Decree-Law No. 232/2007 of June 15 establishes, in conjunction with Decree-Law No. 80/2015 of May 14, the framework for Strategic Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programs.

An Strategic Environmental Assessment aims to integrate the environmental component in the broad guidelines of Plans (Land Use Planning, Municipal Master Plans, Detailed Plans, Urbanization plans, etc.) that by their scale have a substantial social, economic and environmental influence. It´s at the planning stage that potential adverse environmental effects can be more easily prevented and more effectively mitigated in the same way that positive environmental effects can be enhance more easily.

Through a Strategic Environmental Assessment the effects of a given plan or program in the areas of population, human health, biodiversity, soil, water, atmosphere, climate, material goods, local dynamics, cultural heritage including architectural and archaeological heritage, landscape and their relationship to each other are analyzed.

The main objective is to ensure consistency among the objectives of Plans and Programs and environmental protection.