The aim of the seminar was to raise awareness among the environmental authorities about the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) process, which as a tool for improving sectoral planning, as well as about their roles in this process.

The participants of the seminar were familiarized with the European cases of SEA application in various economic sectors and the benefits of SEA. They will consider the existing experience of Ukraine in conducting a SEA and discuss roles of various stakeholders in the SEA process, as well as the necessary measures for implementing SEA in Ukraine once the new draft Law “On strategic environmental assessment” has been adopted. The new law will require that SEA be conducted in compliance with the provisions of the Protocol on SEA to the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention) and the EU SEA Directive (2001/42/EC).

During the seminar, particular attention was paid to the consideration of diverse functions and roles of the environmental authorities in the SEA process and to the discussion of a potential pilot SEA project in Ukraine.

The event gathered the representatives of the environmental authorities, as well as the representatives and specialists from civil society organizations and donor agencies/international financial institutions.

The seminar was organized by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, together with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) within the framework of the European Union (EU) funded Programme “Greening Economies in the Eastern Neighbourhood” (EaP GREEN).

The meeting took place at Hotel Rus, 4, Hospitalna Str., Kyiv 01601, Ukraine.