Speeding-up environmental assessments (Omnibus VIII on environmental legislation)
In interinstitutional negotiations (trilogues). Parliament and Council are working toward a provisional agreement, which would still need formal adoption to become law.
Last active 14 Jul 2026
What this bill does
In plain terms: what it changes and who it affects.
This proposal sets EU-wide rules to make environmental assessments faster, more coordinated and more digital while keeping existing environmental protection standards.
It affects project developers, businesses in strategic sectors, public authorities, local communities, environmental groups and the public involved in planning or permitting decisions.
- Requires single contact points to coordinate environmental assessments for developers.
- Combines overlapping EU environmental assessment procedures through coordinated or joint procedures.
- Sets maximum timelines for screening, scoping, consultations and reasoned conclusions.
- Requires digital submission, online information access and later fully digital assessment procedures.
- Takes effect
- It enters into force on the twentieth day after publication in the Official Journal; some provisions apply on later stated dates.
- Transitional law
- Environmental single contact points apply after six months; digitalisation duties apply after six, twelve or twenty-four months depending on the requirement.
- Directive 2011/92/EU (32011L0092)
- art. 4: sets maximum screening timelines and conditions for project changes or extensions
- art. 5: sets scoping deadline and rules on environmental assessment reports and reusable data
- art. 6: requires parallel public and authority consultations; sets consultation timeframe
- art. 7: applies transboundary consultation rules to affected project changes and sets related timelines
- Directive 2001/42/EC (32001L0042)
- art. 3(5): sets maximum timeline for SEA screening and publication of results
- art. 5(1): sets maximum timeline for concluding and publishing the environmental report
- art. 5(3): sets maximum timeline for SEA scoping and publication of results
- art. 6(2): requires authority consultations to run in parallel with public consultations
- Directive 2009/147/EC (32009L0147)
- art. 5: clarifies when occasional killing or disturbance is not deliberate if mitigation measures are adopted
- Council Directive 92/43/EEC (31992L0043)
- art. 12(1): clarifies when occasional killing or disturbance is not deliberate if mitigation measures are adopted
- Directive 2000/60/EC (32000L0060)
- entire act: requires coordinated or joint procedures when environmental assessment obligations arise alongside other listed directives
Latest update
14 Jul 2026The most recent development in this bill's progress.
Trilogues (interinstitutional negotiations) → 1st reading – European Parliament
Trilogues (interinstitutional negotiations) → 1st reading – European Parliament
Documents
1 recentSourcesOEILEUR-LexEU Law Tracker