About the Strategic Environmental Assessment
The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is an important tool for integrating environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of programmes with a view to promoting sustainable development. It assesses whether implementing the Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme is likely to have (significant) effects (positive/negative) on the environment. The SEA offers an opportunity to improve the environmental dimension of the programme during its preparation.
According to the SEA Directive, a public consultation for the SEA Report should take place before submission to the European Commission to ensure that relevant environmental authorities and the public in the countries affected are informed and given an opportunity to forward their opinion about the results of the assessment within a reasonable timeframe.
The SEA has been carried out by the European Policies Research Centre at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland.
About the target group
This public consultation is aimed at the following stakeholders:
- Environmental authorities/agencies
- NGOs/voluntary sector, especially in the environmental field
- Countryside agencies
- Natural heritage agencies
- National organisations for industry (in particular for SMEs, farmers/landowners, etc.)
- Associations/organisations for businesses in the environmental sector
- Associations/organisations for marine/shipping/fish-farming businesses
- General public in the programme area
The conclusions of the SEA Report should be seen in relation to the nature of INTERREG programmes, which focus on cooperation and not on hard investments, and the relatively modest size and likely impact of the NPA 2021-2027.
Participate to the consultation
The consultation is open from 7th April 2021 to 7th May 2021.
The survey can be accessed here.
Consultation materials consist of the following document: