Early precaution is the best protection of the environment. This priciple is, therefore, the basis of all activities of the EIA Association. The Association promotes precaution as well as the relevant planning and management instruments, featuring environmental impact assessment. The EIA Association can be consulted in all precaution matters. The focus of the activities is on environmental impact assessment of projects, plans, programmes, policies, and products, on an integrated landscape and environmental planning, and on environmental management systems (EMAS).

To assess environmental impacts means to early, systematically, transparently, and reasonably investigate, evaluate, and consider the relevant environmental impacts of all projects, measures, and productions in the decision making process.

On May 5th 1987, the "Association for th e Promotion of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)" was founded as an interest lobby of those who are concearned with EIAs. On its 10th anniversary in 1997, the association was named "EIA Association (Association for the Assessment of Environmental Impacts)".