To be effective, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system, first, has to minimize the probability that
projects with significant environmental effects are implemented without EIA, and second, minimize the
number of EIAs, which do not provide decision makers with essential information, so that the decision is
improved as a result of EIA. The objective of this study was to find out how frequently in Estonia the projects
implemented without EIA have caused significant environmental effects, and to measure the relative
frequency of EIAs that have no influence on decision. An extensive survey with e-mail distributed
questionnaires was carried out to reveal information from governmental agencies, local self-governments,
and developers. There was no evidence that projects authorized without EIA have had environmental
impacts, which could have been mitigated as a result of EIA. In contrast, about half of EIAs did not alter the
decision of relevant authorities. This proportion was valid to both mandatory EIAs and those initiated on
judgement basis. In our view, the proportion of no-influence EIAs was excessive and indicated the need to
reconsider the provisions applying to the projects with a mandatory EIA requirement as well as judgements
practice