Article 1
1. This Directive shall apply to the assessment of the environmental effects of those public and private projects which are likely to have significant effects on the environment. 2. For the purposes of this Directive, the following definitions shall apply: (a) ‘project’ means: — the execution of construction works or of other installations or schemes, — other interventions in the natural surroundings and landscape including those involving the extraction of mineral resources; (b) ‘developer’ means the applicant for authorisation for a private project or the public authority which initiates a project; (c) ‘development consent’ means the decision of the competent authority or authorities which entitles the developer to proceed with the project; (d) ‘public’ means one or more natural or legal persons and, in accordance with national legislation or practice, their associations, organisations or groups; (e) ‘public concerned’ means the public affected or likely to be affected by, or having an interest in, the environmental decision-making procedures referred to in Article 2(2). For the purposes of this definition, non-governmental organisations promoting environmental protection and meeting any requirements under national law shall be deemed to have an interest; (f) ‘competent authority or authorities’ means that authority or those authorities which the Member States designate as responsible for performing the duties arising from this Directive. 3. Member States may decide, on a case-by-case basis if so provided under national law, not to apply this Directive to projects serving national defence purposes, if they deem that such application would have an adverse effect on those purposes. 4. This Directive shall not apply to projects the details of which are adopted by a specific act of national legislation, since the objectives of this Directive, including that of supplying information, are achieved through the legislative process.