1. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ Biodiversity work in West Balkans countries under the IPA programme 2010-2011 Dominique Richard Manager of the ETC/BD

2. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ The work undertaken is a direct follow up of the work done as part of the successive CARDS projects running during the periods 2004-2006 (phase I of CARDS project) and 2007- 2008 (phase II of CARDS project), Under these two periods six Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia Montenegro, Serbia and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia performed Phase I of the Emerald process, i.e the national inventory of Emerald sites proposals to be further assessed at biogeographical level (Phase II).

3. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ The « Emerald » process is framed by the Bern Convention on the protection of wildlife and habitats (1979) which applies to 45 European countries and a few African countries Recommendation 19 of the Convention advocates Contracting Parties to take, either by legislation or otherwise, steps to designate Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCIs) to ensure that necessary and appropriate conservation measures are taken for each area situated within their territory or under their responsibility

4. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ The Emerald process is a mirror initiative to the Natura 2000 process. The Emerald process helps EU Accession and Candidate countries to get prepared for their future implementation of the Natura 2000 network The Natura 2000 network is the EU contribution to the Emerald network (as EU is a Contracting Party to the Bern Convention)

5. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/

6. 11 biogeographic regions recognised by the Bern Convention Standing Committee (9 in the EU)

7. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ A preparatory Emerald biogeographic seminar for the West Balkans countries in Paris on January 2011 A full-scale biogeographic seminar in Bar, Montenegro on 2-4 November 2011

8. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ Attendance to the biogeographic seminar: Representatives of Ministries of the environment from each country An expert designated by each country An NGO representative per country A representative of European Habitat Forum A representative of Birdlife International A representative of European Land Owner association Experts invited by the ETC/BD Representative of the Council of Europe Chair of the Bern Convention Standing Committee (chairing the meeting) ETC/BD experts Representative of the European Commission (Observer)

9. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ Number of sites, total area and % coverage for each of the six West Balkan countries involved in the first phase of the Emerald process under the CARDS projects: Number of proposed Emerald sites and total area CountryNumberTotal AREA (ha) % country coverage Albania 25522429,5418,2 Bosnia-Herzegovina 29250455.004,9 Croatia 11324520442,5344 * FYR of Macedonia 35754383.0029,3 Montenegro 32240077.1017,1 Serbia 61755883.918,6 * For Croatia, only the terrestrial area counted, without the marine part of the sites Situation of Emerald sites proposals in January 2011

10. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ CodeMeaningAction required SUFSufficientNo further sites needed IN MAJORInsufficient majorNo sites proposed at present. A major effort to designate sites is needed. IN MODInsufficient moderate One or a number of additional sites (or maybe extension to sites) required. IN MOD GEO means that additional site(s) are required in certain region to eliminate geographical gap. IN MINInsufficient minor No additional sites required but habitat/species should be noted on sites already proposed for other habitats/species. CDCorrection of dataData needs to be corrected / completed / deleted. Sci ResScientific reserve A definite conclusion is not possible: need to investigate/clarify a scientific issue – interpretation of habitat, controversial presence of species, etc. Conclusions and their abbreviations used for assessments of sufficiency of ASCIs proposals by countries during the bio-geographical seminars.

11. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ Example of preliminary assessments made by ETC/BD on sufficiency of Emerald sites proposals for habitat E3-4, per country and per biogeographic region

12. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ Example of preliminary assessments made by ETC/BD on sufficiency of Emerald sites proposals for the Brown Bear, per country and per biogeographic region

13. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/

14. Overall 3 265 assessments were made during the three-days meeting!

15. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ Next steps for the countries: - To complete/ check inconsistencies of the databases/ GIS layers - To propose and document new sites for species and habitats where there are major insuffiencies, in order to further consolidate the Emerald network - To submit these new sites as Candidate Emerald sites to the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention

16. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ Possibly another Biogeographic seminar in 2014 to assess progress ?

17. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ The West Balkans Emerald process is framed by the Bern Convention, Resolution 16 under the responsibility of the Council of Europe The Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA) budget, managed by the European Environment Agency (EEA), is used in the West Balkans countries to support the expansion of the EEA core set of environmental indicators

18. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/ One of the EEA core set of indicators for biodiversity = Progress in protected areas over time

19. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/

20. Complementarity between designations?

21. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversityhttp://bd.eionet.europa.eu/