ENVIRONMENTAL-IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN FLANDERS, BELGIUM - AN EVALUATION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE-PROCEDURE

Two years of experience with EIA in Flanders (northern Belgium) was ev aluated in order to gain perspective on the effectiveness of the admin istrative procedure. The four essential characteristics of the EIA pro cedure that were evaluated are: completeness, open and public characte r, objectivity, and verifiability. Representatives of all parties invo lved in the EIA procedure were interviewed. The result of the evaluati on is a list of major problems with EIA. Recommendations for a more ef ficient procedure are suggested at a time when a proposal for a new, c omprehensive, and permanent EIA decree is being discussed. The evaluat ion of the administrative procedure for EIA in Flanders shows that sev eral vital characteristics of the EIA procedure are lacking. This redu ces the obligatory and open nature of the process, resulting in insuff icient guarantees that the environment receives the attention it deser ves during the decision-making process.