Developments in the EU enlargement process 11th REReP Task Force meeting 20 November 2008 Becici, Montenegro Slavitza Dobreva – DG Environment, European Commission

Key developments in the enlargement process November 2008

Enlargement Strategy Adopted on 5 November 2008 Main findings: Croatia - possible to reach the final stage of accession negotiations by the end of 2009, provided that Croatia fulfils all the necessary conditions (indicative road map proposed) Turkey – need to renew political reforms efforts fYRoM – need to hold free and fair elections, to fulfil outstanding key partnership priorities Western Balkans – progress towards EU membership can be accelerated provided potential candidates meet the necessary conditions, thus resulting in candidate status

Progress Report Croatia Good progress achieved in the environment chapter, especially in the areas of air quality, chemicals and GMOs Considerable efforts needed to further align with and implement the acquis in the water, industrial pollution control and risk management, climate change and horizontal sectors Substantial efforts needed in the forthcoming period to meet the requirements of the environment chapter especially as regards investments

Progress Report fYRoM Progress made in developing the legislative framework in the field of horizontal legislation and the air and waste sectors. A substantial amount of implementing legislation - still to be prepared Some sectors (water quality and nature protection) - lagging behind. Administrative capacity at both central and local levels requires substantial strengthening Significant efforts made to increase financial resources, however, investments in environmental infrastructure are still largely insufficient Coordination between all institutions involved in environmental protection – to be improved

Progress Report Turkey Progress in the areas of air quality, waste, water and nature protection Good progress on strengthening the administrative capacity at central level Overall level of alignment remains low - no progress in the areas of industrial pollution and risk management and GMOs, limited progress on chemicals Delays in establishment of the EIA hampering further improvements in implementation and enforcement

Progress Report Albania Slow progress in approximation of legislation to the acquis in almost all sector (horizontal legislation, air, waste, water, nature protection, noise) Implementation and enforcement still lagging behind Further efforts needed to strengthen administrative capacity and to improve inter- institutional cooperation Preparations in the field of the environment are advancing slowly

Progress Report 2008 – Bosnia and Herzegovina Preparations in the field of the environment remain at an early stage Need to strengthen environmental protection institutions, in particular at State level and to mainstream environmental concerns in other sectors Establishment of a harmonised legal framework for environmental protection, of the State Environmental Agency and of a functioning environmental monitoring system to be speeded up Need to step up its efforts with regard to obligations under international conventions

Progress Report Montenegro Some progress achieved in horizontal legislation, waste, nature protection, IPC, chemicals Further efforts needed, particularly on implementation and enforcement Particular attention to be paid to strengthening administrative capacity and to establishing effective inspection services Further efforts to be put into raising awareness of environmental protection issues. Environmental protection, in particular in coastal areas and national parks, is a cause for concern

Progress Report Serbia Moderately progress in environment (some areas of horizontal legislation, IPC) Some sectors not sufficiently regulated (air, waste, water, nature protection) – in particular no legal or institutional framework for water quality Legislation enforcement at all levels still to be ensured Good progress in strengthening administrative capacity and in adoption of a national sustainable development strategy

Progress Report 2008 – Kosovo under UNSCR 1244 Some progress in horizontal legislation, waste, chemicals Further efforts still required in most sectors for the transposition, implementation and enforcement of legislation Significant efforts needed to address the lack of human and financial resources, both at national and at municipal level and lack of appropriate coordination mechanisms between all institutions dealing with environmental protection Good progress in establishing the EPA

Key EU legislative developments

Air quality Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (OJ L 152 of 11 June 2008)  The purpose of this Directive is to: define and establish objectives for ambient air quality assess the ambient air quality on the basis of common methods and criteria and, in particular, certain pollutants provide information on ambient to help combat pollution and nuisance and to monitor long-term trends and improvements ensure that such information on ambient air quality is made available to the public maintain good air quality and improving it when needed promote increased cooperation between the Member States in reducing air pollution  Member States to classify territory to assess ambient air quality  PM2.5 to be reduced by 20% by 2020 (based on 2010 exposure levels)  Air quality plans to be developed in areas where concentrations of pollutants exceed air quality values  Action plans to indicate the short term measures to reduce risk of exceeding pollutants alert thresholds  Trans-boundary consultation among Member States  Information to the public readily available  In force – 11 June 2010

Industrial Pollution Control Directive 2008/1/EC concerning integrated pollution prevention and control (codified IPPC legislation) Proposal for a Directive on industrial emissions (COM(2007)844 final) Simplifies legislation (recasts seven Directives into one) BAT concept to be improved and clarified Tightens minimum emission limit values for LCPs Introduces minimum standards for environmental inspections of industrial installations and allows for more effective permit reviews Scope to be extended – LCPs between 20 to 50 MW, production of wood-based panels, preservation of wood Administrative costs to be reduced by between €105 and €255 million a year

Water Quality Directive 2007/60/EC on the assessment and management of flood risks (OJ L 288 of 6 November 2007)  Applies to all kinds of floods  To reduce and manage the risk to human health, the environment, cultural heritage and economic activity  Three stages of flood risk management preliminary flood risk assessment of river basins and associated coastal zones – 2011 flood hazard maps and flood risk maps: indication of inhabitants potentially at risk, economic activity and environmental damage potential – 2013 flood risk management plans: prevention, protection and preparedness – 2015  Assessments, maps and plans available to the public  Coordinated actions in shared river basins, including with third countries  Consider long term developments: climate change, sustainable land use practices

Marine Environment Directive for Community action in the field of marine environmental policy (OJ L 164 of 25 June 2008)  To ensure that EU marine waters are environmentally healthy by 2020 at the latest  European Marine Regions established on the basis of geographical and environmental criteria  Marine strategies to be developed in each marine region, and to include an action plan  EU Member States to draw up a programme of cost-effective measures  EU Member States to establish marine protected areas – coordinate activities with non-EU countries in the same marine region, including through regional sea conventions  In force – 15 July 2010

Waste Management Revision of the Waste Framework Directive (COM(2005)667 final) approved by the Council. The agreed Directive:  Sets new recycling targets to be achieved by the Member States by 2020  Strengthens provisions on waste prevention  Sets a clear, five-step "hierarchy" of waste management options according to which prevention is the preferred option, followed by reuse, recycling, other forms of recovery and with safe disposal as the last recourse.  Clarifies a number of important definitions, such as recycling, recovery and waste itself.  The new directive will also streamline EU waste legislation by replacing the existing Waste Framework Directive, the Hazardous Waste Directive and the Waste Oils Directive.

Climate change Climate action and renewable energy package (23 January 2008, possible agreement end 2008/early 2009)  Commitments to fight climate change and promote renewable energy up to 2020 and beyond.  Key policy proposals: Proposal amending the EU Emissions Trading Directive Proposal relating to the sharing of efforts to meet the Community’s independent greenhouse gas reduction commitment in sectors not covered by EU ETS Proposal for a Directive on Carbon Capture Storage Proposal for a Directive promoting renewable energy

Climate change White Paper on adaptation to be adopted in first quarter 2009 – possible principles for EU action:  Priority to measures good for mitigation and adaptation  Priority to measures which can be beneficial irrespective of uncertainties  Precautionary principle: consider worst case scenario even if uncertainties are high  Solidarity between EU Member States, regions, social groups  Adaptation policy should be dynamic and flexible, based on scientific evidence  Measures must be cost effective, proportionate and in line with EU objectives on sustainable development

Forestry Package to tackle illegal logging and deforestation (17 October 2008) – a communication and a regulation Proposal to work in the international negotiations on climate change towards the development of a Global Forest Carbon Mechanism through which developing countries would be rewarded for emissions reductions achieved by taking action to reduce deforestation and forest degradation The proposals in the Communication should form part of the EU's position at the UN climate conference in Poznan in December and in the negotiations on a new climate agreement that is due to be concluded in December 2009 in Copenhagen

Proposed Regulation on illegal logging Objective: minimise the risk of marketing illegally harvested timber & timber products in the EU Product scope: all timber & timber products Monitoring organizations: i.e. federation or certification body can develop a system to facilitate implementation Application: two years after its entry into force to ensure that the implementing measures are in place Enforcement: MS responsibility to perform checks and to impose penalties Point of control: the first placing on the market Point of control: the first placing on the market  Importers for imported products  Primary producers for domestically produced timber

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