Nino Tandilashvili Presents Amendments to the Environmental Assessment Code in Third Reading

Nino Tandilashvili, First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, presented the third reading of amendments to the Environmental Assessment Code and related draft laws during an offsite session of the Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, held in the city of Poti.

According to Tandilashvili, the main goal of the proposed changes is to refine the environmental assessment procedures defined by the code and to address practical shortcomings identified during its implementation. She emphasized that since the code’s enforcement, certain issues had emerged that required clarification and improvement.

“The aim of the proposed amendments is to establish an environmental assessment system that ensures high environmental standards, aligns with ongoing economic processes in the country, and facilitates business operations. Notably, the changes introduce a more flexible decision-making process,” Tandilashvili stated.

As highlighted during the session, the adoption of the draft law will improve, simplify, and make more effective the screening, scoping, and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures defined in the code, supporting the smooth implementation of economic activities.

It is worth noting that the Environmental Assessment Code has been in force since 2018 and was one of the first legislative acts in Georgia to fully align national legislation with the EU’s Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessment Directives.