competent authorities.

(16)In order to allow businesses and developers, including for cross-border projects, to directly enjoy the benefits of the internal market without incurring an unnecessary additional administrative burden, Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council 71 , which established the Single Digital Gateway, provides for general rules for the online provision of information, procedures and assistance services relevant for the functioning of the internal market. Single points of contact established or designated pursuant to that Regulation are included in the list of assistance and problem-solving services in Annex III to that Regulation. For the purpose of this Regulation, Member States should be able to designate single points of contact that coincide with the single point of contact designated pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1724.

(17)In order to increase speed, effectiveness and cost-efficiency of environmental assessment procedures required under Union law, and to reduce administrative burden, environmental assessments should be combined to the furthest extent possible, taking into account the specific organisational characteristics of Member States. The fact that assessments are combined should not affect their content or quality. Combined assessments should be carried out in a manner that does not lead to a prolongation of the time limits set out in this Regulation.

(18)Coordinating or joining the environmental assessment procedures applicable to a plan, programme or project aims to avoid overlaps and redundancy, while also taking full advantage of synergies, and to minimise the time needed for authorisation. Where such coordinated or joint procedures are carried out, in particular, under Directives 2001/42/EC and 2011/92/EU, Member States should ensure that the procedural steps of environmental assessments, including scoping, preparation of an environmental assessment report, carrying out consultations and issuing a reasoned conclusion on the environmental effects, are combined.

(19)Competent authorities and the environmental single point of contact should cooperate and coordinate with regard to the screening and environmental assessment procedures at national and Union level as appropriate. Such cooperation and coordination should aim at ensuring common priorities and understanding of the relationship between plans, programmes and projects and their impact on the environment; exchanging information for strategic and operational purposes, within the limits set out in applicable Union and national law; improving consultation between relevant authorities; exchanging best practices; as well as further developing digital tools in support of more efficient environmental assessments including in a transboundary context. The cooperation and coordination se mechanisms may take the form of specialised coordination bodies, memoranda of understanding between competent authorities, joint training activities, or other appropriate cooperation and coordination identified by the Member States.

(20)With view to streamlining the decision-making process while ensuring effective and timely consultations of the public concerned and of the authorities likely to be concerned by the plan, programme and project by reason of their specific environmental responsibilities or local and regional competences, such consultations should be run in parallel. Member States should ensure that the consultations are conducted in the most effective way to conduct these consultations. Member States should not expressly and generally require that the authorities likely to be concerned by the project by reason of their specific environmental responsibilities or local and regional competences are consulted before the public concerned. At the same time, Member States shall ensure that the public concerned is consulted on all the essential elements of a plan, programme or project, that would significantly impact the environment or human health.

(21)In order to avoid overlaps and redundancy, while also taking full advantage of synergies, minimising the time needed for authorisation and maximising efficiency in data collection, it is appropriate that the respective competent authorities of Member States make available to the developer within a reasonable time-frame and sufficiently early in the process, any available results of other relevant environmental assessments under Union or national legislation for the preparation of the environmental report for a given project, in particular with regard to the assessment of reasonable alternatives, where available.

(22)While the Court of Justice of the European Union has consistently held that the wording of Directive 2011/92/EU indicates that it has a wide scope and a broad purpose 72 , it has also considered that that Directive must be interpreted as not requiring that any project likely to have a significant effect on the environment be made subject to the environmental impact assessment provided for in that directive, but only those referred to in Annexes I and II of that Directive 73 . In particular, the Court of Justice has held that certain extensions to projects falling under Annexes I and II of that Directive, do not, as such, fall under the projects categories covered by those provisions 74 .

(23)It is important that legal challenges be resolved without undue delay whilst preserving access to justice in environmental matters. Lengthy procedures generate greater litigation costs, increasing the financial burden of the parties to a legal dispute. They may also cause delays to projects and other economic activities that are ultimately confirmed to be lawful. Therefore, timely procedures are in the interest of all actors of society including both economic operators and applicants representing the interest of the environment in administrative and judicial proceedings.

(24)In order to ensure a high level of environmental protection, legal certainty and administrative efficiency, Member States should have the option within their respective national systems to require that all relevant arguments are raised during the administrative stage of the procedure leading to the authorisation of a project prior to any potential judicial review, thereby enabling competent authorities to address them during the decision-making to avoid excessive delays in the permit granting process, without prejudice to the right of access to justice.

(25)Further to the 2017 Ministerial Declaration on eGovernment (Tallinn declaration) and the 2023 Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade, and line with the 2025 Commission Communication on implementation and simplification ‘A simpler and faster Europe’ 75 , the Commission will further embed the ‘digital by default’ through the use of European Digital Identity Wallets and European Business Wallets and ‘once-only’ principles in partnership with national, regional and local authorities and the relevant Union agencies in order to lighten reporting burdens and compliance costs. Digital public services with a cross-border data exchange are governed by the Regulation (EU) 2024/903 of the European Parliament and of the Council 76 , while the European Interoperability Framework (EIF) facilitates cross-border data exchange. Authorities falling within the scope of that Regulation are required to set up gradually a fully digitalised procedure for environmental assessments, including submission of application and online accessibility of information.

(26)In order to reduce costs for project developers in complying with their environmental obligations, Member States should be encouraged to bear the administrative costs (levies) associated with the environmental assessments for a given project, in particular in the case of smaller developers. The costs for the preparation of environmental assessment reports should still be borne by the project developer. This possibility offered to Member States aims to facilitate the practical application of Union legislation by smaller developers and strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the Union economy.

(27)Such smaller developers may fall into different categories, such as small mid caps as defined in Commission Recommendation (EU) 2025/1099 77 , or small and medium-sized enterprises as defined in Commission Recommendation 361/2003/EC 78 .

(28)In order to ensure that the tasks allocated to the authorities under this Regulation are performed at a sufficiently high quality Member States should ensure that the environmental single point of contact and all competent authorities responsible for any step along the screening and environmental assessments processes, including all procedural steps, have a sufficient number of qualified staff and sufficient financial, technical and technological resources necessary.

(29)While streamlining and simplifying procedures is crucial, it is equally important that the environmental standards, including those that are stemming from international law, are respected, including the obligations under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, signed at Aarhus on 25 June 1998, and under the UNECE Convention on environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context, signed at Espoo on 25 February 1991 and its Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment, signed in Kyiv on 21 May 2003.

(30)In order to provide developers and investors with the security and clarity needed to increase development of projects, Member States should ensure that the environmental assessment process related to such projects does not exceed pre-set time limits. Clear timelines for decisions to be taken by the competent authorities throughout the environmental assessment process on the basis of a complete application should be introduced to accelerate the development of projects. The time taken to build the actual project should not be counted towards those timelines, except when it coincides with other administrative steps in the environmental assessment process. In exceptional cases related to the nature, complexity, location or size of the proposed project, Member States should be able to extend the timelines. Such exceptional cases could include unforeseen circumstances triggering the need to add to or complete environmental assessments related to the project.

(31)The first step of the environmental impact assessment pursuant to Directive 2011/92/EU, which consists of the preparation of an environmental impact assessment report, is often predominantly performed by the project developer. That step should therefore not be integrated in the timelines defined within this Regulation.

(32)Following the completion of consultations with the public concerned, local and regional authorities and other authorities likely to be concerned by reason of their specific environmental responsibilities as well as other Member States, where required, the completeness of the information provided by the developer of a project should be acknowledged by the competent authorities.   Before such acknowledgement is issued, the competent authorities should be able to request additional information to enable it to take an informed decision on the environmental effects of the project. Following an acknowledgement, unless specific circumstances arise, the developer shall not be asked to submit new information.

(33)In order to simplify and harmonise exchanges between competent authorities and developers, such exchanges should be enabled through the use of the European Business Wallets established pursuant to [OP please add - Proposal for a Regulation on the establishment of European Business Wallets], as they provide a secure, standardised, and interoperable platform for developers to interact with competent authorities enabling an efficient and effective submission of required information more efficient and effective, while ensuring a high level of data protection, cybersecurity, and integrity of information.

(34)The construction, operation, and decommissioning of projects can lead to incidental killing or disturbance of bird species protected under Directive 2009/147/EC and other species protected under Directive 92/43/EEC. The extent of killing or disturbance can vary depending on the type of project and its design, the ecological importance of the area for the species and their presence in the area concerned. However, appropriate mitigation measures and use of best available technologies should be included in such projects to prevent or reduce those adverse effects to insignificant levels.

(35)Mitigation measures should be appropriate and proportionate, ensuring on the basis of the best available scientific data that any residual effects do not adversely affect the populations of the species concerned. The level of mitigation effort shall therefore correspond to the degree of risk and the vulnerability of the species, without exceeding what is necessary to achieve that objective. While the cost of mitigation should also be considered as part of the proportionality assessment, economic factors alone should not justify the omission of necessary measures, nor should they serve as grounds to reject effective mitigation.

(36)When establishing whether projects may be covered under the provision on assessing overriding public interest under this Regulation, specific attention should be given to their strategic nature, whether they contribute to decarbonisation goals, resource efficiency and resilience as well as to what extent they are likely – or not – to cause significant effect on the environment. In the upcoming Circular Economy Act, projects which concern prevention, separate collection, re-use, preparing for re-use, and recycling of waste should also be defined as strategic, given their important contribution to circular economy. Also, in the upcoming Industrial Accelerator Act, projects related to decarbonisation of energy intensive industries as well as those located in industrial acceleration areas should also be defined as strategic given their importance to resilience and decarbonisation.

(37)Predictable, simpler and faster processes for environmental assessments as part of the overall national authorisation processes, are necessary to provide the investment security necessary for the effective development of projects, which may be particularly important in certain sectors of the economy at this juncture. Therefore, as part of the toolbox, sectorial Union legislation may also provide, in accordance with this Regulation, that plans, programmes and projects in certain sectors or categories should be regarded as urgent at national level and should therefore be given a priority status insofar as national law provides for such expediated procedures in all judicial and dispute resolution procedures relating to them, while ensuring respect for the rights to access to justice and defence, if and to the extent, national law provides for such expeditated procedures.

(38)In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission to identify strategic projects concerning construction and renovation of residential affordable or social buildings, as well as the necessary infrastructure that directly serves those buildings.

(39)Some provisions of this Regulation are not suitable to apply immediately following its entry into force. This is the case of provisions that require Member States to set up new processes such as the designation of environmental single points of contact or setting up central portals for environmental reports and data resulting from environmental assessments and screening procedures. Therefore, it is necessary that the application of those provisions is deferred to a later time than the entry into force of this Regulation.

(40)Since the objectives of this Regulation cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States but can rather, by reason of the scale or effects of its measures, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

CHAPTER I

General provisions

Article 1

Scope

This Regulation applies to environmental assessments and screening of plans, programmes and projects falling within the scope of Directives 2000/60/EC, 2001/42/EC, 2009/147/EC, 2011/92/EU and 92/43/EEC.

Article 2

Definitions

1.For the purposes of this Regulation, the definitions in Directives 2001/42/EC and 2011/92/EU shall apply, except where a term defined in those Directives is defined otherwise in this Regulation.

2.The following definitions shall also apply:

(a)‘reasoned conclusion’ means the opinion or decision of the competent authority finalizing its examination of the environmental effects of a project;

(b)‘scoping’ means the procedure to be carried out by the competent authority determining the scope and level of detail of the environmental information to be provided in the form of an environmental assessment report for the plan, programme or project;

(c)‘screening’ means the procedure to be carried out by the competent authority determining whether plans, programmes or projects are to be subject to an environmental assessment because of their likely significant effects on the environment.

CHAPTER II

Common provisions on streamlining environmental assessments

Article 3

Environmental single point of contact

1.By [OP please insert – 6 months after the entry into force of this Regulation], Member States shall establish or designate environmental single points of contact at the relevant administrative level for environmental assessments. Each single point of contact shall be responsible for facilitating and coordinating all aspects of the environmental assessments under this Regulation, including for providing information on when an application is considered to be completed in accordance with Article 7 of this Regulation.

2.Where a single point of contact is required for an overall permit-granting process pursuant to other Union or national legislation, the environmental single point of contact referred to in paragraph 1 shall be the same as the one established for that overall permit-granting procedure.

3.Member States shall provide tools to help developers identify the appropriate established or designated contact point on the online portal set up in accordance with Article 10.

4.The environmental single point of contact established or designated pursuant to paragraph 1 shall be the sole point of contact for the developer for the environmental assessments under this Regulation. It shall coordinate and facilitate the submission of all relevant documents and information and shall notify the project promoter of the outcome of the comprehensive decision.

Article 4

Streamlining of environmental assessment procedures

1.In the case of plans, programmes, or projects for which the obligation to carry out assessments of the effects on the environment or screening arises simultaneously from any two or more of the Directives referred to in Article 1(1), Member States shall establish a coordinated or joint procedure fulfilling all the requirements of those Directives.

Under the coordinated procedure referred to in the first subparagraph, a competent authority shall coordinate the various individual assessments of the environmental impact of a particular plan, programme or project required by the relevant Directives. 

Under the joint procedure referred to in the first subparagraph, a competent authority shall provide for a single assessment of the environmental impact of a particular plan, programme or project required by the relevant Directives.

2.Member States shall establish appropriate mechanisms for coordination and cooperation at strategic and project level among all their competent authorities involved in environmental assessments or screenings of plans, programmes or projects. Where a plan, programme or project is subject to a coordinated procedure for assessment under both Directives 2001/42/EC and 2011/92/EU, the procedural steps under those Directives shall be combined.

3.In the case of plans, programmes or projects for which the obligation to carry out assessments of the effects on the environment arises simultaneously from two or more of the Directives referred to in Article 1(1), Member States shall issue one single opinion on the scope and level of detail of the information to be included in the environmental assessment report.

4.Competent authorities shall consult the public concerned by the environmental decision-making procedure relating to a plan, programme or project subject to an assessment in accordance with paragraph 1 at the same time as they consult the authorities likely to be concerned by that plan, programme or project by reason of their specific environmental responsibilities or local and regional competences referred to in Article 6(2) of Directive 2001/42/EC and Article 6(1) of Directive 2011/92/EU.

5.Member States shall ensure that the results of other relevant environmental assessments under Union or national legislation are made available to developers for their preparation of the environmental reports referred to in Article 5 of Directive 2011/92/EU within reasonable timelines, respecting the limitations with regard to commercial and industrial confidentiality, including intellectual property, data protection and the safeguarding of the public interest. When preparing an environmental assessment report, the developer of a project shall be allowed to use data or information as old as five years, provided that the data into the report take into account the site-specific conservation objectives of Natura 2000 sites where relevant, more recent data is not available, and the environmental conditions in which the data were collected have not substantially changed in a way that is likely to influence the environmental impact assessment.

Article 5

Changes to projects

1.Changes or extensions of projects, such as repurposing of pipelines or of industrial sites, and extension of their operation period and modifications to ensure decarbonisation, shall only be subject to screening by the competent authorities in order to determine if they are likely to have significant effects on the environment. Those changes or extensions shall be subject to an environmental assessment only where they involve major works that represent risks that are similar to or greater than, in terms of their effects on the environment, to those posed by the original project.

2.For changes or extensions of projects which are likely to have significant effects on the environment in another Member State or where a Member State that is likely to be significantly affected so requests, the Member State in whose territory the project is intended to be carried out shall ensure that Article 7 of Directive 2011/92/EU is applied.

Article 6

Substantial preclusion

In the context of judicial proceedings relating to environmental assessments within the meaning of this Regulation, Member States may preclude arguments from being raised before a court of law where they were not raised during the administrative stage, as long as the competent authority made available the necessary information in due time so that those arguments were known or could have been known and reviewed during the administrative stage leading to the authorisation of the project, without prejudice to the right of access to justice.

Article 7

Duration of screening and environmental assessments

1.Where a project falls within the scope of Directive 2011/92/EU Member States shall ensure that:

(a)for projects subject to screening, the competent authorities carry out that screening within a period of maximum 60 days from the date that the developer has submitted all information required; for changes or extensions of projects referred to in Article 5 of this Regulation, that timeline shall be a maximum of 45 days;

(b)for projects subject to an environmental assessment, the competent authority issues an opinion on the scope and level of detail of the information to be included in an environmental assessment report within a period of maximum 30 days from the date on which the developer has submitted its request for an opinion;

(c)the time-frames for consulting the public concerned on the environmental report referred to point (b) is between 30 and 90 days;

(d)within 30 days following the completion of the respective consultations under Articles 6 and 7 of Directive 2011/92/EU, the competent authority acknowledges the completeness of the information provided by the developer which is necessary to take an informed decision on the environmental effects of the project.  This information shall include the necessary information gathered pursuant to Articles 5, 6 and 7 of Directive 2011/92/EU including, where relevant, specific assessments required under other Union legislation.

If, before the end of the 30 days period, the competent authority considers that it does not have all necessary information to make the informed decision, the developer shall submit that information within a reasonable timeframe. Following the acknowledgment of completeness referred to in this point, the developer shall not be asked to provide any new information unless duly justified.  

(e)the competent authority issues a reasoned conclusion on the environmental assessment of the project within a maximum of 90 days following the acknowledgement of completeness referred to in point (d).

The deadlines set out in this paragraph shall also apply in case of joint or coordinated procedures where the assessment of the environmental effects of a project under Directive 2011/92/EU is combined with assessments under Directives 92/43/EEC, 2000/60/EC or 2009/147/EC.

In exceptional cases, where the nature, complexity, location or size of the proposed project so require, the competent authority may extend the deadlines set out in this paragraph by a period of maximum 30 days. In that event, the competent authority shall inform the developer in writing without delay of the reasons justifying the extension and of the date when the respective administrative act is expected.

2.Where a plan or programme falls within the scope of Directive 2001/42/EC, Member States shall ensure that:

(a)the competent authorities carry out the screening under Article 3(5) of that Directive and publish its results within a period of 90 days;

(b)the competent authorities carry out the scoping under Article 5(3) of that Directive and publish its results within 40 days;

(c)the time-frames for consulting the public concerned on the environmental report referred to in Article 5 of that Directive is between 30 and 60 days;

(d)the competent authorities conclude and publish the environmental report required under Article 5(1) of that Directive within 7 months from the day when the necessary information required under that Directive has been provided to them, and the relevant consultations under that Directive have been completed.

The deadlines set out in this paragraph shall also apply in case of joint or coordinated procedures where the assessment of the environmental effects of a plan or programme as defined under Directive 2001/42/EC is combined with assessments under Directives 92/43/EEC, 2000/60/EC or 2009/147/EC.

In exceptional cases, where the nature, complexity, location or size of the proposed plan or programme so require, the competent authority may extend the timelines under the first subparagraph by further maximum 30 days. In that event, the competent authority shall inform the authority developing the plan or programme in writing without delay of the reasons justifying the extension and of the date when the respective administrative act is expected.

3.In cases where a plan, programme or project is subject to a joint or coordinated procedure for assessment under both Directive 2001/42/EC and Directive 2011/92/EU, the deadlines set out in paragraph 1 shall apply.

4.Where other Union legislation establishes shorter timelines than the ones set out in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, those shorter deadlines shall apply.

Where other EU legislation establishes timelines for the overall permit granting process that are shorter than the combination of the timelines of the different steps of the environmental assessment procedure under paragraph 1 or 2 of this Article, the shorter timeline for the overall permit granting process applies.

5.The deadlines set out in this Article, with the exception of the ones set out in paragraph 1, point (c), and paragraph 2, point (c), shall be without prejudice to any shorter time limits set by Member States, to obligations arising from Union and international law, and to the rights of natural and legal persons to access administrative or judicial procedures to review the legality of the decisions, acts or failure to act of the competent authorities.

Article 8

Protected species

1.When the implementation of plans or when the construction, operation or decommissioning of projects result in the occasional killing or disturbance of birds protected under Directive 2009/147/EC or other species protected under Directive 92/43/EEC, such killing or disturbance of protected species shall not be considered to be deliberate within the meaning of Article 5 of Directive 2009/147/EC and Article 12(1) of Directive 92/43/EEC, provided that the plan or project has adopted appropriate and proportionate mitigation measures and considering the best available technologies to avoid such killing and to prevent disturbance.

2.When assessing whether those mitigation measures are appropriate and proportionate to comply with Article 5 of the Birds Directive and Article 12(1) of the Habitats Directive, the competent authority shall take into account whether they ensure that significant adverse impacts on the population of the species concerned is avoided, despite the possible existence of negative impacts on individual specimens of those species. Member States shall ensure that those measures are applied and their effectiveness is monitored and that, in the light of the information gathered, further measures are taken as required to ensure that there are no significant adverse impacts on the population of the species concerned.

Article 9

Environmental assessment of transboundary effects

1.Where a plan, programme or project falling within the scope of this Regulation requires decisions to be taken in two or more Member States, the relevant national competent authorities shall take all necessary steps for efficient and effective cooperation and communication among themselves. Member States shall endeavour to provide for joint procedure and unique point of contact with regard to the assessment of the environmental effects of the plan, programme or project. Upon request from the Member States concerned by a plan, programme or project, the Commission shall act as a facilitator to support cooperation between concerned national competent authorities and facilitate agreement on joint procedure.

2.Paragraph 1 is without prejudice to more detailed procedures, including cross-border joint procedures, provided for in other Union legislation regarding cooperation between authorities as regards environmental assessment of transboundary effects.

Article 10

Online accessibility of information and digitalisation of the environmental assessments

1.From [OP: please insert the date = six months after the date of entry into force of this Regulation], developers shall be allowed to submit any information related to the environmental assessments and screening procedures in electronic form.

2.From [OP: please insert the date = six months after the date of entry into force of this Regulation], Member States shall provide developers and the public with access to the following information as regards plans, programmes or projects, online and in a centralised and easily accessible manner:

(a)The environmental single points of contact referred to in Article 3;

(b)the progress of the environmental assessments and screening procedures, including the upcoming steps of the procedure and the timeline of those steps, as well as information on dispute settlement;

3.From [OP: please insert the date = twelve months after the date of entry into force of this Regulation], Member States shall ensure that reports and data resulting from environmental assessments and screening procedures, related decisions and monitoring of environmental effects and procedures are made and remain publicly available in a digital format through a central online portal, in a manner that is compatible with the preservation of business secrets and Union or national data protection requirements. That portal shall be based on a digital geographic information system and shall include all available data on species observations and other environmental and geological data.

4.From [OP: please insert the date = twenty-four months after the date of entry into force of this Regulation], Member States shall ensure that environmental assessment and screening procedures are fully digitalized and enable the re-use of data and documents held by public authorities at national level as well as the sharing of such data between Member States, developers and the public, in a seamless manner. Where appropriate, such procedures shall be interoperable with European Digital Identity Wallets and European Business Wallets. From that date, Member States shall also take the necessary measures to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their environmental assessment and screening procedures, including through the use of automated systems. These automated systems shall be aligned with relevant Union policies, respect data protection and privacy laws, and adhere to principles of transparency and accountability, including human decisional control.

Article 11

Administrative costs of environmental assessments

Member States shall endeavour to waive administrative charges and fees associated with environmental assessments for developers falling within the definition of small mid-cap enterprises under Recommendation (EU) 2025/1099 or within the definition of small and medium-sized enterprises under Recommendation 361/2003/EC.

Article 12

Resources and training

Member States shall ensure that the environmental single point of contact and all competent authorities responsible for any step in the screening and environmental assessments procedures, including all procedural steps, have a sufficient number of qualified staff and sufficient financial, technical and technological resources necessary, including, where appropriate, for up-skilling and re-skilling of staff, for the effective performance of their tasks under this Regulation and under the Directives referred to in Article 1.

Article 13

Applicability of United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Conventions

Members of the public shall be afforded the right of access to environmental information, participation in decision making and access to justice concerning plans, programmes or projects referred to in Article 1(1), in line with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, signed at Aarhus on 25 June 1998, and under the UNECE Convention on environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context, signed at Espoo on 25 February 1991 and its Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment, signed in Kyiv on 21 May 2003.

Article 14

Toolbox for strategic sectors or categories

1.The provisions set out in the Annex shall apply where existing sectorial Union legislation defines strategic sectors or categories of strategic projects and aims to speed up permitting, provided that those projects contribute to resilience and decarbonisation or resource efficiency.

The Commission is empowered to adopt an implementing act identifying strategic projects for the construction and renovation of residential affordable or social buildings, as well as the necessary infrastructure that directly serves those buildings. The provisions set out in the Annex shall apply to those projects.

2.The provisions set out in the Annex shall also apply to strategic sectors or categories of projects defined in future Union legislation which refers to this Regulation, provided that those projects contribute to resilience and decarbonisation or resource efficiency.

Article 15

Notification of national implementing rules and measures

If Member States lay down rules and measures on the practical implementation of this Regulation, they shall notify the Commission of those rules and measures and, without delay, of any subsequent amendments affecting them.

Article 16

Entry into force and application

This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Article 3(1) and Article 10 shall apply as of the date provided for in those provisions.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels,

For the European Parliament For the Council

The President The President

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL AND DIGITAL STATEMENT

1.FRAMEWORK OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE3

1.1.Title of the proposal/initiative3

1.2.Policy area(s) concerned3

1.3.Objective(s)3

1.3.1.General objective(s)3

1.3.2.Specific objective(s)3

1.3.3.Expected result(s) and impact3

1.3.4.Indicators of performance3

1.4.The proposal/initiative relates to:4

1.5.Grounds for the proposal/initiative4

1.5.1.Requirement(s) to be met in the short or long term including a detailed timeline for roll-out of the implementation of the initiative4

1.5.2.Added value of EU involvement (it may result from different factors, e.g. coordination gains, legal certainty, greater effectiveness or complementarities). For the purposes of this section 'added value of EU involvement' is the value resulting from EU action, that is additional to the value that would have been otherwise created by Member States alone.4

1.5.3.Lessons learned from similar experiences in the past4

1.5.4.Compatibility with the multiannual financial framework and possible synergies with other appropriate instruments5

1.5.5.Assessment of the different available financing options, including scope for redeployment5

1.6.Duration of the proposal/initiative and of its financial impact6

1.7.Method(s) of budget implementation planned6

2.MANAGEMENT MEASURES8

2.1.Monitoring and reporting rules8

2.2.Management and control system(s)8

2.2.1.Justification of the budget implementation method(s), the funding implementation mechanism(s), the payment modalities and the control strategy proposed8

2.2.2.Information concerning the risks identified and the internal control system(s) set up to mitigate them8

2.2.3.Estimation and justification of the cost-effectiveness of the controls (ratio between the control costs and the value of the related funds managed), and assessment of the expected levels of risk of error (at payment & at closure)8

2.3.Measures to prevent fraud and irregularities9

3.ESTIMATED FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE10

3.1.Heading(s) of the multiannual financial framework and expenditure budget line(s) affected10

3.2.Estimated financial impact of the proposal on appropriations12

3.2.1.Summary of estimated impact on operational appropriations12

3.2.1.1.Appropriations from voted budget12

3.2.1.2.Appropriations from external assigned revenues17

3.2.2.Estimated output funded from operational appropriations22

3.2.3.Summary of estimated impact on administrative appropriations24

3.2.3.1. Appropriations from voted budget24

3.2.3.2.Appropriations from external assigned revenues24

3.2.3.3.Total appropriations24

3.2.4.Estimated requirements of human resources25

3.2.4.1.Financed from voted budget25

3.2.4.2.Financed from external assigned revenues26

3.2.4.3.Total requirements of human resources26

3.2.5.Overview of estimated impact on digital technology-related investments28

3.2.6.Compatibility with the current multiannual financial framework28

3.2.7.Third-party contributions28

3.3.Estimated impact on revenue29

4.Digital dimensions29

4.1.Requirements of digital relevance30

4.2.Data30

4.3.Digital solutions31

4.4.Interoperability assessment31

4.5.Measures to support digital implementation32

1.FRAMEWORK OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE

1.1.Title of the proposal/initiative

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on accelerating and streamlining environmental assessments

1.2.Policy area(s) concerned

“A European Green Deal”

“A Europe fit for the digital age”

“A stronger Europe in the world”

“Green Industrial Plan”

1.3.Objective(s)

1.3.1.General objective(s)

The general objective of this Regulation is to accelerate and streamline environmental assessments and ensure a high degree of coherence across several legislative acts. This Regulation aims to provide a common procedural framework on environmental assessments byo ensuring that all environmental assessments, as part of the overall authorisation procedures, are faster, more effective and cost-efficient.

1.3.2.Specific objective(s)

Specific objective No

This Regulation contains measures to meet the specific objectives of digitalising environmental assessments, setting up specific timelines for the key procedural steps, and award priority to certain strategic sectors.

1.3.3.Expected result(s) and impact

Specify the effects which the proposal/initiative should have on the beneficiaries/groups targeted.

All stakeholders, including investors, developers will benefit from shorter period of impact assessment procedures due to the shorter, joint or coordinated assessments, carried out in a fully digitised format.

Public administrations will be able to rely on more digitalised and simpler processes also in a cross-border context.

Members of the public will also benefit from more simple and digitalised processes, with a minimum time-frame for public consultations in a planning context.

1.3.4.Indicators of performance

Specify the indicators for monitoring progress and achievements.

The duration of impact assessments are expected to drop at the Member States levels and accelerate further the permit granting procedures.

1.4.The proposal/initiative relates to:

 a new action

 a new action following a pilot project / preparatory action 79

 the extension of an existing action

 a merger or redirection of one or more actions towards another/a new action

1.5.Grounds for the proposal/initiative

1.5.1.Requirement(s) to be met in the short or long term including a detailed timeline for roll-out of the implementation of the initiative

The Regulation should be fully applicable the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

On certain elements under the Regulation Member States will be provided a certain period of time to start the application of the provisions on environmental single point of contact and digitalisation.

Reasons for action at EU level (ex-ante)

No single Member State alone is capable of effectively addressing impact assessments especially in a cross-boundary context. The measures included in this initiative would not be as effective if implemented by Member States acting alone, as the problems they address concern the green transition impacting on the Single Market as a whole. They are not limited to single Member States or to a subset of Member States but relate the EU as a whole. In addition, approaches at Member States’ level would disrupt the internal market and would create an unequal playing field, with diverging regulatory environment, resulting in further red tape for developers and investors.

Expected generated EU added value (ex-post)

EU action is essential to generate economies of scale and of scope and to limit, if not to avoid, the fragmentation of efforts and associated inefficiencies. In line with this logic, the proposed actions focus on areas where there is a demonstrable value added in acting at Union level due to the scale, speed and scope of the efforts needed. For example:

- actions aimed at establishing uniform effective timelines with coordinated or joint procedures in all Member States also with the objective of avoiding duplication of efforts;

- actions such as digitalisation, training and capacity-building so that Member States are equipped and are up to speed in terms of the tools and resources to deliver the ambitious objectives of streamlining impact assessment procedures.

1.5.3.Lessons learned from similar experiences in the past

Recently adopted/proposed sectoral legislation has established maximum timelines for the overall permit granting process. Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 provides for a differentiated timeline running from 12 to 27 months, for critical raw materials. Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 foresees a differentiated (extendable) 12 or 18 months. Directive (EU) 2023/2413 (state of transposition here ) differentiates between renewable projects located inside or outside “renewables acceleration areas”: inside 12 months, outside 2 years. These timelines would normally include environmental assessments where required, including those under the Directive 2001/42/EC, Council Directive 92/43/EEC, Directive 2000/60/EC and Directive 2010/75/EU. The proposed regulation introduces maximum timeframes for the specific steps for conducting environmental assessments under Directive 2001/42/EC, Council Directive 92/43/EEC, Directive 2000/60/EC and Directive 2009/147/EC following the rationale and solutions relied upon by the aforementioned initiatives.

1.5.4.Compatibility with the multiannual financial framework and possible synergies with other appropriate instruments

It is considered that there is no impact on the EU budget, hence also no bearing on MFF.

However, in order to improve capacities and ensure that Member States have the sufficient resources to deliver on the proposal’s required objectives, already existing financial tools could be useful. Some examples are provided below for illustration as possible sources for support on European and Member State level could be:

- The use of the Recovery and Resilience Fund (RRF) by the Member States to contribute to the needed investments.

- Horizon Europe

- Regional Development & Cohesion Funds and the Just Transition Fund

- EFSD+ guarantee facility

- The NDICI (and, in particular, EFSD+ guarantee facility and blending facility) and IPA (Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance).

The proposed initiative can be set in the context of a number of recently announced European policies and priorities:

- Industrial Strategy;

- Recovery Plan for Europe;

- RepowerEU;

- Green Deal;

- Research and Innovation under the proposed Horizon Europe programme, Pillar II Cluster 4 “Digital, Industry and Space” aims to make concrete contributions to three overarching EU policies:

- A Europe fit for the Digital Age;

- An economy that works for people;

- A European Green Deal.

1.5.5.Assessment of the different available financing options, including scope for redeployment

Not applicable.

1.6.Duration of the proposal/initiative and of its financial impact

 limited duration

– in effect from [DD/MM]YYYY to [DD/MM]YYYY

– financial impact from YYYY to YYYY for commitment appropriations and from YYYY to YYYY for payment appropriations.

 unlimited duration

–Implementation with a start-up period from YYYY to YYYY,

–followed by full-scale operation.

1.7.Method(s) of budget implementation planned

 Direct management by the Commission

–by its departments, including by its staff in the Union delegations;

– by the executive agencies

 Shared management with the Member States

 Indirect management by entrusting budget implementation tasks to:

– third countries or the bodies they have designated

– international organisations and their agencies (to be specified)

– the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund

– bodies referred to in Articles 70 and 71 of the Financial Regulation

– public law bodies

– bodies governed by private law with a public service mission to the extent that they are provided with adequate financial guarantees

– bodies governed by the private law of a Member State that are entrusted with the implementation of a public-private partnership and that are provided with adequate financial guarantees

– bodies or persons entrusted with the implementation of specific actions in the common foreign and security policy pursuant to Title V of the Treaty on European Union, and identified in the relevant basic act

–bodies established in a Member State, governed by the private law of a Member State or Union law and eligible to be entrusted, in accordance with sector-specific rules, with the implementation of Union funds or budgetary guarantees, to the extent that such bodies are controlled by public law bodies or by bodies governed by private law with a public service mission, and are provided with adequate financial guarantees in the form of joint and several liability by the controlling bodies or equivalent financial guarantees and which may be, for each action, limited to the maximum amount of the Union support.

Comments

Not applicable.

2.MANAGEMENT MEASURES

2.1.Monitoring and reporting rules

Not applicable.

2.2.Management and control system(s)

2.2.1.Justification of the budget implementation method(s), the funding implementation mechanism(s), the payment modalities and the control strategy proposed

Not applicable.

2.2.2.Information concerning the risks identified and the internal control system(s) set up to mitigate them

Not applicable.

2.3.Measures to prevent fraud and irregularities

Not applicable.

3.ESTIMATED FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE

3.1.Heading(s) of the multiannual financial framework and expenditure budget line(s) affected

NOT APPLICABLE – It is considered that the existing available resources from the Commission side will cover the monitoring of the implementation of the provisions under the proposal.

·Existing budget lines

In order of multiannual financial framework headings and budget lines.

Heading of multiannual financial framework	Budget line	Type of expenditure	Contribution
	Number	Diff./Non-diff. 80	from EFTA countries 81	from candidate countries and potential candidates 82	From other third countries	other assigned revenue
	[XX.YY.YY.YY]	Diff./Non-diff.	YES/NO	YES/NO	YES/NO	YES/NO
	[XX.YY.YY.YY]	Diff./Non-diff.	YES/NO	YES/NO	YES/NO	YES/NO
	[XX.YY.YY.YY]	Diff./Non-diff.	YES/NO	YES/NO	YES/NO	YES/NO

·New budget lines requested

In order of multiannual financial framework headings and budget lines.

Heading of multiannual financial framework	Budget line	Type of expenditure	Contribution
	Number	Diff./Non-diff.	from EFTA countries	from candidate countries and potential candidates	from other third countries	other assigned revenue
	[XX.YY.YY.YY]	Diff./Non-diff.	YES/NO	YES/NO	YES/NO	YES/NO
	[XX.YY.YY.YY]	Diff./Non-diff.	YES/NO	YES/NO	YES/NO	YES/NO
	[XX.YY.YY.YY]	Diff./Non-diff.	YES/NO	YES/NO	YES/NO	YES/NO

3.2.Estimated financial impact of the proposal on appropriations

3.2.1.Summary of estimated impact on operational appropriations

– The proposal/initiative does not require the use of operational appropriations

– The proposal/initiative requires the use of operational appropriations, as explained below

3.2.1.1.Appropriations from voted budget

EUR million (to three decimal places)

Heading of multiannual financial framework

Number

DG: <…….>						Year		Year		Year		Year		TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
						2024		2025		2026		2027
Operational appropriations
Budget line		Commitments		(1a)										0.000
		Payments		(2a)										0.000
Budget line		Commitments		(1b)										0.000
		Payments		(2b)										0.000
Appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope of specific programmes
Budget line				(3)										0.000
TOTAL appropriations for DG <…….>		Commitments		=1a+1b+3		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
		Payments		=2a+2b+3		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
DG: <…….>						Year		Year		Year		Year		TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
						2024		2025		2026		2027
Operational appropriations
Budget line		Commitments		(1a)										0.000
		Payments		(2a)										0.000
Budget line		Commitments		(1b)										0.000
		Payments		(2b)										0.000
Appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope of specific programmes
Budget line				(3)										0.000
TOTAL appropriations for DG <…….>		Commitments		=1a+1b+3		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
		Payments		=2a+2b+3		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
					Year		Year		Year		Year		TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
					2024		2025		2026		2027
TOTAL operational appropriations	Commitments		(4)		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
	Payments		(5)		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
TOTAL appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope for specific programmes			(6)		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
TOTAL appropriations under HEADING <….>	Commitments		=4+6		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
of the multiannual financial framework	Payments		=5+6		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000

Heading of multiannual financial
framework

Number

DG: <…….>			Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
			2024	2025	2026	2027
Operational appropriations
Budget line	Commitments	(1a)					0.000
	Payments	(2a)					0.000
Budget line	Commitments	(1b)					0.000
	Payments	(2b)					0.000
Appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope of specific programmes
Budget line		(3)					0.000
TOTAL appropriations	Commitments	=1a+1b +3	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
for DG <…….>	Payments	=2a+2b+3	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000

DG: <…….>			Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
			2024	2025	2026	2027
Operational appropriations
Budget line	Commitments	(1a)					0.000
	Payments	(2a)					0.000
Budget line	Commitments	(1b)					0.000
	Payments	(2b)					0.000
Appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope of specific programmes
Budget line		(3)					0.000
TOTAL appropriations	Commitments	=1a+1b +3	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
for DG <…….>	Payments	=2a+2b+3	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000

					Year		Year		Year		Year		TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
					2024		2025		2026		2027
TOTAL operational appropriations	Commitments		(4)		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
	Payments		(5)		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
TOTAL appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope for specific programmes			(6)		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
TOTAL appropriations under HEADING <….>	Commitments		=4+6		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
of the multiannual financial framework	Payments		=5+6		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
						Year		Year		Year		Year		TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
						2024		2025		2026		2027
• TOTAL operational appropriations (all operational headings)		Commitments		(4)		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
		Payments		(5)		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
• TOTAL appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope for specific programmes (all operational headings)				(6)		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
TOTAL appropriations Under Heading 1 to 6		Commitments		=4+6		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
of the multiannual financial framework (Reference amount)		Payments		=5+6		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000

Heading of multiannual financial framework		7	‘Administrative expenditure’
DG: ENV					Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
					2024	2025	2026	2027
 Human resources					0.000	0.000	0.188	0.188	0.376
 Other administrative expenditure					0.000	0.000	0.008	0.008	0.016
TOTAL DG ENV	Appropriations				0.000	0.000	0.196	0.196	0.392

DG: ENER					Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
					2024	2025	2026	2027
 Human resources					0.000	0.000	0.188	0.188	0.376
 Other administrative expenditure					0.000	0.000	0.008	0.008	0.016
TOTAL DG ENER	Appropriations				0.000	0.000	0.196	0.196	0.392

TOTAL appropriations under HEADING 7 of the multiannual financial framework				(Total commitments = Total payments)	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
DG: GROW					Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
					2024	2025	2026	2027
 Human resources					0.000	0.000	0.188	0.188	0.376
 Other administrative expenditure					0.000	0.000	0.008	0.008	0.016
TOTAL DG GROW	Appropriations				0.000	0.000	0.196	0.196	0.392

DG: CNECT					Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
					2024	2025	2026	2027
 Human resources					0.000	0.000	0.188	0.188	0.376
 Other administrative expenditure					0.000	0.000	0.008	0.008	0.016
TOTAL DG CNECT	Appropriations				0.000	0.000	0.196	0.196	0.392

TOTAL appropriations under HEADING 7 of the multiannual financial framework				(Total commitments = Total payments)	0.000	0.000	0.784	0.784	1.568

EUR million (to three decimal places)

		Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
		2024	2025	2026	2027
TOTAL appropriations under HEADINGS 1 to 7	Commitments	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
of the multiannual financial framework	Payments	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000

3.2.1.2.Appropriations from external assigned revenues

EUR million (to three decimal places)

Heading of multiannual financial framework

Number

DG: <…….>							Year		Year		Year		Year		TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
							2024		2025		2026		2027
Operational appropriations
Budget line		Commitments			(1a)										0.000
		Payments			(2a)										0.000
Budget line		Commitments			(1b)										0.000
		Payments			(2b)										0.000
Appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope of specific programmes
Budget line					(3)										0.000
TOTAL appropriations for DG <…….>		Commitments			=1a+1b+3		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
		Payments			=2a+2b+3		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
DG: <…….>							Year		Year		Year		Year		TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
							2024		2025		2026		2027
Operational appropriations
Budget line		Commitments			(1a)										0.000
		Payments			(2a)										0.000
Budget line		Commitments			(1b)										0.000
		Payments			(2b)										0.000
Appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope of specific programmes
Budget line					(3)										0.000
TOTAL appropriations for DG <…….>		Commitments			=1a+1b+3		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
		Payments			=2a+2b+3		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
						Year		Year		Year		Year		TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
						2024		2025		2026		2027
TOTAL operational appropriations	Commitments			(4)		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
	Payments			(5)		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
TOTAL appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope for specific programmes				(6)		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
TOTAL appropriations under HEADING <….>	Commitments			=4+6		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
of the multiannual financial framework	Payments			=5+6		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000		0.000
Heading of multiannual financial framework			Number

DG: <…….>								Year			Year			Year			Year			TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
								2024			2025			2026			2027
Operational appropriations
Budget line		Commitments			(1a)															0.000
		Payments			(2a)															0.000
Budget line		Commitments			(1b)															0.000
		Payments			(2b)															0.000
Appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope of specific programmes
Budget line					(3)															0.000
TOTAL appropriations for DG <…….>		Commitments			=1a+1b+3			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000
		Payments			=2a+2b+3			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000
DG: <…….>								Year			Year			Year			Year			TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
								2024			2025			2026			2027
Operational appropriations
Budget line		Commitments			(1a)															0.000
		Payments			(2a)															0.000
Budget line		Commitments			(1b)															0.000
		Payments			(2b)															0.000
Appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope of specific programmes
Budget line					(3)															0.000
TOTAL appropriations for DG <…….>		Commitments			=1a+1b+3			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000
		Payments			=2a+2b+3			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000
							Year			Year			Year			Year			TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
							2024			2025			2026			2027
TOTAL operational appropriations	Commitments			(4)			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000
	Payments			(5)			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000
TOTAL appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope for specific programmes				(6)			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000
TOTAL appropriations under HEADING <….>	Commitments			=4+6			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000
of the multiannual financial framework	Payments			=5+6			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000
									Year			Year			Year			Year			TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
									2024			2025			2026			2027
• TOTAL operational appropriations (all operational headings)			Commitments			(4)			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000
			Payments			(5)			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000
• TOTAL appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope for specific programmes (all operational headings)						(6)			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000
TOTAL appropriations under Headings 1 to 6			Commitments			=4+6			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000
of the multiannual financial framework (Reference amount)			Payments			=5+6			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000			0.000

Heading of multiannual financial framework

‘Administrative expenditure’

EUR million (to three decimal places)

DG: <…….>			Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
			2024	2025	2026	2027
 Human resources			0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
 Other administrative expenditure			0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
TOTAL DG <…….>	Appropriations		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000

DG: <…….>			Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
			2024	2025	2026	2027
 Human resources			0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
 Other administrative expenditure			0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
TOTAL DG <…….>	Appropriations		0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000

TOTAL appropriations under HEADING 7 of the multiannual financial framework		(Total commitments = Total payments)	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000

EUR million (to three decimal places)

		Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL MFF 2021-2027
		2024	2025	2026	2027
TOTAL appropriations under HEADINGS 1 to 7	Commitments	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
of the multiannual financial framework	Payments	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000

3.2.2.Estimated output funded from operational appropriations (not to be completed for decentralised agencies)

Commitment appropriations in EUR million (to three decimal places)

Indicate objectives and outputs



Year
2024

Year
2025

Year
2026

Year
2027

Enter as many years as necessary to show the duration of the impact (see Section1.6)

TOTAL

OUTPUTS

Type 83

Average cost

Cost

Total No

Total cost

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE No 1 84 …

- Output

Subtotal for specific objective No 1

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE No 2 ...

- Output

Subtotal for specific objective No 2

TOTALS

3.2.3.Summary of estimated impact on administrative appropriations

– The proposal/initiative does not require the use of appropriations of an administrative nature

– The proposal/initiative requires the use of appropriations of an administrative nature, as explained below

3.2.3.1. Appropriations from voted budget

VOTED APPROPRIATIONS	Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL 2021 - 2027
	2024	2025	2026	2027
HEADING 7
Human resources	0.000	0.000	0.752	0.752	1.504
Other administrative expenditure	0.000	0.000	0.032	0.032	0.064
Subtotal HEADING 7	0.000	0.000	0.784	0.784	1.568
Outside HEADING 7
Human resources	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Other expenditure of an administrative nature	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Subtotal outside HEADING 7	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000

TOTAL	0.000	0.000	0.716	0.716	1.432

3.2.3.2.Appropriations from external assigned revenues

EXTERNAL ASSIGNED REVENUES	Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL 2021 - 2027
	2024	2025	2026	2027
HEADING 7
Human resources	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Other administrative expenditure	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Subtotal HEADING 7	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Outside HEADING 7
Human resources	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Other expenditure of an administrative nature	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Subtotal outside HEADING 7	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000

TOTAL	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000

3.2.3.3.Total appropriations

TOTAL VOTED APPROPRIATIONS + EXTERNAL ASSIGNED REVENUES	Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL 2021 - 2027
	2024	2025	2026	2027
HEADING 7
Human resources	0.000	0.000	0.752	0.752	1.504
Other administrative expenditure	0.000	0.000	0.032	0.032	0.064
Subtotal HEADING 7	0.000	0.000	0.784	0.784	1.568
Outside HEADING 7
Human resources	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Other expenditure of an administrative nature	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Subtotal outside HEADING 7	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000

TOTAL	0.000	0.000	0.784	0.784	1.568

The appropriations required for human resources and other expenditure of an administrative nature will be met by appropriations from the implementing DGs that are already assigned to management of the action and/or have been redeployed within the DG, together, if necessary, with any additional allocation which may be granted to the managing DG under the annual allocation procedure and in the light of budgetary constraints.

3.2.4.Estimated requirements of human resources

– The proposal/initiative does not require the use of human resources

– The proposal/initiative requires the use of human resources, as explained below

3.2.4.1.Financed from voted budget

Estimate to be expressed in full-time equivalent units (FTEs)

VOTED APPROPRIATIONS		Year	Year	Year	Year
		2024	2025	2026	2027
 Establishment plan posts (officials and temporary staff)
20 01 02 01 (Headquarters and Commission’s Representation Offices)		0	0	4	4
20 01 02 03 (EU Delegations)		0	0	0	0
01 01 01 01 (Indirect research)		0	0	0	0
01 01 01 11 (Direct research)		0	0	0	0
Other budget lines (specify)		0	0	0	0
• External staff (inFTEs)
20 02 01 (AC, END from the ‘global envelope’)		0	0	0	0
20 02 03 (AC, AL, END and JPD in the EU Delegations)		0	0	0	0
Admin. Support line [XX.01.YY.YY]	- at Headquarters	0	0	0	0
	- in EU Delegations	0	0	0	0
01 01 01 02 (AC, END - Indirect research)		0	0	0	0
01 01 01 12 (AC, END - Direct research)		0	0	0	0
Other budget lines (specify) - Heading 7		0	0	0	0
Other budget lines (specify) - Outside Heading 7		0	0	0	0
TOTAL		0	0	4	4

3.2.4.2.Financed from external assigned revenues

EXTERNAL ASSIGNED REVENUES		Year	Year	Year	Year
		2024	2025	2026	2027
 Establishment plan posts (officials and temporary staff)
20 01 02 01 (Headquarters and Commission’s Representation Offices)		0	0	0	0
20 01 02 03 (EU Delegations)		0	0	0	0
01 01 01 01 (Indirect research)		0	0	0	0
01 01 01 11 (Direct research)		0	0	0	0
Other budget lines (specify)		0	0	0	0
• External staff (in full time equivalent units)
20 02 01 (AC, END from the ‘global envelope’)		0	0	0	0
20 02 03 (AC, AL, END and JPD in the EU Delegations)		0	0	0	0
Admin. Support line [XX.01.YY.YY]	- at Headquarters	0	0	0	0
	- in EU Delegations	0	0	0	0
01 01 01 02 (AC, END - Indirect research)		0	0	0	0
01 01 01 12 (AC, END - Direct research)		0	0	0	0
Other budget lines (specify) - Heading 7		0	0	0	0
Other budget lines (specify) - Outside Heading 7		0	0	0	0
TOTAL		0	0	0	0

3.2.4.3.Total requirements of human resources

TOTAL VOTED APPROPRIATIONS + EXTERNAL ASSIGNED REVENUES		Year	Year	Year	Year
		2024	2025	2026	2027
 Establishment plan posts (officials and temporary staff)
20 01 02 01 (Headquarters and Commission’s Representation Offices)		0	0	4	4
20 01 02 03 (EU Delegations)		0	0	0	0
01 01 01 01 (Indirect research)		0	0	0	0
01 01 01 11 (Direct research)		0	0	0	0
Other budget lines (specify)		0	0	0	0
• External staff (in full time equivalent units)
20 02 01 (AC, END from the ‘global envelope’)		0	0	0	0
20 02 03 (AC, AL, END and JPD in the EU Delegations)		0	0	0	0
Admin. Support line [XX.01.YY.YY]	- at Headquarters	0	0	0	0
	- in EU Delegations	0	0	0	0
01 01 01 02 (AC, END - Indirect research)		0	0	0	0
01 01 01 12 (AC, END - Direct research)		0	0	0	0
Other budget lines (specify) - Heading 7		0	0	0	0
Other budget lines (specify) - Outside Heading 7		0	0	0	0
TOTAL		0	0	4	4

Considering the overall strained situation in Heading 7, in terms of both staffing and the level of appropriations, the human resources required will be met by staff from the implementing DGs who are already assigned to the management of the action and/or have been redeployed within the implementing DGs.

The staff required to implement the proposal (in FTEs):

	To be covered by current staff available in the Commission services	Exceptional additional staff*
		To be financed under Heading 7 or Research	To be financed from BA line	To be financed from fees
Establishment plan posts	4		N/A
External staff (CA, SNEs, INT)

Description of tasks to be carried out by:

Officials and temporary staff	One official for DG ENV, DG ENER, DG GROW and DG CNECT to cover the role of facilitator as per Article 7 (1).
External staff

3.2.5.Overview of estimated impact on digital technology-related investments

Compulsory: the best estimate of the digital technology-related investments entailed by the proposal/initiative should be included in the table below.

Exceptionally, when required for the implementation of the proposal/initiative, the appropriations under Heading 7 should be presented in the designated line.

The appropriations under Headings 1-6 should be reflected as “Policy IT expenditure on operational programmes”. This expenditure refers to the operational budget to be used to re-use/ buy/ develop IT platforms/ tools directly linked to the implementation of the initiative and their associated investments (e.g. licences, studies, data storage etc). The information provided in this table should be consistent with details presented under Section 4 “Digital dimensions”.

TOTAL Digital and IT appropriations	Year	Year	Year	Year	TOTAL MFF 2021 - 2027
	2024	2025	2026	2027
HEADING 7
IT expenditure (corporate)	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Subtotal HEADING 7	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Outside HEADING 7
Policy IT expenditure on operational programmes	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Subtotal outside HEADING 7	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000

TOTAL	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000

3.2.6.Compatibility with the current multiannual financial framework

The proposal/initiative:

– can be fully financed through redeployment within the relevant heading of the multiannual financial framework (MFF)

– requires use of the unallocated margin under the relevant heading of the MFF and/or use of the special instruments as defined in the MFF Regulation

– requires a revision of the MFF

3.2.7.Third-party contributions

The proposal/initiative:

– does not provide for co-financing by third parties

– provides for the co-financing by third parties estimated below:

Appropriations in EUR million (to three decimal places)

	Year 2024	Year 2025	Year 2026	Year 2027	Total
Specify the co-financing body
TOTAL appropriations co-financed

3.3. Estimated impact on revenue

– The proposal/initiative has no financial impact on revenue.

– The proposal/initiative has the following financial impact:

– on own resources

– on other revenue

– please indicate, if the revenue is assigned to expenditure lines

EUR million (to three decimal places)

Budget revenue line:	Appropriations available for the current financial year	Impact of the proposal/initiative 85
		Year 2024	Year 2025	Year 2026	Year 2027
Article ………….

For assigned revenue, specify the budget expenditure line(s) affected.

Other remarks (e.g. method/formula used for calculating the impact on revenue or any other information).

4.Digital dimensions

This Digital Statement identifies and analyses the requirements of digital relevance in the proposal. Recitals and annexes are excluded. All references below point only to the operative articles and paragraphs of the proposal.

4.1.Requirements of digital relevance

Reference to the requirement

Requirement description

Actor(s) affected or concerned by the requirement

High-level Processes

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