NGO Forum Held in Brussels

26 July 2007

On July 16-17, the European Environmental Bureau � EEB organized a meeting of the New NGO Forum � 18 environmental organizations from Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Turkey, BiH, Albania and Croatia � with the representatives of European Commission and the Directorate General Environment (EC�s Ministry of Environment).

At this second New NGO Forum, Croatian associations were represented by Dusica Radojcic from Green Istria and Toni Vidan from Zelena Akcija. Just as in the first meeting held in July 2006, the associations were informed about the current status of negotiations on Croatian accession to the EU, i.e. the benchmarks that need to be met per individual chapters in order to open the negotiations. There are 35 chapters, each opened and reviewed on individual basis, after an analysis and assessment of harmonization of local legislation with the acquis communautaire - the so-called screening and positive recommendations.

If all criteria were not met, certain benchmarks that have to be achieved are set. After the screening for the chapter on the environment, one benchmark was set, referring to funds, i.e. when and how will the funds necessary for implementation of plans be secured. Croatia will need huge funds (approximately 10-11 billion EUR) to fully harmonize its legislation with EU. Therefore, it is not expected for negotiations on environmental issues to proceed forward quickly.

Radojcic and Vidan presented the problems faced by the environmental associations and civic initiatives in Croatia, with special emphasis on the problem of insufficient public participation in policy and legislation creation. Among other points, the need to involve the public in the preparation of the Report on Croatian progress towards EU, submitted annually, was mentioned. Having in mind that this year�s report is planned for September, it is too late to organize a public debate. However, DG Environment believes that associations should, by all means, get involved in the preparation of the 2008 Progress report.

Claude Rouam from DG Environment said that the Directorate is aware of the need to assist the environmental associations, which are corrective necessary in all democratic societies. It would greatly ease their job is the associations themselves assessed their needs, i.e. participated in the preparation of the programme of financing. Therefore, DG Environment intends to repeat its recommendation to the authorities to start including the NGO sector in the process of preparation of financing priorities programmes.