In compliance with Directive 85/337/EEC as well as Presidential Decree of 12 April 1996, the present Regional Act identifies those projects, works, interventions or installations the performance of which shall be subject to the Environmental Impact Assessment hereby described in detail. The Tuscany Region guarantees that the administrative decisions relative to the said projects or works shall be adopted by the competent authorities so as to safeguard human health and preserve natural resources. The EIA procedure constitutes an administrative proceeding consisting of the following stages: (a) valuation of the need to carry out the EIA; (b) preliminary identification of the elements and issues of the environmental impact study to be submitted by the applicant; (c) assessment procedure intended to judge the compatibility of the project concerned with the surrounding environment. The proceeding must be carried out in such a manner that access to information, exchange of information between the competent authority and the applicant as well as effective participation to the procedure itself are fully guaranteed. Article 7 specifies the authorities that shall be in charge of the proceeding (the Region, Provinces or Communes, as the case may be). The Annexes attached contain the list of the projects that shall be subject to EIA. Article 23 lays down penalties.