The Proportionate Impact Assessment of the European Commission – Towards More Formalism to Backup "The Environment"

The paper reflects main findings from a presentation on "Problems and challenges of the EU impact assessment with emphasis on environmental aspects" presented on the International Workshop "Improving the integrated European impact assessment?" from 15th to 17th September 2008 in Berlin. The discussion concentrates on an analysis of the EC communication and guidelines on IA on the consideration of environmental issues and draws a conclusion with recommendations for an assessment tool, which supports a more transparent assessment of environmental impacts in the future. This addresses particularly Directorate Generals of non-environmental policy such as the DG Trade, where desk officers have limited experience in the selection of methods to assess environmental impacts.