Theme:
Archaeology and the European Year of Cultural Heritage
Session format:
Session, made up of a combination of papers, max. 15 minutes each
Title:
The EU EIA Directives and Archaeology: what have we learnt and where next?
Content:
The EU’s ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’ (EIA) Directive is one of the very few pieces of EU legislation that deals with archaeology (because this is treated as part of ‘the environment’). The first Directive (issued in 1985) and its successive updates have had a major influence on the development of professional archaeology in Europe. With over thirty years’ experience of EIA and archaeology now behind us, it seems timely to review what we have learnt and to think about the future.
Characteristics of the Directive include: implementation through the domestic legal systems of member states; archaeology takes its place alongside other environmental issues; environmental considerations are embedded in the planning and execution of major projects from the start; public consultation on the environmental impacts of projects and on mitigation proposals.
Papers are invited on the experience of undertaking archaeology in an EIA context. We are particularly interested in reflections on how the domestic legal systems and institutional arrangements for archaeological heritage management affect the practice of archaeology within an EIA in different member states; on how the EIA ‘translates’ once projects begin, especially in relation to the accurate identification of mitigation and amelioration impacts and the preparation of specifications for these post-EIA; the impact of working alongside other environmental professionals and on experiences of working on EIA projects which cross national boundaries, such as pipelines or transport links.
Discussion will also include the need for a broader approach, exploring the strengths and applicability of associated mechanisms, such as Heritage Impact Assessments.
Keywords:
EIA, Heritage Management, Environment, Legislation
Session associated with MERC:
no
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Main organiser:
Dr Gil Hey (United Kingdom) 1
Co-organisers:
Dr Karen Waugh (Netherlands) 2
Mr Roger Thomas (United Kingdom) 3
Affiliations:
1. Oxford Archaeology
2. Vestigia
3. Oxford University
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