We analyze new amendments passed or prepared within the European Union since introducing the Council Directive No. 85/337/EEC on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of some public and private projects. The paper does not set an exhaustive rendering of all these questions as a goal. We analyze more in detail three directives of the European Communities passed or prepared after 1994 (i. e. since the Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic No. 127/1994 on Environmental Impact Assessment has passed) because we consider them crucial in respect to EIA. Moreover, information on further significant international activities bringing a new dimension into EIA is also presented. We briefly characterize the global worldwide trends in the EIA development as they are presented by world experts. We comment the relevance of these new directions and trends in relation to the Act No. 127/1994.