Environmental report strategic environmental assessment of the Russian territory CBC Kolarctic 2021-2027 / V. A. Masloboev, E. M. Klyuchnikova, E. A. Borovichev [et al.]. - Apatity : FRS KSCRAS, 2022. - 62 p.

According to the EU Directive and the Kiev Protocol, the mandatory components o f a strategic assessment are: -assessment of environmental and social risks; -preparation o f an environmental report; -consultations with stakeholders, including in a cross-border context; -monitoring. The procedures for the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in the EU are very similar, but have the following differences: —Strategic environmental assessment implies consultation with environmental management authorities at the earliest screening stage and - a t the scoping stage. At this stage, the content and scope o f issues that should be covered in the environmental report and coordinated with the competent authority are determined2. In the case of the Programme, such competent authorities are the Managing Authority and the Programming Committee o f the Kolarctic CBC 2021-2027, including representatives of the European Commission and delegations of the participating countries (Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway). To comply with the requirement concerning stakeholder consultations, the Programme conducted online consultations with stakeholders from the participating countries in January and June 2021. Additional public consultations are planned for autumn 2021, where this Report will be presented and discussed. In accordance with the Directive and other EU documents, as well as in compliance with the requirements adopted by Russia and the EU in the field of information disclosure, the Report should take into account the outcomes of public consultations'. Thus, the strategic environmental assessment o f the Russian programme territory is intended to contribute to the implementation o f international principles of environmental protection and social environment and thereby facilitate joint solutions of the participating countries' challenges in the common Kolarcticprogramme area. 1.3. Methodology of the strategic environmental assessment The proposed methodology aims to ensure compliance with the requirements o f the European Commission Directive4, taking into account the policy objectives, Interreg specific objectives and their corresponding specific objectives, output and result indicators set forth in the programme documents, as well as in accordance with the existing legislation on environmental impact assessment in Russia and the EU. The Directive sets out two objectives for the assessment: -ensuring a high level o f environmental protection; -facilitating the integration o f assessment results into the preparation and adoption of plans and programmes^. ‘httpsV /unece.org/fileadmm/DAM/env/eia/eia.htm :https://ec.europa.eu/environment/eia/sea-legalcontext.htm Implementation on Directive 2001/42 on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment”: Foreword page 2. paragraph 1: Fhe public must also be consulted on the draft plans and on the environmental assessment and their views must be taken into account. . Article 6 (5). paragraphs 7.18-7.20: Article 7 Consultation 4https :/ /eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32001L0042&from=EN 'Article 1 "Objectives of the Directive" 10