Transcript Was macht das Umweltbundesamt?

The European context
in which SEPA operates
Seminar at Kopaonik, 24-05-2005
Johannes Mayer
[email protected]
14.10.2004 | Folie 1
SEPA is responsible for
 Assuring national environmental data coordination for Serbia
 preparing national environmental data
reporting to international institutions,
such as:

European Commission

European Environment Agency

International (UN & other) Conventions
14.10.2004 | Folie 2
Division of work at European level
 Member States have much criticised EC for
duplicate environmental reporting
 Very recent agreement on clear thematic
division between European institutions:

Air, Water, Biodiversity/Nature: European
Environment Agency

Waste: Eurostat (Waste Statistics Regulation)

Soil, Chemicals: Joint Research Center
(European Soil Bureau, European Chemicals
Bureau ( Agency)
14.10.2004 | Folie 3
European Commission

European Commission: formally expects
national reporting from the time of EU
accession (but will ask for „volontary“
submissions in accession period)

Much data reporting handled via the
European Environment Agency

Eurostat / Waste Statistics Regulation:
Im most MS national counterparts in the
Statistical Offices
14.10.2004 | Folie 4
International Conventions

Reporting related to EC Obligations,
where EC is a Convention party:
 Convention on Long-Range
Transboundary Air Pollution / CLRTAP
(EC: National Emission Ceilings
Directive)
 UN Framework Convention Climate
Change / UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol (EC:
Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Mechanism)
14.10.2004 | Folie 5
European Environment Agency

Specific status by separate regulation
1210/90/EEC (933/99/EC)

„timely, reliable, relevant, targeted“ data
to support EU environmental policies

countries may have full membership
status before EU Accession

invites Serbia (& Montenegro) to report
as co-operating country (& potential
Member State)
14.10.2004 | Folie 6
European Environment Agency

Strongly integrated with Member States
through the EIONET network:
 National Focal Points (NFP) – coordination
 National Reference Centres (NRCs) –
specific thematic expertise
 European Topic Centres (ETCs) –
Consortia of Member State institutions
doing substantial thematic work for the
EEA in thematic priority areas
14.10.2004 | Folie 7
Austrian co-operation with EEA

According Environmental Control Act,
Umweltbundesamt is responsible for Austrian
national co-operation with EEA

Austrian National Focal Point (NFP)

Austrian National Reference Centres (NRCs)

Partner institution in four of the five European
Topic Centres (ETCs): Air & Climate Change
(focus emission data management), Water
(focus groundwater data), Terrestrial
Environment, Resources & Waste Management
14.10.2004 | Folie 8
Priority Data Flow ranking

EEA reports annually the progress of countries
in reporting by a ranking of all members and
co-operating countries (criteria agreed with
Member States)

August 2004 (for 2003, with 32 countries):
1. AT 95%, 2. SE 90%, 3. LV 89%,
10. BG 75 %; 26. FYRoM 50 %, 27. RO 38 %,
29. BIH 34 %; 32. ALB 17 %

Serbia&Montenegro: pilot reporting on 3 data
flows (Croatia & Turkey: only 1)
14.10.2004 | Folie 9
Priority Data Flow areas

Air (Pollutant Emissions as for CLRTAP &
UNFCCC Conventions, Air Quality Data as
required by EC)

Water (Groundwater, River, Lake Water
Quality, Marine & Coastal Waters)

Protected Areas

Not included in overall country scoring:
- Corine Landcover Project
- Soil Contamination
14.10.2004 | Folie 10
“Reportnet” Concept
Web-based EIONET Infrastructure for
transparent documentation of

What is to be reported  Reporting
Obligations Database (ROD)

Who is responsible for reporting 
nominated Institutions & Experts 
EIONET Directory

What has been reported and when 
National/Central Data Repository (CDR)
14.10.2004 | Folie 11
“Reportnet”
http://www.eionet.eu.int/rn/click
Elements
14.10.2004 | Folie 12
Austrian EC Presidency 2006

Will support European integration efforts
of the Western Balkan countries

Will promote applications for Membership
of the European Environment Agency 
EEA/EIONET Regulation allows EEA
Membership before joining EC

Will support adapted (joint or separate)
European integration solutions for Serbia
& Montenegro
14.10.2004 | Folie 13
Example EEA/EIONET Directory

Suggested parallel nominations for
National Reference Centres for both
Republics

Can be used for co-operation to
elaborate joint reports for Serbia &
Montenegro whenever required

Can at any moment be separated
(“unzipped”) to provide independent
strings for each Republic
14.10.2004 | Folie 14
A key role for SEPA

Key role as responsible for national
action in a privileged pilot area for
European integration in Serbia

Depends from substantial support by
data-holding institutions (water, air,
nature for “priority data flows”)

Needs adequate support from European
institutions and partner countries to
achieve full co-operation with EC/EEA
14.10.2004 | Folie 15
Austrian experience ?

Assure co-operation within and between
institutions

Build-up operational expert networks

Focus work on European and national
priority requirements

Maintain active working relations with
European institutions

Use Reportnet tools
14.10.2004 | Folie 16