REReP → RENA Vision of the European Commission PEIP Regional Meeting 28 th of November 2008

1. REReP → RENAVision of the European CommissionPEIP Regional Meeting28th of November 2008 Joanna Fiedler Enlargement and Neighbouring Countries Unit DG Environment European Commission 28 November 2008

2. Why a need for RENA? Establishment of the Regional Environmental Reconstruction Programme: REReP Why? • 1999 • 2007 • to improve the environmental situation in the region in a post-conflict context • to re-establish and facilitate an environmental dialogue between the Western Balkan countries. Since then, The European political landscape has changed substantially. • A future in the EU possible for all the Western Balkans and Turkey. • A need for further strengthening of the pre-accession element in regional co-operation. So? The Commission proposes to replace REReP with RENA: a new Regional Environmental Network for Accession.

3. RENA – the launch of the process • Ministers for Environment from the Candidate Countries and potential Candidates plus Bulgaria and Romania welcoming the initiative (June 2007) • the Commission was asked to provide a Road Map from REReP to RENA Jointly tackle Exchange of experience Forum Different stages

4. RENA – the components • Ministerial Meetings will: • Increase political commitment • Increase the visibility of the challenges posed by the environment chapter • Steer the technical level cooperation process by setting priority issues • Regional Environmental Network for Accession (RENA) • Concrete RENA activities identified by Environment Ministers in 2007 • Annual meetings • 4 thematic working groups for the first 2 years (see next slide) • The Secretariat of the RENA Network • The Commission will be assisted by a Consultant to be selected by a tendering procedure.

5. Priority issues identified by Ministers • Strategic planning of the pre-accession process; • Public participation; • Climate change; • Cross-border Co-operation on environment; • Preparation of environmental investment projects

6. RENA – the thematic working groups • WG 1 "Strategic Planning & Investments" • WG 2 "Climate Change“ • WG 3 "Cross-Border Cooperation on water, nature, EIA & SEA" • WG 4 “Implementation and Enforcement“

7. WG 1 Strategic Planning & Investments • Strategic approach towards harmonisation process – reducing the risk of: • Inadequate alignment that requires a number of amendments • Complex institutional framework with overlapping competences • Inadequate strengthening administrative capacities • Inefficient spending of scarce financial resources

8. Using the existing experience • To continue the Progress Monitoring exercise: (monitoring progress towards adoption and implementation of environmental legislation) • To built on experience from PEIP • Better coordination on planning of investments

9. Objectives • Creation of a forum for officials - to exchange experience • Strengthening cooperation in the field focusing on the strategic planning of the approximation process • Strengthening public participation

10. WG 1 Strategic Planning & Investments • Strategic planning of approximation process e.g approximation strategies • Effective implementation and enforcement of acquis including financing • Maintaining and updating a regional list of priority environmental projects • Assistance in drafting investment and financing strategies, exchange of information on financing sources • Public participation in the planning process • Assistance in providing tools for tracking and assessing progress in preparation for accession • Specific capacity building/information exchange activities

11. Results • Identification of workshop/training needs • Best practice documents • List of priority projects • Identification of potential multi-beneficiary projects • Progress monitoring report

12. WG 2 Climate Change • Focus on: • keeping the countries fully aware of developments in relation to Climate change policy developments • Preparing countries for implementing EU Climate Change requirements once members • Specific activities may include; creation of inventories, development of strategies, establishment of ETSs, etc.) • Particular attention will be given to adaptation and mitigation

13. WG 3 Cross-Border Cooperation Focus on: • Nature Protection including Natura 2000 preparations in a transboundary context • Water Management ina transboundary context , including the Water Framework directive • Public participation in relation to the above areas as well as general requirements on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and the implementation of the Aarhus Convention

14. WG 4 Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network for Accession (ECENA) • ECENA established in 2005; • Exchange best practices on implementation and enforcement of environmental law • Inclusion of ECENA in RENA will allow the work on implementation and enforcement to be more closely linked with other pre-accession tasks

15. RENA stakeholders Neighbouring EU Member States IFIs, Bilateral Donors,International organisations RENA focal point Other EU Member States Environmental NGOs

16. RENA - Financing • Financing through the IPA multi-beneficiary programme • Tentative planning • IPA 2009: 2,9 million € • IPA 20010: 3 million € • Certain activities will only be started in 2010 – but most in 2009 (as these are currently covered by on-going EU project) • The split between activities is indicative and will be further fine-tuned, taking into account relevant developments, before the launch of the 1st tender

17. Next Steps….. • Discussion at REReP meeting (this week) • Countries to consolidate their positions and provide comments in writing to the Commission before 1 January 2009 • COM to finalise the RENA road map before March 2009 • Ministerial meeting to endorse the RENA road map/mandates for the working groups – spring/early summer 2009 • Launch of RENA – target date - September 2009

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