Cohesion funds projects in the light of EU Environmental policy & acquis Michal NEKVASIL European...
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Cohesion funds projects in the light of EU Environmental policy & acquis
Michal NEKVASIL
European Commission, DG EnvironmentCohesion Policy and Environmental Impact
Assessments Unit
Prague, 24-25 February 2005
2
Cohesion fund projects submitted to the Commission in 2004 (results of the first
inter-service consultation)
Projects with no environmental problems
Projects with major env. problems
The Czech Republic
4 11
10 New EU Member States
29 106
3
What is the Cohesion Fund for (an example to begin with)
Compliance with the EU water policy (the Urban Waste Water Directive) is investment demanding → a transitional period agreed with the Czech Republic + Cohesion fund used to (re)construct WWTPs and sewerage systems
In other words:
Cohesion Fund is a tool to help Member States implement the EU policy and legislation (besides others in the area of environment)
4
DG ENV assessment is based on:
EU environmental policies
EU environmental legislation
Council decision of 24/09/1998 – “…new investments
(in particular the ones receiving EU funding) should
be in line with environmental acquis…”
Transitional periods on environmental
legislation agreed prior to accession
5
EU environmental policies
Sustainable Development Strategy
6th Environmental Action Program - Tackling climate change
- Nature & biodiversity - Environment & health- Sustainable use of natural resources & waste management
Integration of environment into other EU
policies
6
6th Environmental Action Program
Thematic strategies
Marine
Soil
Pesticides
Air pollution
Urban environment
Resource use and management
Waste prevention and recycling
7
Key EU environmental legislation in relation to Cohesion fund projects
EIA and SEA
Natura 2000 (Habitats and Birds
directive)
Water legislation
Waste legislation
COMPLIANCE WITH NATIONAL LEGISLATION IS NOT ENOUGH!
8
Transitional periods on environmental legislation agreed
prior to accession
Urban Waste Water Directive- 31/12/2006 for agglomerations > 10.000 PE- 31/12/2010 for agglomerations > 2.000 PE Packaging- 31/12/2012 for attaining all the recovery and
recycling targets Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment- 31/12/2008 for attaining the separate collection,
and recovery targets
9
Commission decisions on co-funding
Projects have to comply with article 8 of Cohesion Fund Regulation 1164/94 (article 12 of the Structural Fund Regulation 1260/99)
This compliance is checked by relevant Directorates-General (DG REGIO, Legal Service, DG ENV, DG MARKT, DG COMP, etc.) in an inter-service consultation
10
Timing for submission of a proposal
Studies WorkDevconsent
EIAPrep. work
AVOID SUBMITTING PROJECTS AT TOO EARLY STAGE !
11
Specific problems in the Czech Cohesion Fund projects
• Natura 2000 - list of sites approved only on 22/12/2004- declaration of the competent authority + maps missing
• EIA - exclusion of projects from the scope of the directive- screening of Annex II projects not according to Annex III criteria
• Point 6.7 of the application form- estimated proportion of total cost attributable to mitigation measures can never be 100%
• Sewage sludge and industrial waste water pre-treatment- insufficient information
• An amended application form is not acceptable
12
What we have achieved so far in 2000-6 (integration of the environment
in the cohesion policy)
Around 16% foreseen for environment in Objectives 1 & 2 in 2000-6 (in EU15)
50% of the Cohesion Fund set aside for environmental infrastructure in EU25
Increase by 75% of expenditure on environment from 1994-9 period in EU15
Around €8.5 billion for EU12 2000-6 for environment for SF, CF, ISPA, PHARE & SAPARD
13
Best practice – use of Cohesion funds in the waste water sector
Dublin Bay wastewater plant - completed in summer 2003- largest EC co-financed wastewater project - provides clean wastewater for 1.6 million people- meets EC effluent and sludge quality standards- environment friendly by-products (fertilizer and biogas)- over € 40/200 million from the polluter pays principle- provided 40 new permanent jobs- for more info:
http://www.dublincity.ie/services/dubbay2.html
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Best practice – use of Cohesion funds in the waste sector
Integrated waste management project in Portugal- separate collection of municipal waste- sorting stations- transfer stations- closing of illegal landfills, construction of new landfills- awareness-raising campaign- a following stage: composting- for more info: Águas de Portugal: http://www.adp.pt
15
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION !
Contact in DG Environment:Contact in DG Environment:
E-mail: [email protected]