{"id":8993,"date":"2026-05-25T09:55:40","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T01:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/?p=8993"},"modified":"2026-05-25T09:56:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T01:56:53","slug":"cambodia-epa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.manhattansez.com\/en\/cambodia-epa\/","title":{"rendered":"Cambodia’s Tiered EIA System: Using the EPA Fast Track to Set Up Light-Industry Operations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Summary:
As both international ESG standards and the environmental rules of host countries tighten, Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment (MoE) has modernized its environmental impact assessment (EIA) regime. Prakas No. 3591 \u2014 issued on 6 May 2025 and in force from 6 June 2025 \u2014 sorts development projects into three control tiers (EPA, IEIA and FEIA), each with a statutory review limit of 30, 60 and 90 business days respectively. For light-industry manufacturers, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agreement) is currently the most time-efficient compliance route. This article explains the logic of Cambodia’s three-tier system and shows how locating in the Manhattan Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) \u2014 with its park-level Master EIA and shared green infrastructure \u2014 can help companies achieve fast, compliant setup while protecting their long-term ESG standing in international supply chains.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

1. The EIA challenge in Southeast Asia: pressure on both time and cost<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For manufacturers planning to shift capacity into Southeast Asia, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) is often one of the biggest sources of uncertainty in the early project phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the previous framework \u2014 Cambodia’s Prakas No. 021 (2020) \u2014 classification was relatively blunt: most industrial investment projects were required to complete the full EIA process regardless of their size or pollution profile. Engaging a third-party consultant for field sampling and report preparation, followed by lengthy government review and public consultation, could mean tens to hundreds of thousands of US dollars in up-front advisory costs and an unpredictable approval timeline \u2014 a serious constraint when a company is trying to meet international order deadlines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To direct regulatory attention toward higher-risk industries while easing the path for lower-impact ones, the MoE \u2014 building on the Environment and Natural Resources Code promulgated on 29 June 2023 \u2014 launched a modernization of the EIA regime in 2025, creating a clear, risk-based classification system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Cambodia’s new rules: Prakas 3591 establishes a three-tier system<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Prakas No. 3591, in force from 6 June 2025, is the cornerstone of this reform. Its key features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n