<em>"... a service to ensure that significant environmental effects arising from policies, plans, and programmes are identified, assessed, mitigated, communicated to decision-makers, monitored and that opportunities for public involvement are provided." </em> SEA is being introduced by the Directive 2001/42/EC. (Sources: http://www.eu.int/comm/environment/eia/sea-legalcontext.htm; http://www.sea-info.net/whatisSEA.htm)