report parliamentary committee draft, 22 May 2026
On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on speeding-up environmental assessments
Document ENVI-PR-788874 · (COM(2025)0984 – C100337/2025 – 2025/0391(COD))
Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety · Rapporteur: Emma Wiesner
AI:In short
This is the rapporteur's draft report on the Commission proposal for a regulation on speeding-up environmental assessments. It adopts a first-reading position with amendments that delete the 'toolbox' for strategic sectors and its Annex, replace EU-wide deadlines with project-specific timelines, and strengthen digital and resource provisions. The draft removes Article 14 and the Annex, and deletes recitals on affordable housing and strategic sectors. It moves the resources and training article into a new recital. It shortens the screening deadline to 45 days, requires the scoping opinion to state a project-specific timeline and scope, and deletes the consultation time-frames, completeness acknowledgement and 90-day reasoned conclusion. It adds an advisory function and possible digital portal for single points of contact, interoperability of data through APIs, and delegated acts on technical and data protection requirements.
Position. The rapporteur proposes to adopt Parliament's first-reading position with amendments that delete the strategic-sector toolbox and Annex, replace EU-wide deadlines with project-specific timelines, and strengthen digital and resource provisions.
Key points
- Deletes Article 14, the toolbox for strategic sectors or categories of projects, and the accompanying Annex.
- Deletes recitals on affordable housing, the dedicated toolbox for strategic sectors, priority status for urgent projects, and Commission implementing powers on strategic projects.
- Deletes Article 12 on resources and training and moves its content into a new recital requiring Member States to ensure sufficient qualified staff and financial, technical and technological resources.
- Adds to Article 3 that the environmental single point of contact shall include an advisory function to help project developers throughout the process.
- Allows Member States to establish a digital portal as the single point of contact.
- Requires Member States to establish transparent and predictable guidelines for national implementation of Article 4(2) to (6) of Directive 2011/92/EU.
- Extends screening-only treatment to changes or extensions for emissions reduction, energy and resource efficiency or environmental performance.
- Allows Member States to preclude arguments not raised during the administrative stage in judicial proceedings, without prejudice to access to justice as established by the Aarhus Convention.
- Shortens the screening deadline to a maximum of 45 days and sets the same maximum for changes or extensions of projects.
- Requires the scoping opinion within a maximum of 30 days to state the timeline for the full environmental assessment and the scope and level of detail of the report.
- Requires requests for additional information after the original scoping opinion to be duly justified, and deletes the consultation time-frames, completeness acknowledgement and 90-day reasoned conclusion.
- Requires Member States to ensure interoperability of data through standardised APIs and empowers the Commission to adopt delegated acts on technical, confidentiality and data protection requirements.
Who is affected
- Member States, which must establish single points of contact, guidelines, interoperability and resources.
- Project developers, who gain an advisory function, project-specific timelines and justified information requests.
- Competent authorities, which must meet shorter screening and scoping deadlines and communicate timelines.
- The Commission, which gains delegated powers on data requirements.
Figures and deadlines
- 45 days: maximum screening period for projects and for changes or extensions.
- 30 days: maximum period for the competent authority to issue its scoping opinion.
- 210 days: period for competent authorities to conclude and publish the environmental report.
- 6 months after entry into force: deadline for Member States to establish or designate single points of contact.
Legal basis. Article 294(2) and Article 192(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 25 Sept 2026 · Report a problem
Full text
Jump to an amendment (30)
- Amendment 1
- Amendment 2
- Amendment 3
- Amendment 4
- Amendment 5
- Amendment 6
- Amendment 7
- Amendment 8
- Amendment 9
- Amendment 10
- Amendment 11
- Amendment 12
- Amendment 13
- Amendment 14
- Amendment 15
- Amendment 16
- Amendment 17
- Amendment 18
- Amendment 19
- Amendment 20
- Amendment 21
- Amendment 22
- Amendment 23
- Amendment 24
- Amendment 25
- Amendment 26
- Amendment 27
- Amendment 28
- Amendment 29
- Amendment 30
Draft european parliament legislative resolution 174 paragraphs
(COM(2025)0984 – C100337/2025 – 2025/0391(COD))
(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)
The European Parliament,
–having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2025)0984),
–having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 192(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C100337/2025),
–having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
–having regard to the reasoned opinion submitted, within the framework of Protocol No 2 on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, by the French Senate and German Bundesrat asserting that the draft legislative act does not comply with the principle of subsidiarity,
–having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 18 March 2026,
–having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 7 May 2026,
–having regard to Rule 60 of its Rules of Procedure,
–having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (A100000/2026),
1.Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;
Read the rest (162 paragraphs)
2.Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;
3.Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.
Amendment 1
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (3) At the same time, the findings of the 2024 Draghi report4 indicate that lengthy and uncertain permit granting procedures are an obstacle for the roll-out of critical projects such as new power supply and grids. The Clean Industrial Deal Communication5 indicates that it is to speed up permit granting procedures, in particular for the deployment of grids, energy storage and renewables projects, industrial access to energy and industrial decarbonisation projects as well as manufacturing of clean technologies. Faster permit granting procedures are necessary, amongst other, for Data centre projects, EuroHPC supercomputer facilities, AI factories, AI Gigafactories, semiconductor projects. Also, this is needed for projects supporting the digital transition, for those related to the decarbonisation of maritime and inland ports, airports and railways of trans-European transport network. Faster permitting is also necessary for projects which are critical to ensure food security in the Union. | (3) At the same time, the findings of the 2024 Draghi report4 indicate that lengthy and uncertain permit granting procedures are an obstacle for the roll-out of critical projects such as new power supply and grids. The Clean Industrial Deal Communication5 indicates that it is to speed up permit granting procedures, in particular for the deployment of grids, energy storage and renewables projects, industrial access to energy and industrial decarbonisation projects as well as manufacturing of clean technologies. Faster permit granting procedures are necessary, amongst other, for projects supporting the digital transition, for those related to the decarbonisation of maritime and inland ports, airports and railways of trans-European transport network. Faster permitting is also necessary for projects which are critical to ensure food security in the Union. |
| 4 Draghi, M. (2024) The future of European competitiveness. Available at: The Draghi report on EU competitiveness | 4 Draghi, M. (2024) The future of European competitiveness. Available at: The Draghi report on EU competitiveness |
| 5 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, The EUROPEAN Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of 26 February 2025, The Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation (COM(2025) 85 final). | 5 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, The EUROPEAN Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of 26 February 2025, The Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation (COM(2025) 85 final). |
Or. en
Amendment 2
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4) Affordable housing should be available to households that are not able, due to market outcomes and notably market failures, to access housing at affordable conditions. For this purpose, housing affordability should be measured on the basis of reliable indicators such as for example the housing cost overburden rate, a rent-to-income ratio, a mortgage payment to income ratio, a price to income ratio, or years of income to buy a home. Energy costs should be considered as part of the total housing costs, at least for buildings with a low energy performance. | deleted |
Or. en
Justification
Deleted in relation to the amendment to Article 14.
Amendment 3
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (5a) Member States should ensure that the environmental single point of contact and all competent authorities responsible for any step in the screening and environmental assessments procedures, including all procedural steps, have a sufficient number of qualified staff and sufficient financial, technical and technological resources, including, where appropriate, for up-skilling and re-skilling of staff, for the effective performance of their tasks under this Regulation and the Directives referred to thereunder. |
Or. en
Justification
Moved from Article 12.
Amendment 4
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (6) Some sectors may, however, require yet faster environmental assessments. Therefore, in order to safeguard the coherence of the legal framework of environmental assessments, whilst allowing for the additional needs for acceleration in certain strategic sectors, a dedicated toolbox should be provided which applies where appropriate, with particular focus on decarbonisation, resource efficiency and resilience. This should apply where existing sectorial Union legislation, such as on critical raw materials6 , net zero industry7 , semiconductors8 as well as maritime and inland ports, airports, railways, which are part of trans-European transport network9 and future sectorial Union legislation defines strategic sectors or categories of projects for the purpose of faster permitting. | deleted |
| 6 Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020 (OJ L 1252, 3.5.2024, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1252/oj). | |
| 7 Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology manufacturing ecosystem and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 (OJ L, 2024/1735, 28.6.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1735/oj). | |
| 8 Regulation (EU) 2023/1781 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2023 establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/694 (Chips Act), OJ L 229, 18.9.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1781/oj. | |
| 9 Regulation (EU) 2024/1679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network, amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1153 and (EU) No 913/2010 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013, OJ L, 2024/1679, 28.6.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1679/oj. |
Or. en
Justification
Deleted in relation to the amendment to Article 14.
Amendment 5
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (16) In order to allow businesses and developers, including for cross-border projects, to directly enjoy the benefits of the internal market without incurring an unnecessary additional administrative burden, Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council17 , which established the Single Digital Gateway, provides for general rules for the online provision of information, procedures and assistance services relevant for the functioning of the internal market. Single points of contact established or designated pursuant to that Regulation are included in the list of assistance and problem-solving services in Annex III to that Regulation. For the purpose of this Regulation, Member States should be able to designate single points of contact that coincide with the single point of contact designated pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1724. | (16) In order to allow businesses and developers, including for cross-border projects, to directly enjoy the benefits of the internal market without incurring an unnecessary additional administrative burden, Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council17 , which established the Single Digital Gateway, provides for general rules for the online provision of information, procedures and assistance services relevant for the functioning of the internal market. Single points of contact established or designated pursuant to that Regulation are included in the list of assistance and problem-solving services in Annex III to that Regulation. For the purpose of this Regulation, Member States should be able to designate single points of contact that coincide with the single point of contact designated pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1724, and make them fully digital. |
| 17 Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 October 2018 establishing a single digital gateway to provide access to information, to procedures and to assistance and problem-solving services and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1724/oj). | 17 Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 October 2018 establishing a single digital gateway to provide access to information, to procedures and to assistance and problem-solving services and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1724/oj). |
Or. en
Amendment 6
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (24) In order to ensure a high level of environmental protection, legal certainty and administrative efficiency, Member States should have the option within their respective national systems to require that all relevant arguments are raised during the administrative stage of the procedure leading to the authorisation of a project prior to any potential judicial review, thereby enabling competent authorities to address them during the decision-making to avoid excessive delays in the permit granting process, without prejudice to the right of access to justice. | (24) In order to ensure a high level of environmental protection, legal certainty and administrative efficiency, Member States should have the option within their respective national systems to require that all relevant arguments are raised during the administrative stage of the procedure leading to the authorisation of a project prior to any potential judicial review, thereby enabling competent authorities to address them during the decision-making to avoid excessive delays in the permit granting process, without prejudice to the right of access to justice as established by the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the ‘Aarhus Convention’).* + |
| * United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, signed at Aarhus on 25 June 1998. |
Or. en
Amendment 7
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 30
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (30) In order to provide developers and investors with the security and clarity needed to increase development of projects, Member States should ensure that the environmental assessment process related to such projects does not exceed pre-set time limits. Clear timelines for decisions to be taken by the competent authorities throughout the environmental assessment process on the basis of a complete application should be introduced to accelerate the development of projects. The time taken to build the actual project should not be counted towards those timelines, except when it coincides with other administrative steps in the environmental assessment process. In exceptional cases related to the nature, complexity, location or size of the proposed project, Member States should be able to extend the timelines. Such exceptional cases could include unforeseen circumstances triggering the need to add to or complete environmental assessments related to the project. | (30) In order to provide developers and investors with the security and clarity needed to increase development of projects, Member States should ensure that the environmental assessment process related to such projects is effective and does not exceed pre-set time limits. Clear timelines for decisions to be taken by the competent authorities throughout the environmental assessment process on the basis of a complete application should be communicated by the responsible authority and introduced to accelerate the development of projects. The timelines should be based on national standards and comparable to the duration of other assessments taken for similar projects. The time taken to build the actual project should not be counted towards those timelines, except when it coincides with other administrative steps in the environmental assessment process. In exceptional cases related to the nature, complexity, location or size of the proposed project, Member States should be able to extend the timelines. Such exceptional cases could include unforeseen circumstances triggering the need to add to or complete environmental assessments related to the project. The timelines introduced in this Regulation refer to calendar days. |
Or. en
Amendment 8
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 36
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (36) When establishing whether projects may be covered under the provision on assessing overriding public interest under this Regulation, specific attention should be given to their strategic nature, whether they contribute to decarbonisation goals, resource efficiency and resilience as well as to what extent they are likely – or not – to cause significant effect on the environment. In the upcoming Circular Economy Act, projects which concern prevention, separate collection, re-use, preparing for re-use, and recycling of waste should also be defined as strategic, given their important contribution to circular economy. Also, in the upcoming Industrial Accelerator Act, projects related to decarbonisation of energy intensive industries as well as those located in industrial acceleration areas should also be defined as strategic given their importance to resilience and decarbonisation. | deleted |
Or. en
Amendment 9
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 37
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (37) Predictable, simpler and faster processes for environmental assessments as part of the overall national authorisation processes, are necessary to provide the investment security necessary for the effective development of projects, which may be particularly important in certain sectors of the economy at this juncture. Therefore, as part of the toolbox, sectorial Union legislation may also provide, in accordance with this Regulation, that plans, programmes and projects in certain sectors or categories should be regarded as urgent at national level and should therefore be given a priority status insofar as national law provides for such expediated procedures in all judicial and dispute resolution procedures relating to them, while ensuring respect for the rights to access to justice and defence, if and to the extent, national law provides for such expeditated procedures. | deleted |
Or. en
Amendment 10
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 38
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (38) In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission to identify strategic projects concerning construction and renovation of residential affordable or social buildings, as well as the necessary infrastructure that directly serves those buildings. | deleted |
Or. en
Amendment 11
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. By [OP please insert – 6 months after the entry into force of this Regulation], Member States shall establish or designate environmental single points of contact at the relevant administrative level for environmental assessments. Each single point of contact shall be responsible for facilitating and coordinating all aspects of the environmental assessments under this Regulation, including for providing information on when an application is considered to be completed in accordance with Article 7 of this Regulation. | 1. By [OP please insert – 6 months after the entry into force of this Regulation], Member States shall establish or designate environmental single points of contact at the relevant administrative level for environmental assessments. Each single point of contact shall be responsible for facilitating and coordinating all aspects of the environmental assessments under this Regulation, including for providing information on when an application is considered to be completed in accordance with Article 7 of this Regulation. The single point of contact shall also include an advisory function, to help project developers throughout the process. |
Or. en
Amendment 12
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 4 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4a. Member States may establish a digital portal as the single point of contact. |
Or. en
Amendment 13
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1a. Member States shall establish transparent and predicable guidelines for the national implementation of Article 4(2) to (6) of Directive 2011/92/EU. |
Or. en
Amendment 14
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. Changes or extensions of projects, such as repurposing of pipelines or of industrial sites, and extension of their operation period and modifications to ensure decarbonisation, shall only be subject to screening by the competent authorities in order to determine if they are likely to have significant effects on the environment. Those changes or extensions shall be subject to an environmental assessment only where they involve major works that represent risks that are similar to or greater than, in terms of their effects on the environment, to those posed by the original project. | 1. Changes or extensions of projects, such as repurposing of pipelines or of industrial sites, and extension of their operation period and modifications to ensure decarbonisation, emissions reduction, energy and resource efficiency or environmental performance shall only be subject to screening by the competent authorities in order to determine if they are likely to have significant effects on the environment. Those changes or extensions shall be subject to an environmental assessment only where they involve major works that represent risks that are similar to or greater than, in terms of their effects on the environment, to those posed by the original project. |
Or. en
Amendment 15
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| In the context of judicial proceedings relating to environmental assessments within the meaning of this Regulation, Member States may preclude arguments from being raised before a court of law where they were not raised during the administrative stage, as long as the competent authority made available the necessary information in due time so that those arguments were known or could have been known and reviewed during the administrative stage leading to the authorisation of the project, without prejudice to the right of access to justice. | In the context of judicial proceedings relating to environmental assessments within the meaning of this Regulation, Member States may preclude arguments from being raised before a court of law where they were not raised during the administrative stage, as long as the competent authority made available the necessary information in due time so that those arguments were known or could have been known and reviewed during the administrative stage leading to the authorisation of the project, without prejudice to the right of access to justice as established by the Aarhus Convention. |
Or. en
Amendment 16
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point a
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (a) for projects subject to screening, the competent authorities carry out that screening within a period of maximum 60 days from the date that the developer has submitted all information required; for changes or extensions of projects referred to in Article 5 of this Regulation, that timeline shall be a maximum of 45 days; | (a) for projects subject to screening, the competent authorities carry out that screening within a period of maximum 45 days from the date that the developer has submitted all information required; for changes or extensions of projects referred to in Article 5 of this Regulation, that timeline shall be a maximum of 45 days; |
Or. en
Amendment 17
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point b
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) for projects subject to an environmental assessment, the competent authority issues an opinion on the scope and level of detail of the information to be included in an environmental assessment report within a period of maximum 30 days from the date on which the developer has submitted its request for an opinion; | (b) for projects subject to an environmental assessment, the competent authority issues an opinion within a maximum of 30 days from the date on which the developer has submitted its request, stating the following: |
Or. en
Amendment 18
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point b – point i (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| i) the timeline for the full environmental assessment, based on a national standard from earlier similar processes, including deadlines for the process such as time-frames for consulting the public concerned and when a reasoned conclusion can be expected from the competent authority. |
Or. en
Amendment 19
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point b – point ii (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| ii) the scope and level of detail of the information to be included in the environmental assessment report. |
Or. en
Amendment 20
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (ba) the request for additional information after the original opinion by the competent authority, as established in paragraph 1, point (b), of this Article, is duly justified. |
Or. en
Amendment 21
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point c
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (c) the time-frames for consulting the public concerned on the environmental report referred to point (b) is between 30 and 90 days; | deleted |
Or. en
Amendment 22
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point d
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (d) within 30 days following the completion of the respective consultations under Articles 6 and 7 of Directive 2011/92/EU, the competent authority acknowledges the completeness of the information provided by the developer which is necessary to take an informed decision on the environmental effects of the project. This information shall include the necessary information gathered pursuant to Articles 5, 6 and 7 of Directive 2011/92/EU including, where relevant, specific assessments required under other Union legislation. | deleted |
| If, before the end of the 30 days period, the competent authority considers that it does not have all necessary information to make the informed decision, the developer shall submit that information within a reasonable timeframe. Following the acknowledgment of completeness referred to in this point, the developer shall not be asked to provide any new information unless duly justified. |
Or. en
Amendment 23
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point e
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (e) the competent authority issues a reasoned conclusion on the environmental assessment of the project within a maximum of 90 days following the acknowledgement of completeness referred to in point (d). | deleted |
Or. en
Amendment 24
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (d) the competent authorities conclude and publish the environmental report required under Article 5(1) of that Directive within 7 months from the day when the necessary information required under that Directive has been provided to them, and the relevant consultations under that Directive have been completed. | (d) the competent authorities conclude and publish the environmental report required under Article 5(1) of that Directive within 210 days from the day when the necessary information required under that Directive has been provided to them, and the relevant consultations under that Directive have been completed. |
Or. en
Amendment 25
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2a. Member States shall ensure interoperability of data used and shared by national authorities, between authorities of different Member States and between authorities and developers through standardised application programming interfaces (APIs). |
Or. en
Amendment 26
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 b (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2b. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 15a to supplement this Regulation by laying down the technical, confidentiality and data protection requirements for the interoperable use and sharing of data pursuant to Article 10(3), including with regard to the technical characteristics and tools available to national authorities, authorities of different Member States and developers while using and sharing data resulting from environmental assessments and screening procedures. |
Or. en
Amendment 27
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Article 12 | deleted |
| Resources and training | |
| Member States shall ensure that the environmental single point of contact and all competent authorities responsible for any step in the screening and environmental assessments procedures, including all procedural steps, have a sufficient number of qualified staff and sufficient financial, technical and technological resources necessary, including, where appropriate, for up-skilling and re-skilling of staff, for the effective performance of their tasks under this Regulation and under the Directives referred to in Article 1. |
Or. en
Justification
While the sentiment of this Article is understandable, it is difficult to enforce through a regulation. Instead, the article has been moved to the recitals.
Amendment 28
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Article 14 | deleted |
| Toolbox for strategic sectors or categories | |
| 1. The provisions set out in the Annex shall apply where existing sectorial Union legislation defines strategic sectors or categories of strategic projects and aims to speed up permitting, provided that those projects contribute to resilience and decarbonisation or resource efficiency. | |
| The Commission is empowered to adopt an implementing act identifying strategic projects for the construction and renovation of residential affordable or social buildings, as well as the necessary infrastructure that directly serves those buildings. The provisions set out in the Annex shall apply to those projects. | |
| 2. The provisions set out in the Annex shall also apply to strategic sectors or categories of projects defined in future Union legislation which refers to this Regulation, provided that those projects contribute to resilience and decarbonisation or resource efficiency. |
Or. en
Justification
While the concept of strategic sectors already exists in certain EU-law, there is no established definition of what a strategic sector is nor a process for how they should be established. With the notion of techniques neutrality in mind, and the understanding that slow permitting processes are affecting multiple sectors, the continued application of this concept is not only unjustified but would also risk negative impact to effective administrative processes in large.
Amendment 29
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Article 15a | |
| Exercise of the delegation | |
| 1. The power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article. | |
| 2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 10 (4) shall be conferred on the Commission for an indeterminate period of time from … [the date of entry into force of this Regulation]. |
Or. en
Amendment 30
Proposal for a regulation
Annex
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| [...] | deleted |
Or. en
Explanatory statement 9 paragraphs
On the 10 of December 2025, as part of the Environmental Omnibus, the Commission presented the proposal for a Regulation on speeding-up environmental assessments. The proposal aims to reduce procedural delays in the planning and permit-granting across the European Union by streamlining the application of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) requirements.
The proposal responds to a real and pressing challenge. Lengthy, unpredictable, and fragmented environmental assessment procedures impose significant costs on project developers, undermine investor confidence, and slow the deployment of infrastructure critical to the green and digital transitions. The Draghi report of 2024 identified permit-granting delays as a core obstacle to European competitiveness.
The rapporteur fully shares this diagnosis: fast, effective, and legally predictable environmental assessments are essential to accelerate the green transition and boost competitiveness. At the same time, the proposal presented by the Commission raises concerns that this draft report seeks to address. The rapporteur's approach is guided by three overarching goals: technology and sector neutrality, adaptation to national administrative processes, and increased use of digital solutions.
The most significant structural change proposed by the rapporteur is the deletion in full of Article 14 — the so-called "toolbox" for strategic sectors or categories of projects — along with the accompanying Annex. While the concept of strategic sectors is used in other legislation, there is no established legal definition of this concept. At the same time, the application of the concept and the accompanying “toolbox” risk creating a two-tier system, in which some sectors can claim accelerated treatment, ultimately undermining the coherence and fairness of the overall permitting framework.
The rapporteur therefore proposes that all projects benefit from a uniformly modernised, faster, and more predictable environmental assessment framework, rather than that acceleration privileges are reserved for a selective few.
The Commission also proposes pre-set maximum timelines imposed at EU level, applicable uniformly across all Member States regardless of the complexity, nature, or administrative traditions of each jurisdiction. The rapporteur shares the objective of predictability but proposes a more effective mechanism: rather than imposing strict deadlines, the competent authority should communicate a project-specific timeline at the outset of the scoping phase, calibrated against national standards derived from similar projects.
This approach builds on actual administrative experience, creates accountability specific to each project, and respects the principle of subsidiarity. The rapporteur also proposes that requests for additional information submitted after the original scoping opinion must be duly justified, preventing the common practice of sequential information requests that fragment the process and create delays without commensurate environmental benefits.
The rapporteur strongly supports the Commission's digital ambitions and proposes to go further. Single points of contact should not merely be allowed to have a digital component; they should have the possibility of going fully digital. Furthermore, data used and shared between national authorities, across borders, and with project developers should be interoperable to ensure effective processes.
The rapporteur's draft report supports the Commission's overarching ambition to make environmental assessments faster, more coherent, and more predictable across the European Union. However, it reorients the proposal away from sector-specific privilege and towards universal improvement of the assessment framework.
Annex: declaration of input 4 paragraphs
Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that she included in her report input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that she received, in the preparation of the draft report, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:
| 1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register |
| BirdLife Europe - 1083162721-43 |
| BirdLife Sweden - 1083162721-43 |
| BusinessEurope - 3978240953-79 |
| Cefic - 64879142323-90 |
| Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) - 1274604847-34 |
| ClientEarth - 96645517357-19 |
| Energiföretagen - 13073098010-57 |
| EurEau - 39299129772-62 |
| European Environment Bureau - 06798511314-27 |
| Euromines - 62722978644-95 |
| European Data Center Association (EDUCA) - 073113537074-85 |
| Eurochambers - 0014082722-83 |
| Fortum - 03501997362-71 |
| Federation of German Industries (BDI) - 1771817758-48 |
| Jernkontoret - 76331988454-11 |
| Lantbrukarnas Riksförbund - 79239225070-38 |
| LKAB - 419925437896-51 |
| Naturskyddsföreningen - 681872220973-70 |
| Orgalim - 20210641335-88 |
| Plastics Recyclers Europe - 00162715418-92 |
| Svemin - 374860614091-68 |
| Svenskt Vatten - 993542340795-03 |
| Svenskt Näringsliv - 39912257528-48 |
| Trilogue - 326137696316-20 |
| Vattenfall - 12955024114-93 |
| WWF Sweden - 299330237015-12 |
| WWF Europe - 02019258940-59 |
| Wirtschaftskammer Österreich (WKÖ) - 10405322962-08 |
The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.
Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.