The Government approved a package of draft amendments and addenda to the Laws “On Environmental Impact Assessment and Expertise” and “On State Duty”.
The proposed amendments aimed to promote afforestation and reforestation programmes in Armenia, as well as to significantly simplify the processes related to the construction and reconstruction of educational infrastructure, including schools and kindergartens.
In particular, the amendments provided for the abolition of the state duty of AMD 300,000 applicable to afforestation programmes, easing the financial burden and contributing to the implementation of large-scale afforestation initiatives.
At the same time, construction and reconstruction projects implemented within the same or adjacent territory of state and community schools and kindergartens were exempted from EIA expertise. Environmental considerations are to be addressed within the framework of urban planning expertise, ensuring a faster and more efficient process while maintaining environmental standards.
The amendments also aligned domestic legislation with the requirements of the Aarhus and Espoo Conventions ratified by Armenia, while strategic environmental assessment (SEA) procedures became more targeted and flexible.
These steps introduced a simple, clear and effective mechanism that ensures compliance with environmental requirements while facilitating the rapid implementation of development programmes.