The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

Transboundary consultations

13.—(1) Where a responsible authority is of the opinion that a plan or programme for which it is the responsible authority is likely to have significant effects on the environment of another Member State, it shall, as soon as reasonably practical after forming that opinion –

(a) notify the Department concerned of its opinion and of the reasons for it; and

(b) supply the Department concerned with a copy of the relevant plan or programme, and of the accompanying environmental report.

(2) Where the Department concerned has been notified under paragraph (1)(a), the responsible authority shall, within such period as the Department concerned may specify by notice in writing to the authority, provide that Department with such other information about the plan or programme or its accompanying environmental report as it may reasonably require.

(3) Where –

(a) the Department concerned, whether in consequence of a notice under paragraph (1)(a) or otherwise, considers that the implementation of a plan or programme is likely to have significant effects on the environment of another Member State; or

(b) a Member State that is likely to be significantly affected by the implementation of a plan or programme so requests,

the Department concerned shall, before the adoption of the plan or programme or its submission to the legislative procedure for adoption, forward a copy of it and of its accompanying environmental report to the Member State concerned.

(4) Where the Department concerned receives from a Member State an indication that it wishes to enter into consultations before the adoption, or submission to the legislative procedure for adoption, of a plan or programme forwarded to it in accordance with paragraph (3), the Department concerned shall –

(a) agree with the Member State –

(i) detailed arrangements to ensure that the authorities referred to in paragraph 3 of Article 6 of the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Directive and the public referred to in paragraph 4 of that Article in the Member State likely to be significantly affected are informed and given an opportunity to forward their opinion within a reasonable time; and

(ii) a reasonable time for the duration of the consultations;

(b) enter into consultations with the Member State concerning –

(i) the likely transboundary environmental effects of implementing the plan or programme;

(ii) the measures envisaged to reduce or eliminate such effects.

(c) where it is not the responsible authority, direct the responsible authority that it shall not adopt the plan or programme, or submit it to the legislative procedure for adoption, until the consultations with the Member State have been concluded.

(5) Where consultations take place pursuant to paragraph (4), the Department concerned shall –

(a) as soon as reasonably practicable after those consultations begin, notify the consultation body of that fact; and

(b) notify the consultation body and, where the Department concerned is not the responsible authority, the responsible authority, of the outcome of the consultations.