Second Environmental Performance Review of Albania

33Chapter 3INFORMATION, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ANDEDUCATION3.1 Environmental monitoringLegal and policy frameworkThe engagement of Albania, especially in recentyears, in many EU and international activities, suchas cooperation with EEA since 1996, theStabilization and Association Agreement followed byapplication for EU membership in 2009, andratification of nearly 60 international environmentagreements and programmes (Chapter 4), implies asubstantial increase in reporting obligations andrelated monitoring by existing institutions.With commitments stemming from national policydemands adding to these obligations, it becameextremely challenging for the existing institutionalframework to respond without systematic andcontinual external assistance. Moreover, althoughambitious and trying to address this newdevelopment stage, neither the 2007 ECS nor the2008 NSDI for the period 2007-2013 were able tomatch the growing demands with available financialand human resources.The current legal framework for monitoring activitiesis based on the 2002 Law on EnvironmentalProtection, No. 8934 (amended in 2008) and isfurther enhanced by the new Law on EnvironmentalProtection, No. 10431, adopted in June 2011.According to the 2008 amendment to the Law onEnvironmental Protection, environmental monitoringis mandatory and is to be performed in accordancewith the National Monitoring Programme. The rulesand procedures for drafting and implementing theNational Monitoring Programme were adopted in2009 through the DCM on Rules and Procedures forDrafting and Implementing the National MonitoringProgramme, No. 1189. Furthermore, theestablishment and related institutional structure of theIntegrated Environmental Monitoring System (IEMS)are under preparation and are expected to beformalised shortly by a new DCM. 2 The areas as well2 The new decision is in preparation under the new EUproject, Consolidation of the Environmental MonitoringSystem in Albania (CEMSA).as the parameters to be monitored will besubsequently regulated through secondary legislation.Despite a favourable legal framework, an IEMS isnot fully operational in Albania. The overall structureand main components of a monitoring system wereoutlined in the 2006-2008 EU-funded project,Strengthening of the Environmental MonitoringSystem in Albania (StEMA), where a nationwide,modern and cost-effective IEMS covering allenvironmental topics was designed. Nevertheless,priority for implementation was given only to air andwater, for which partial developments have beenachieved.The IEMS was based on EU requirements and EEArecommendations for monitoring and reporting toensure harmonization and comparability of data asthe basis for future integration of the system atvarious levels. It also took into account the specificconditions of Albania and actual monitoringpractices. Furthermore, Albania gained importantpractical experience in working with EEA and inbeing part of EIONET. However, the implementationof IEMS as designed by the StEMA project hasproven to be slow and weak after the projectcompletion due to the complexity of the monitoringsystem against the existing environmental status, theinstitutional framework for monitoring and economicconstraints.In order to accelerate the implementation of theproposed IEMS and to support MoEFWA and EFAin this task, a new EU/IPA (Instrument for Pre-Accession)-funded project was put in place buildingon StEMA project recommendations. This newproject, Consolidation of the EnvironmentalMonitoring System in Albania (CEMSA), waslaunched in 2010 and will run for three years. Amongits expected outcomes are:• Expansion of the existing databases for water,air and soil pollution and water uses;• Establishment of monitoring stationsnationwide, covering (a) spatial monitoring ofpollution sources and (b) time trend monitoringof chemical and microbiological parameters,biological quality elements and biodiversity;