Environmental impact assessment in France

France is probably the country where the most environmental impact assessments are carried out. An estimated 5,000 to 6,000 environmental impact statements are undertaken every year, covering a wide range of projects but not sectoral plans or programs. This point has been criticized strongly by some analysts, especially by environmentalists. The criteria for screening projects to be submitted to EIA consist of both technical and financial thresholds. The law had established a negative list (that is, a list of projects that do not require the submission of an EIA), but the decree of application also defined a positive list of projects that must always be submitted to an EIA regardless of their size and amount of investment. Some kinds of projects that are not submitted to an EIA are submitted to a simplified and shorter EIA.