Riigi Tugiteenuste Keskus publishes this announcement under Section 35(6) of the environmental impact assessment and Management system Act (KeHJS).

Riigi Tugiteenuste Keskus announces that the preparation of the " Interreg VI-A — Estonia-Latvia Programme 2021-2027 " has started and has not started the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) 10 March 2021 by Decision No 11.1-13_0297 of this document.

The programme is intended to further implement the objective “European territorial Cooperation” of the EU Structural Funds for the period 2021-2027. The aim of European territorial cooperation is to increase cooperation and cohesion between Europe's peripheral regions, cities, regions and regions and to balance socio-economic development. Particular attention will be paid to rural areas and regions with adverse natural or demographic conditions, such as areas with low population density, islands and cross-border regions.
The activities of the programme shall promote cross-border cooperation and maritime cooperation, cooperation between the outermost regions, cooperation between regions and innovation initiatives between regions.

SEA was not started since the preliminary assessment concluded that there were no circumstances, a strategic environmental assessment within the meaning of paragraph 33(1)(1) of the Law on environmental impact assessment and management systems (KeHJS) should be initiated, in so far as the programme does not involve the activities referred to in paragraph 6(1) of the KeHJS and the activities referred to in paragraph 6(2) of the KeHJS have only an indirect link.
Consequently, no strategic environmental assessment will be launched. The proposed programme is not expected to have significant adverse effects, such as water, soil or air pollution, waste generation, noise, vibration or light, heat, radiation and odour pollution. The proposed programme will not have a significant impact and will not compromise human health, well-being, cultural heritage or property and will not have a negative impact on the conservation objectives of Natura 2000 sites.
The ex-ante assessment and the decision not to initiate the EIA are coordinated with the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Environment Agency, the Latvian Ministry of environmental protection and Regional Development, the Latvian national environmental Bureau and the Latvian Health protection Inspectorate.

Parties to the strategic planning document:
The initiator of the compilation is Riigi Tugiteenuste Keskus
The organiser of the compilation is  Riigi Tugiteenuste Keskus
The complier is  Riigi Tugiteenuste Keskus 
The establisher is European Commission 

The strategic planning document and the decision not to start the EIA are available at https://estlat.eu/en/about-estlat/Programme-2021-2027 on the Programme website