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The Ministry-elaborated draft law on Environmental Liability passes the third Parliamentary hearing
Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture (MEPA) of Georgia, Ms Nino Tandilashvili presented the legislative package at the Parliamentary Committee hearing – “the draft law sets a new and European mechanism for an environmental liability. If activities of an enterprise cause a significant harm to environment, then, the latter enterprise will be imposed with a liability to endorse financial means and undertake corresponding actions that shall improve harm and restore primary or nearly primary state of an environment, prior to a damage. Failure to comply with the liability authorizes the Ministry to set a European practice of imposing high fine sanctions”.
Meanwhile, the draft law on “environmental liability” entails establishment of environmental damage fund. Apart from specific cases – monetary compensation of a damage will be transferred to the respective fund. There is an effective practice of running such funds at number of European countries; however, Georgia will be the first country among the Eastern Partnership to establish it. Financial means accumulated in the fund will be deployed to restoring environment at various municipalities of Georgia, through complementing and improving environment.
Chairperson of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee, MP Maia Bitadze embraced the draft law as a progressive step forward toward implementation of the European Union – Georgia Association Agreement (AA), as well as enhancement of environmental management.
The package of amendments entails amendment to the Law on Georgia on Ambient Air Protection, which will enter into force in 2021; however, the vast majority of the law on Environmental Liability will be enacted from July 1, 2022 through the respective by-laws and effective implementation from the Ministry, that has become possible upon institutional strengthening of the Ministry.
The draft law on Environmental Liability has been drafted through an intensive assistance of the European Union; the drafting process entailed meaningful engagement of stakeholders, as well as business and civil society representatives.
The draft law has passed two hearings of the 9th convocation of the Georgian Parliament.