To strengthen the implementation of the environmental impact assessment (“EIA”) procedure for construction-related and mineral mining projects in Cambodia, the Ministry of Environment (“MOE”) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy (“MME”) jointly issued a Prakas No. 4828, dated 13 June 2025, amending Article 3 of Prakas No. 191 on the EIA Classification of such projects (“Prakas 4828”).
Key Highlights of Prakas 4828
Prakas 4828 reaffirms that small-scale mineral projects with an area of one hectare or less must obtain an Environmental Protection Agreement (“EPA”) only. This requirement was originally stipulated in Article 3 of Prakas No. 191 on Construction-Related Mining Business Projects and Other Mining Business Projects dated 26 April 2016 (“Prakas 191”). On the other hand, any projects that pose serious risks to social well-being and the environment or that are prohibited by the Provincial Mines and Energy Department must undergo EIA in place of EPA and, as such, were not under the purview of Prakas 191. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, there is no official list of projects that the Provincial Mines and Energy Department prohibits to date.
Prakas 4828 takes effect from 13 June 2025 (“Effective Date”). However, any projects approved by the government before this Effective Date will continue to be governed by Prakas 191 – any new project with an area of under one hectare must obtain an EPA instead of an initial EIA (“IEIA“) or full EIA (“FEIA”).
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The information provided here is for information purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice. Legal advice should be obtained from qualified legal counsel for all specific situations.
