On 17 December, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the Regulation on the organization and provision of state services for issuing these permits. The document establishes clear, unified and modern procedures for issuing permits for activities that have an impact on the environment.
Depending on the type of activity, economic entities will apply for either a comprehensive environmental permit or a simple one. The comprehensive one is issued by the Environmental Protection Agency for 12 years and grants the right to operate a facility and/or carry out industrial and economic activities involving significant environmental risk. It will combine in one document the environmental permits for air emissions, special water use and waste management, which until now have been issued separately.
The environmental permit is issued for a period of six years and grants the right to carry out industrial and economic activities with reduced environmental risk.
Requests for permits will be made through the Environmental Protection Agency’s “one-stop shop”, which will reduce the time for submitting documents and eliminate the need to physically visit the agency. All information and technical support will be available online.
Among the main objectives of the document are to harmonize national legislation with European standards in the field of environmental protection and to contribute to the prevention and reduction of air, water and soil pollution.
