Summary
Details
- Norway
This framework is legally binding.
Obligations apply to:
Developers/project owners, who must prepare assessments and documentation when required.
Competent authorities, which must apply the procedural rules before adopting plans or granting approvals.
Exceptions:
Whether an EIA is required depends on whether a plan/initiative falls within the regulations and triggers significant-effect criteria, including sectoral law interactions.
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What’s Required
Norway’s Impact Assessment Regulations implement requirements for environmental impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) for plans and projects that may have significant effects on the environment and society. Developers are responsible for preparing assessments and documentation, and authorities must follow defined procedures before decisions are made.
Key requirements include:
Screening and procedural steps for plans/initiatives that fall under the regulations, including preparation of impact assessment documentation where required.
The assessment process must satisfy evaluation needs under other relevant laws tied to the decision.
Developers must provide an EIA report and supporting material as part of permitting/planning workflows (project-dependent).
Important Deadlines
In force from 1 July 2017: the current Impact Assessment Regulations apply from this date.
Project-specific: deadlines are set within the relevant plan or permitting process, but compliance is required before final approvals are granted for covered initiatives.
Current Status
Fully in force, used across major infrastructure, energy, industrial, and planning decisions.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
The Regulations include a specific infringement penalty mechanism (Section 36) for certain procedural contraventions, including failure to follow required EIA procedures where a plan/initiative clearly falls under the rules, and failure to comply with orders to remedy.
Examples of Known Violations
Typical enforcement risk areas include initiating a covered project without completing the required EIA procedure, or failing to comply with authority orders to remedy procedural deficiencies, which can trigger infringement penalties under Section 36.
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