The round-table is organized by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the Regional Environmental Center Caucasus Branch Office in Azerbaijan in the framework of the EU programme “Greening Economies in the Eastern Neighbourhood” (EaP GREEN).

The aims of the event are:

- to discuss the draft Review of national legislative and institutional structures vis-a-vis the Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in Azerbaijan, and

- develop recommendations to further support Azerbaijan in its efforts to strengthen national legislative framework and capacities for application of SEA.

Representatives of relevant Ministries, local authorities, members of the Parliament and other stakeholders, such as NGOs, consultants, private sector representatives are invited to take part at the event. They will get familiar with the requirements of the Protocol on SEA and relevant EU Directives as well as with the existing European practice in developing SEA legislation. The UNECE experts will present results of the gap analysis of the national legislation vis-à-vis the Protocol on SEA. The participants will further be invited to provide inputs to the gap analysis and comment on the findings and recommendations of the draft Review. The Ministry and UNECE will present an assessment of the national capacity building needs on SEA and inform about next steps in the implementation of the EaP GREEN programme in the country, including:

 (a)          Drafting of relevant legislation in 2015 followed by the finalisation of the Review, and

 (b)          Pilot application of an SEA procedure to a draft Government plan or programme, scheduled to take place from September 2014 to April 2015.

The written comments to the Review can be sent to [email protected]  by 8 September 2014.