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Thessaloniki outcome

Thessaloniki outcome. Confirmed prospective EU membership Stabilisation and Association Process remains the policy framework Enrich SAP with elements from enlargement. Enhancements.

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Thessaloniki outcome

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  1. Thessaloniki outcome • Confirmed prospective EU membership • Stabilisation and Association Process remains the policy framework • Enrich SAP with elements from enlargement

  2. Enhancements • European Partnerships – identify priorities and timetable for achieving them. Financial assistance will support these priorities • Enhanced support for institution building • Twinning and TAIEX • Participation in Community programmes and agencies

  3. European Partnerships • Identify priorities • Short term (1-2 years) • Medium term (3-4 years) • Environmental examples include • Implement/develop EIA legislation • Prepare financial strategy - increase investment • Strengthen administrative capacity (inspection) • Future assistance to target these priorities

  4. Technical Assistance & Information Exchange -TAIEX • Now operating in SEE ! • Mission statement: • “Its aim is to provide toadministrations of the Western Balkans, short-term technical assistance, in line with the overall policy objectives of the European Commission, and in the field of approximation, application and enforcement of EU legislation” • Mandate • Transposition/Implementation/Enforcement • Training to increase administrative capacity • Information products, on-going monitoring

  5. What and who for? • Assistance through: • Seminars/Workshops, experts’ missions, study visits, training, documentation • Beneficiaries • Central Administrations, Parliament, judiciary/law enforcement, regional/local authorities, private sector associations, social partners • Demand driven ! (www.taiex.be)

  6. Participation in programmes and agencies • Commission communication issued last December COM(2003) 748. • Framework agreements being prepared and ratified. • Participation in the activities of the European Environment Agency underpinned. • Future of LIFE+ (post 2006) to be decided.

  7. Progress Reports • Third annual SAP report issued in March 2004 • Progress • Limited structural and administrative reforms. • Recognition of REReP (PEIP and continued Commission support) • SAP feasibility study for BiH • Commission opinion for Croatia

  8. EU Enlargement • Croatia • Commission opinion highlighted environment as potentially a problem sector • Now a candidate • Negotiations to open early 2005 • Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia • On the basis of a questionnaire Commission opinion to be issued second half of 2005

  9. Danube-Black Sea (DABLAS) • Half of the 30 priority projects moved forward with 6 now fully funded • Second phase will open for new projects • Danube Investment Support facility now underway and Balkan Project Preparation Committee Officer to be funded by Italy • Presented to Danube Foreign Ministers in July 2004.

  10. Infrastructure Steering Group • ISG to pay increasing attention to environmental issues • Priority Environmental Investment Programme • water projects will be offered to the DABLAS Task Force • IFIs could quickly screen projects to identify financially viable; • DABLAS type mechanism could be considered by ISG for water projects outside of the current geographical scope i.e. Albania and Macedonia, Adriatic Sea.

  11. Other initiatives • EU Water Initiative (EUWI) • Umbrella for co-ordination of actions contributing to the achievement of the water-related Millennium Development Goals • Joint WFD/EUWI process being developed • EU's main input to achieving the water-related MDGs • SEE Regional Electricity Market • binding legal agreement • Opens up electricity market and phases-in EU environmental norms and standards

  12. The future • EU member states must decide on financial perspectives (2007-2013) • CARDS and pre-accession instruments (Phare, SAPARD, ISPA) to be replaced by a single pre-accession instrument. • Follow-up to current LIFE programme (LIFE+) being considered. • CARDS programming for 2005-2006 to be finalised

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