This study of environmentla impact assessment includes four Sections. Section 1 discusses the current state of implementation of the directives on environmental impact assessment and environmental hazards. It also includes a paper on the Dutch integral environmental zoning project. Section 2 deals with EIA approaches and techniques. First, the phases of an EIA study and the risk analysis methods are described. Then, Danish experiences in EIA, environmental planning in the Ruhr area and pollution abatement in oil refineries and inorganic chemical industries are illustrated. Finally, a decision support system for EIA is presented.