Key practical points:
• Projects are graded by environmental impact: a full report, a simplified form, or a registration form.
• High-impact projects need an approved EIA report before approval and start.
• Starting construction before the EIA is approved is a penalised violation and may be halted.
• Assessment includes consulting the affected public for sensitive projects.
• Proposed mitigation measures become binding and their implementation is monitored (the 'three simultaneities').
• Major government plans (industrial, regional) also undergo strategic environmental assessment.
Environmental Impact Assessment Law · Yalla China
中华人民共和国环境影响评价法 / Environmental Impact Assessment Law
Enacted: 2002-10-28 ✅ Effective: 2003-09-01
📝 Overview
A law requiring prior environmental impact assessment of projects and plans before they proceed, to estimate their environmental effects and set mitigation measures. The EIA is a precondition for starting many investment and industrial projects. It concerns investors and developers.
This is general information only, not legal advice. For your specific case, consult a licensed lawyer.
📜 The law text / key provisions
💬 Practical reading
💬 This is a general reading/opinion for orientation — not the official legal text nor legal advice.
If you plan a large industrial or investment project, the EIA is not a formality — you must complete it and get approval before starting construction, since 'building before approval' halts your project and fines you. Plan the assessment from day one. General orientation, not legal advice.
📎 Official source
Ministry of Ecology and Environment / mee.gov.cn
🕒 Updated: 16 March 2026