Urban Planning and Environment Facilitation Unit

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The Urban Planning and Environment Facilitation Unit (CFUE) aims to facilitate administrative processes related to approval procedures established at the State level by the laws and regulations on urban planning and the environment. It offers assistance in the development of urban development projects, and acts as an interface and advisor between project promoters and public services.

Its main tasks are:

  • to provide technical assistance and advice to State, municipal and private project developers in the planning and approval of land use plans and urban development projects.;
  • facilitating the joint design of urban projects between public and private actors within the framework of negotiated urban planning;
  • supporting public developers and steering land use plans and urban development projects when they are eligible for housing assistance;
  • facilitating exchanges between the competent administrative authorities and citizens in relation to the approval procedures established at the State level;
  • analyse the legal and regulatory frameworks in force in the fields of urban planning, housing and the environment; 
  • and formulate proposals for amendments to the legal and regulatory frameworks or structural improvements to the services and administrations concerned. 

The Unit works directly in consultation with the competent authorities (project owners, planning consultancies) or administrations concerned. In carrying out its tasks, and when requested to do so, it may: 

  • enquire about the completeness of files; 
  • directly request the cooperation of the competent authorities or administrations concerned; 
  • convene and facilitate participatory meetings or workshops bringing together the competent authorities or administrations concerned; 
  • initiate preliminary consultation meetings on projects of a certain scale falling into the responsibilities of different authorities or administrations.

The Unit is the national competent authority for procedures relating to projects of common interest (PCIs) in the field of trans-European energy infrastructure. It facilitates and coordinates all the steps involved in the prior information and approval procedures provided for in Regulation (EU) No 347/2013. 

The CFUE is the preferred point of contact and the national one-stop shop for net-zero technology production projects. It coordinates all planning processes and organises the process for granting the necessary authorisations.

In addition, the Unit is also:

  • a member of the consultation platform for Detailed Development Plans (PAPs),
  • a partner of the House of Entrepreneurship one-stop shop 
  • and actively participates in the integration of circular economy principles into planning processes.