Public Access to Environmental Information in Serbia Filip Radović Environmental Protection Agency Geneva, December

International agreements Serbia became Party to the Aarhus Convention by adopting the Law on Ratification of the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) (“Off. Gazette of RS”, No. 38/09); Serbia became Party to the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Register to the Aarhus Convention by adopting the Law on ratification (“Off. Gazette of RS”, No. 8/11); Serbia adopted the Strategy for the implementation of the Aarhus Convention and related Action Plan (“Off. Gazette of RS”, No. 103/11). 2

Institutional framework Ministry responsible for Environmental Protection Environmental Protection Agency Regional and local authorities responsible for environmental protection Commissioner for Information of Public Importance Agency for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Arhus Centres 3

Implementation – passive flow Public authorities have the obligation to provide information on environment at request: Appointed official persons (information officers) to answer to request for information of public importance (information on environment is information of public importance, according to the law in force ). Exceptions: Legislation in force provides for exceptions, i.e. a request for information can be refused in specific cases which are to a great extent in accordance with the requirements of the Directive. Charges: The applicant is obliged to pay only the cost of copying (one page document is charged 6 RSD (0.02 cents)). Consultation of a document containing the requested information is free of charge. Access to justice: -Preliminary Administrative Procedure before the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance. -Procedure before the Court of Law 4

Implementation – active flow (1) A. Environmental Information system: o is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). o data are divided in thematic sectors, e.g.: Air and climate changes; Water; Nature and biodiversity; Land; Waste; Noise; etc. o Ecoregister - 5

Implementation –active flow (2) B. National Register of Pollution Sources is available at: o Serbian PRTR register is harmonized with PRTR protocol and E-PRTR directive 166/2006/EC except for reporting thresholds. Companies report pollutants without minimal thresholds for reporting. o Data collection starts in o Reporting to E-PRTR on voluntary basis from

Implementation –active flow (2) B. National PRTR register can be found on the following website of the SEPA: 7 National PRTR register for 2013, includes 277 facilities which are the most significant sources of pollution in the Republic of Serbia in the field of 1.Energy – 36 sources 2.Production and processing of metals Mineral industry Chemical industry Waste and waste water management Paper and wood production and processing - 8; 7.Intensive livestock production and aquaculture Animal and vegetable products from the food and beverage sector Other activities - 3.

Implementation – active flow (3) C. Website of the Ministry: o A list of environmental legislation in force: o Environmental impact assessment Studies, requests and decisions on screening and scooping: zivotnu-sredinu/?lang=lat D. Database of the Agency for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety: o Annual report on the level of exposure of the population to ionizing radiation from the environment: E. Websites of the four Aarhus centers (Kragujevac, Subotica, Novi Sad and Nis) 8

Future steps Capacity building of the environmental authorities through trainings and seminars. Capacity building of information officers in other public authorities through trainings and seminars. Awareness measures - Guide on the Right of Access to Justice in Matters related to Environmental Protection in Administrative Procedures and Administrative Disputes (developed with support from OSCE) to be used in training civil servants, judiciary and NGOs. Improvement and further development of Information system NRIZ and PRTR. 9

Thank you for your attention! Filip Radovic Environmental Protection Agency Republic of Serbia 10