European Union's environmental impact assessment regulations and Turkey's harmonisation

The Environmental Impact Assessment (ElA) aims to prevent the negative effects of activities in planning phases while assessing the environmental effects under the frame of scientific and technical methods and to minimize the environmental effects so as not to damage the environment and to enhance the positive effects. It is an important instrument which serves the principles of environmental law.Starting in the late 20th century, the subject of the environment has begun to gain importance both in the world and in the EU -which was estabiıshed to accomplish economic unity in first place- and foliows the USA model, legal arrangements concerning ElA were made. The first Directive concerning ElA was adopted in 1985 and is amended twice. These Directives, aim at the environmental protection and the public to be more participant in the ElA procedure.The reflection of these arrangements inTurkish lavvtook place through the reguiations since 1990's. The regulation dated 2008 is in force at present. This regulation includes arrangements concerning the ElA procedure and is compatible with the ElA Directive in general. The cases against the ElA Reguiations and the decisions taken during the procedure strengthened the environmental protection and builded up the caselavv.The EU aims to implement a transparent process in which public participation is effective and so tries to achieve unity in member states through ElA Directives.With this study, the emergence and development of the ElA, and the changes that or which have been done on the ElA at the stage of Turkey's EU harmonisation process are investigated.