Law No. 2540 ratifying the Convention on environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context. Country/Territory Greece Document type Legislation Date 1997 Source FAO, FAOLEX Original source Efimeris tis Kyverniseos No. 249, Part I, 15 December 1997, pp. 8885-8916. Subject Environment gen. Keyword EIA International organization Geographical area Europe, Europe and Central Asia, European Union Countries, Mediterranean, Southern Europe Entry into force notes The Decision enters into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. Abstract The present law ratifies the Convention on EIA in a transboundary context, according to which, before a permit is granted for certain activities, which can have significant impact on the environment, especially of neighboring countries, have to be assessed according to their environmental impacts. The law gives the opportunity to the affected Parties and the public to participate in the preparation of the environmental impact assessment file. The competent authority shall be the Ministry of the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works. The main obligations arising from the Convention are the following: establishment of a procedure for the assessment of the environmental impacts of certain projects and activities at a transboundary level; provision of all relative information towards any affected Party, about the activities planned to take place; preparation of the file for the assessment of the environmental impacts at a transboundary level. The file, when ready, has to be sent to the affected Party or Parties; establishment of a consultation procedure with all interested Parties, after the accomplishment of the assessment of the transboundary impacts of the proposed activity, and of other forms of mutual assistance aiming at the reduction of these impacts; conduction of scientific research about: the optimization of the methods for the assessment of the environmental impacts at transboundary level; the best interpretation of the relation between cause and result and its role in integrated environmental management; the analysis and the monitoring of the effective implementation of the decisions regarding the proposed activities; the environmentally sound alternative solutions for the proposed activities. Full text English/Greek