1. EEA Management Board / West Balkan Countries – Top Executives Copenhagen, 30 March 2012 EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY AND CROATIAN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY PARTNERS IN ACCESSION Rene Vukelić, CEA, Head of International Cooperation Sector

2. Contents: ICEA-Croatian Environment Agency IIEEA – CEA cooperation Position in national environmental administration Major activities Major developments since 2010 Benefits Priorities and challenges

3. CEA- Croatian Environment Agency: Established in June 2002 by Governmental regulation, as a public institution Current number of employees: 60 - anticipated 75 Subordinated to the Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection

4. CEA- Croatian Environment Agency: Main activities : Establishing and coordinating of National Environmental Information System Coordination of reporting according to national and international obligations International cooperation Providing public accessibility of environmental data & public communication

5. Cooperation with EEA: Various programs (CARDS, IPA) enabled CEA to participate in EIONET since 2004 Major developments since 2010 Priority Data Flow score 2010 78% Priority Data Flow score 2011/2012 92% Participation in production of West Balkan core set of indicators, and preparation of pocketbook 2011 EIONET thematic workshops participation in 2010: 11 participation in 2011: 14 participation on regional (WB) workshops 2010/2011: 10

6. Cooperation with EEA: participation in EEA projects increased in 2011/2012 Started with SOER 2010, extended to post-SOER activities and other projects: SENSE 2 Resource efficiency in Europe / EEA Report SCP, review of proposed indicators FLIS GMES AoA etc.

7. Cooperation with EEA: BENEFITS: Engagement of an assistant to NFP from June 2010-November 2011 Improved contacts with ETCs and independent experts Improved national expert's network Improved regional cooperation Improved national SOER

8. Benefits related to accession process: Implementation of EU Environmental Legislation EU Environmental Acquis – transposition accomplished Accession Treaty signed in December 2011 Accession to EU expected 1st July 2013 Building Administrative Capacity significant improvements, but lately slowed down for recession reasons trying to strengthen capacities through better engagement in different projects, improvement of national network, better bilateral communication with similar institutions across Europe

9. CEA - PRIORITIES AND CHALLANGES: PRIORITIES to regularly upgrade and develop national EIS and keep complying with SEIS to keep up with fulfillment of reporting obligations (which will substantially increase with accession to EU) to keep building up knowledge capacity through national and international projects and networking

10. CEA - PRIORITIES AND CHALLENGES: CHALLENGES Capacity building without (or with modest) new employment and increased funding (seems almost impossible, but is certainly a challenge) Future positioning of CEA in national structure More influence to the policy making process

11. rene.vukelic@azo.hr www.azo.hr