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

“Regional Environmental Network for Accession”
Ref: EuropeAid/128906/C/SER/Multi
• Regional training/workshop on Directive 2007/2/EC/INSPIRE (to be delivered in collaboration with
the Austrian Environmental Agency)
• Annual WG 1/ RISP meeting (to discuss and agree on the details of trainings to be delivered in 2012)
• Update of the EU Handbook on the Implementation of Environmental Acquis – the project team will
in collaboration with EC determine the scope and methodology of the update, draft the list of relevant
EC judgments between 2007 and 2011, reviewing the current version of the Handbook to identify and
revise any obsolete information, revise existing fiches covering separate EC legislation to accommodate
for amendments adopted between 2007 and 2011, prepare new sub-sections for entirely new EC
legislation adopted within the implementation period (2007-2011). Analysis of the Handbook will
include 3 interrelated steps: legal gaps analysis, implementation gaps analysis and analysis of the current
version of the Handbook.
On the issue of the Handbook update, Ms. Medic asked if there is a budget for translation of the updated
Handbook, but unfortunately the translation or the printing cannot be financed by the project. However, the
electronic version will be made available for download and RENA Secretariat will check with the PR expert the
possibilities to make electronic version in more user friendly format.
Activity 1.5 Progress Monitoring
Progress Monitoring is considered to be the activity with high importance. PM provides information not only to
the EC but also to the countries and helps them to understand where they stand in terms of their progress
toward EU. All PM Reports were prepared and submitted by mid September, 2011. Some difficulties that have
occurred in the year 14 of PM exercise were the following: information not provided for number of sectors
without explanation on reasons behind, contradictory information provided in ToCs, legislation adopted in
previous PM period reported as progress, etc.
Main issue to be discussed is scoring of draft legislation as progress although being in line with the current PM
methodology. Ms. Medic commented that in line with the methodology, the draft legislation was scored as a
progress. Croatia is of the opinion that such methodology should be kept as preparation of draft is for a fact a
progress and present incentive to the countries. Mr. Dimovski agreed with the point, clarifying that the
difference should be made between transposition progress and transposition efforts. Draft legislation should be
reflected in the report, and the scoring methodology can remain as such with the condition that if draft
legislation remains a draft for the period longer than 2 or 3 years the scored points will be deducted. Ms. Ivanica
explained that EC takes into consideration the adopted legislation as real indicator of transposition progress.
Draft legislation shows efforts toward reaching the progress, but if draft is not adopted in a reasonable period of
time then there is no progress and progress scores awarded based on a draft cannot be kept. The reasonable
period of time is to be agreed with the countries, and the suggestion is that this reasonable period of time should
be 3 years. However no changes will be made until the agreement is reached on the proposed changes. Ms.
Medic explained that the reasonable deadline for adoption should be agreed amongst the countries and EC. Mr.
Dimovski asked the Focal Points to declare if they agree with the modification of the scoring methodology as
explained above. The Focal Points agreed clarifying that the reasonable deadline for adoption of new legislation
should be set to the period of three years.
Ms. Ivanova agreed to the period of three yeas being a reasonable time for the adoption of the legislation, but
not to the procedure of decreasing the score if the deadline is not fulfilled.
One of the issues the project team faced during preparation of PM Reports for 2011 was inter ministerial
coordination. The issue was resolved by additional involvement of EC and project team, additional meetings and
coordination and this practice will continue during next year as well.
Ms. Ivanova explained that the deadlines are rather tight and that it would be helpful to receive the ToCs and
IQs as soon as possible and that additional trainings on filling in the ToCs and IQs for new legislation will be
welcomed.
Ms. Radovic explained that delay in delivery of blank ToCs and IQs in 2011 was partly caused by late
determination of the list of legislation for Climate Acquis, but since the list of legislation for year 2012 will
remain the same, the delays are not expected.
Activity 1.6 Gap Assessment of Draft Legal Acts
The project team developed the template for requesting the legal gap assessment or compliance check of draft
legal acts. So far, only one request have been received, from Montenegro, with very short deadline for the project
team to prepare compliance check for draft SEA legislation.
The project team will provide advice to beneficiary countries on draft legislation for which they would benefit
compliance checking and will continue to provide support under this activity, but it is essential that sufficient
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This Project is funded by the
European Union
A project implemented by Human
Dynamics Consortium