3rd Interim report September 2011- March 2012.pdf - Renanetwork.org

“Regional Environmental Network for Accession”
Ref: EuropeAid/128906/C/SER/Multi
Mr. Antoine Avignon proposed to extend workshops to more than two days combining them with a
short tour or site visit in order to ensure better exchange of experience.
Discussion on future RENA 2
Ms. Madalina Ivanica briefly introduced the next stage of RENA 2, which is preliminary planned in
2013-2015, and noted that the EC was keen to continue RENA project activities in Balkan countries and
Turkey. Currently discussions on the follow-up actions are going on and main issues and topics have to
be identified during the coming months. It is important that any follow-up actions are designed in
accordance with the needs of the beneficiaries. RENA 2 will still remain a capacity building project,
however, it will be more practice-oriented and will aim at more tangible results. Ms. Ivanica reminded
that all ideas should have a regional character. She invited the participants to have brainstorm and to
express their needs for future RENA 2.
Mr. Fatos Bundo proposed to keep EIP sub-working group in future RENA 2 and to have trainings not
only for national-level officials but also for representatives of local authorities who are responsible for
infrastructure projects. Due to other responsibilities it is too difficult for national-level authorities to
train municipalities. Besides, he expressed the need to have some study tours and to share experience not
only among RENA beneficiary countries but with a bit more advanced, though similar, countries within
the EU as well.
Ms. Madalina Ivanica commented that such idea could be supported by RENA 2 but due to lack of
sources it would be probably better first to train the trainers who would have obligations to provide
training to the local authorities.
A representative of Kosovo under UNSCR 1244 asked for assistance in the implementation and
enforcement of some EU directives and in the transposition of the water sector directives to their
national legislation.
Ms. Ivanica commented that transposition of the EU directives while drafting national laws is not part of
RENA activities and that a number of workshops related to the directives in the water sector have been
provided during current RENA activities. RENA could only assist in gap assessment. Furthermore, such
kind of assistance will hardly have a regional character and therefore probably will not be supported by
RENA.
A representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina offered a few ideas as well. BiH did not establish an IPA III
structure in time. Since IPA III is for the training of using the Cohesion and Structural Funds so
currently there is a gap and BiH is not able to use these funds. Therefore, representatives from BiH
expressed a need for support to establish IPA III, so that they could have a centralized system of
preparation and implementation of projects financed by those funds. Furthermore, BiH asked for
support in preparing for negotiations with the EU. Moreover, representatives of BiH strongly supported
continuation of Croatian participation in future RENA 2 activities, since this would enable other
countries to get experience from Croatia.
A representative of fYR of Macedonia noted lack of coordination between IFIs and bilateral donors,
therefore RENA could take a role of coordination between all donors so that everyone gets a clearer
picture of what is going on.
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