15A.—(1) Where the Scottish Ministers receive from another Member State pursuant to Article 7(2) of the Directive information which that Member State has gathered from the developer of a proposed project in that Member State which is likely to have significant effects on the environment in Scotland, the Scottish Ministers shall, in accordance with Article 7(4) of the Directive–
(a)enter into consultations with that Member State regarding, inter alia, the potential significant effects of the proposed project on the environment in Scotland and the measures envisaged to reduce or eliminate such effects; and
(b)determine in agreement with that Member State a reasonable period, before development consent for the project is granted, during which the public concerned in Scotland may submit to the competent authority in that Member State representations pursuant to Article 7(3)(b) of the Directive.
(2) The Scottish Ministers, insofar as they are concerned, shall also–
(a)arrange for the information referred to in paragraph (1) to be made available, within a reasonable time, both to the authorities in Scotland which they consider are likely to be concerned by the project by reason of their specific environmental responsibilities, and to the public concerned in Scotland;
(b)ensure that those authorities and the public concerned in Scotland are given an opportunity, before development consent for the project is granted, to forward to the competent authority in the relevant Member State, within a reasonable time, their opinion on the information supplied; and
(c)so far as they have received such information, notify those authorities and the public concerned of the content of any decision of the competent authority of the relevant Member State; and in particular–
(i)any conditions attached to it;
(ii)the main reasons and considerations on which the decision was based; and
(iii)a description of the main measures to avoid, reduce and if possible, offset the majors adverse affects that have been identified.]
Textual Amendments
F1Reg. 15A inserted (1.2.2007) by The Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2006 (S.S.I. 2006/614), regs. 1, 9(7)