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Links between Appropriate Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment
25. Plans and programmes that require assessment as a result of the Habitats Directive are also subject to the assessment procedure under the SEA Directive (Article 3(2)(b)). The SEA Directive promotes the opportunity for a combined procedure, which may avoid possible duplication, providing it fulfils the requirements of the SEA Directive and the Habitats Directive. In such an event, the procedure has to include the procedural steps required by the SEA Directive, and the substantive test regarding the effect on European sites required by the Habitats Directive.
26. Planning authorities are encouraged to undertake a combined SEA/ AA approach. Consideration should be given to opportunities for sharing aspects of the SEA process with the AA process, though it is recognised that each assessment has a different focus and requirements and therefore cannot be fully integrated. One option is to run the two assessments in parallel utilising common stages such as environmental information gathering; prediction of plan effects; consideration of alternatives; and consultation and publicity stages. The early stage of SEA may be particularly helpful in gathering information prior to policies or proposals being considered. The benefit of a parallel approach is that it can be quite clearly shown in a report how there has been compliance with the Habitats Directive. This approach can achieve appropriate savings in resources.
Steps 1 -7 in Table 1 indicate areas for combined AA/ SEA procedures akin to a screening stage. Steps 8 - 12 relate specifically to AA
27. If the Appropriate Assessment is undertaken as part of a SEA, it is important that it is clearly documented and that the elements relating to the AA use the proper terms (i.e. the wording of the Habitats Directive). It should be made clear in the SEA Environmental Report as to which parts of the Report and the process are intended to form the AA. In particular, it will need to be clearly stated where the plan would and would not be likely to have significant effects on any European site, and in the case of the latter, whether it has been ascertained that the plan will not adversely affect the integrity of any European site.
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