Transcript Document

7th REReP Task Force meeting
September 30 – October 1, 2004
Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Agenda item 6
Conclusions
of the Meeting of Senior Officials from
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYR of Macedonia, Serbia and
Montenegro and UNMIK
on the Cross Border Cooperation within the Stabilisation and Association
Process (SAP)
-current status and needsMay 20-21, 2004
Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
AIM OF THE MEETING
To discuss current status and needs in the cross border
cooperation in South Eastern Europe
BASIS FOR MEETING
• Joint Statement of the Skopje Ministerial
Meeting of October 15, 2003, identified crossborder cooperation as priority areas
• 6th REReP TF 2003 -need for regular review
process of the achievements and problems in
the SEE cross border cooperation was
recognized
• Recommendations made in the Review of the
REReP initiated by the EC, issued in January
2004
BASIS FOR FURTHER WORK
• EU integration process –the major political
goal and driving force of all countries of
the region
•
Third Annual Report of the EC on the
Stabilization and Association Process for
SEE, accompanied by Commission’s
proposal for European Partnerships
• Planned
European
Neighborhood
Instrument will further assist the process of
implementation
MEETING WAS OPPORTUNITY TO:
• Exchange
information,
views
and
experience on the current status and needs
in the SEE cross border cooperation
• Present current and planned cross border
activities in the region, using variety of
instruments, models and approaches for
joint work
• Define
priorities
for
cross-border
cooperation
IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES
•
Address common activities in the European
Partnerships and the Action Plans for their
implementation; exchange of information on the
transposition and implementation status of EU Directives.
Capacity building for improving the negotiation skills
•
Training for preparation and implementation of heavy
investment projects; transfer of lessons learned from the
new EU member states and candidate countries, more
specifically the preaccession funds
•
Capacity building in nature conservation activities and
management of the protected areas, e.g. establishment
of visitors centers, promotional materials for the general
public
IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES
•
Assistance in environmental law drafting related to the
EU approximation
•
Assistance in environmental law enforcement and
compliance
•
Address the implications of the decentralization
process. Enhance the capacity building on local level,
development and promotion of LEAPs and Local Agenda
21. Promotion of the cooperation among the
municipalities as a tool for local communities support
•
Further strengthen the cooperation with EEA within
the framework of EIONET; facilitate the process of
direct exchange of environmental data among the SEE
countries
IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES
•
Development of PRTRs systems, modeling them after the available
positive experience in the region, e.g. Croatian Water Information
System
•
Revision and improvement of the existing flood control systems,
early warning systems for flood prevention and control as well as
accidental pollution, development of tools for information sharing,
e.g. Danube river basin
•
Exchange of experience and capacity building in implementation of
multilateral environmental agreements, e.g. conventions,
protocols, through cross-border cooperation
•
Asassistance to companies introducing the EMAS and ISO 14000
standards
STEPS TO BE UNDERTAKEN
in order to further develop the cross border cooperation
•
•
•
•
•
•
Make more human and financial resources available to
increase the capacity of the relevant institutions
Identify joint environmental priorities of the countries
Improve the management structures for project
implementation
Train the staff of all relevant institutions on central and
local level.
Improve the information and expertise exchange among
relevant institutions in a coordinated manner
Encourage and support local initiative for cross border
cooperation through increased financial assistance
LESSONS LEARNT
• Environment is a particularly suitable platform
for cross border cooperation
• Cross border projects should be focused on
resolving concrete problems, they should be
rather process than resource oriented, with clear
agreement on rules and procedures to be adopted
• Good will to cooperate, local ownership and
commitment are vital preconditions for success
Trust building measures have to be implemented
• Good level of communication among project
partners and stakeholders should be kept to raise
awareness about cross border cooperation
WHAT CAN HELP ?
•
Recognition to the European Commission, donor countries within and
outside Europe, international organisations and institutions for the
support and assistance was expressed
•
Call for mobilisation of additional resources for assisting the
successful implementation of the cross border activities was made
•
The EU Neighbourhood Policy and Instrument, the ODA funds of the
new EU member states were recognised as a creative tool for
additional opportunities for technical assistance and support
•
Infrastructure Steering Committee has to urgently respond to the
environmental needs of the region and incorporate environmental
aspects in the existing transport and energy projects and programmes
On behalf of all country representatives gratitude
was expressed to
• Serbia and Montenegro as a host country
• Government of Norway for the financial support
of the meeting and
• Regional Environmental Centre for Central and
Eastern Europe for organising this meeting
Few countries expressed need for additional meeting
Meeting of SEE Senior officials for cross
border project preparation
•
•
•
•
Held on 28-29 September, back to back with 7th REReP
Task Force meeting
Countries/administrations represented: Albania, Bulgaria,
Croatia, FYR of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro and
UNMIK
New developments in environmental cross-border
cooperation were presented, special emphasise on EU
New Neighbourhood Policy and instruments –
Case study -Development of Joint Project Document
between R.Bulgaria and FYR of Macedonia in the frame
of NNI was presented
Meeting of SEE Senior officials for cross
border project preparation
•
•
•
•
•
•
Specific project ideas were presented by the
representatives
Criteria for selection and categorisation of presented
project ideas were defined
Project ides were discussed one-by-one
Common/similar project ideas were determined
Negotiations and agreement for their merging was
achieved
According to defined criteria, presented project ideas
were selected and divided into categories/sections
Project Ideas for Cross-Border cooperation
Criteria for Selection:
• Projects are supported by central/local
authorities cooperating around common borders
to solve priority environmental problems of
common interests
• All sides of the respective borders participate in
the project on equal footing
• Projects are in line with national policies,
priorities and interests of the
countries/stakeholders involved;
• NGOs and the general public will be consulted
and involved in project implementation
PROJECT IDEAS FOR CROSSBORDER COOPERATION
Sectors identified:
I. Water Management
II. Information Systems and Data Sharing
III. Capacity Building, Cooperation and
Partnerships in the cross -border Context
IV. Nature Protection (including Biodiversity )
I WATER MANAGEMENT
Project Title
Countries &
Admin. Territories
involved
Preliminary
Budget
€
Duration
Crossborder?
Originator
I Water Management
1. Technical Assistance for the
Implementation of the Agreement between
R of Macedonia and Albania for the
Protection and Sustainable Development of
Lake Ohrid and its Watershed
2. Development and Implementation of
Bojana/Buna River Basin Management
Plan
3.Technical assistance for the development
of sustainable transport on and around
Skadar/Shkodra Lake
4.Development and Implementation of the
Drina River Basin Management Plan
5. Development and Implementation of the
Struma/Strumica River Basin
Management Plan
FYR of Macedonia ,
Albania
TBD
24
months

FYR of
Macedonia
Montenegro,
Albania
TBD
24
months

Montenegro
Montenegro,
Albania
TBD
12
months

Montenegro
Serbia and
Montenegro and
Bosnia and
Herzegovina
Bulgaria, FYR of
Macedonia
TBD
24
months

Serbia
TBD
18
months

Bulgaria
II INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND DATA SHARING
III CAPACITY BUILDING AND PARTNERSHIP
Project Title
Countries &
Preliminary Duration CrossAdmin. Territories
Budget
border?
involved
€
II Information Systems and Data Sharing

1. Establishment of Network of
Bulgaria, FYR of
TBD
24
Environmental Information and Early
Macedonia , SCG,
months
Warning and Response Systems in
(Romania), Albania,
selected border municipalities/regions
Kosovo (UNMIK),
(TBD)
Croatia. BiH

2. Development of GIS for Skadar Lake
S&CG- Montenegro TBD
24
and Albania
months
Project Title
Countries &
Preliminary Duration CrossAdmin. Territories
Budget
border?
involved
€
III Capacity Building, Cooperation and Partnerships in the cross -border Context
1. Harmonising the implementation of
Bosnia &
TBD
6 months 
Espoo Convention in Croatia, B&H and
Herzegovina,
SCG
Croatia, Serbia &
Montenegro

2. Protecting international lake areas
Albania, FYR of
TBD
24
(Shkodra/Prespa/Ohrid) through
Macedonia ,
months
Integrated Land Use Planning and
Montenegro,
Economic Instruments
Greece
Originator
Bulgaria
Montenegro
Originator
Croatia
Albania
IV NATURE PROTECTION
(INCLUDINC BIODIVERSITY)
Project Title
Countries &
Preliminary
Admin. Territories
Budget
involved
€
IV Nature Protection (incl. Biod)
1. Preparatory work for proclaiming the
Serbia and
TBD
transboundary biosphere reserve "Drina"
Montenegro and
Bosnia and
Herzegovina
2. Establishment of the first Balkan
Albania, SCG,
TBD
International Peace Park
Kosovo (UNMIK)
3. Establishing a Joint Forum for the
Montenegro, BiH
TBD
Protection of the Dinarides' Biodiversity
Croatia
4. Assessing opportunities for the
Albania, FYR of
TBD
proclamation of Jablanica as a protected
Macedonia
area
5. Assessing opportunities for the
FYR of Macedonia , TBD
proclamation of Belasica as a protected
Bulgaria
area
Duration
Crossborder?
Originator
24
months

Serbia
24
months
12
months
24
months

UNMIK

Montenegro

FYR of
Macedonia
24
months

Bulgaria
Project Ideas for Regional Cooperation
Criteria for Selection:
• Projects offer opportunity for exchange of
common experiences, based on EU integration,
harmonization process
• Projects are in line with national policies,
priorities and interests of the
countries/stakeholders involved;
• NGOs and the general public will be consulted
and involved in project implementation
PROJECT IDEAS FOR REGIONAL
COOPERATION
Following sectors identified:
I. Information Systems and Data Sharing
II. Capacity Building, Cooperation and
Partnerships in the cross -border Context
III. Nature Protection (including Biodiversity)
I INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND DATA
SHARING
Project Title
1.Further Development of a REReP SubProgramme for Cross-border cooperation in
SEE
Countries & Admin. Budget
Territories involved €
All SEE countries
TBD
Duration
Originator
12 months
FYR of
Macedonia
I Information Systems and Data Sharing
2. Development of Pollutant Release and
Transfer Registers in SEE
3. Strengthening capacities in environmental
monitoring, reporting and EIONET network
beyond the Second Phase (2004-2006)
Albania, Bosnia &
Herzegovina,
Croatia, FYR of
Macedonia Serbia &
Montenegro, Kosovo
(UNMIK), Bulgaria
Albania, B&H,
Croatia, FYR of
Macedonia , Serbia
and Montenegro
TBD
24 months
Croatia
TBD
36 months
Albania
II CAPACITY BUILDING, COOPERATION AND
PARTNERSHIPS IN THE CROSS -BORDER CONTEXT
III NATURE PROTECTION
Project Title
1. Networking between the departments
for EU integration and legislation and
regular consultations and exchanges
with DG Environment and other relevant
EC structures
2. Promoting Principles of Local Agenda
21 and Developing REAPs (and LEAPs)
following a cross-border approach;
3. Assistance to SEE companies in
introducing EMAS and ISO 14000
standards
4. Sharing experiences in the
development and introduction of
economic instruments
5. Joint training for the officials
exercising boundary control related to
International Conventions
Project Title
1. Capacity building of municipalities
located in areas rich in biodiversity for
the management of valuable shared
natural resources
Countries &
Budget
Admin. Territories
Duratio
involved
n
II Capacity Building, Cooperation and Partnerships
Albania, FYR of Macedonia ,
TBD
48 months
Serbia and Montenegro, Kosovo
(UNMIK)
Albania, FYR of Macedonia , SCG,
Kosovo (UNMIK), Croatia
Originator
Albania
TBD
24 months
UNMIK
Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina,
TBD
Croatia, FYR of Macedonia , Serbia
& Montenegro, Kosovo (UNMIK),
Bulgaria
Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina,
TBD
Bulgaria, Croatia, FYR of
Macedonia Romania, Serbia &
Montenegro, Kosovo (UNMIK)
Bulgaria, FYR of Macedonia , SCG, TBD
Romania, Albania
18 months
Croatia
24 months
Croatia
18 months
Bulgaria
Countries & Admin. Territories
Budget
involved
€
III Nature Protection (incl. Biod)
Albania, FYR of Macedonia , SCG
TBD
Duration
18 months
Originator
UNMIK
NEXT STEPS
• Further development of the proposed
project ideas is needed Development of a REReP Sub-Programme
for Cross-border cooperation in SEE
• Activities to be coordinated and
facilitated by REC
• All comments on project ideas should
be addressed to REReP secretariat