Palič, 24.9. 2013

Working on EU environmental decision-making processes: experiences from Slovenia

for environmentally and socially responsible life

Lidija Živčić, FOCUS, Slovenia

Palič, 24.9. 2013

► Experiences from accession process► EU institutions and processes ► Advocacy at EU level► Cases: EU energy policy and EU climate and energy package

Content

Palič, 24.9. 2013

► NGOs were not a part of the negotiation team for environmental chapter, nor were the other key actors (e.g. municipalities)► calls for being a part of the negotiation team were not responded by Slovene government► success was to ‘squeal’ at an international meeting about the attitute of Slovene government: in 2 weeks the NGOs had a meeting with the minister of environment► situation was similar in other accession countries, except in Poland they managed to postpone negotiations for a few months to be able to do things in a democratic manner ► Dutch minister of environment called for a meeting of CEE NGOs to find out about their opinion on the negotiated transition periods

Experiences from accession (1)

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► Dutch minister of environment called for a meeting of CEE NGOs to find out about their opinion on the negotiated transition periods ► a small group of people had access to the talks: they kept their circle closed and eliminated the others ► all processes were done in a speedy manner – the speed ran over democratic approaches and newly aquired democracy was crushed► the speed of the negotiations and accession was a sort of terminal blow for democracy in CEE countries – this can still be noted today► Slovene NGOs got to know the EU legislation through projects, in which they acted as institution that informed about the EU legislation► now we have more experience and capacity, at that time the NGOs were lost in the processes

Experiences from accession (2)

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► European Council: sets general policy directions and priorities for the EU► European Parliament: MEPs directly elected every 5 years, represents the people of EU ► Council of the European Union: meeting of national ministers to debate and – together with the Parliament – adopt EU regulations, represents the member states► European Commission: commissioners and directorates (DGs), suggests regulations and monitors implementation, represents the interests of the EU► Presidency of the Council of the EU: execution of the work plan of the EU

Institutions of the EU (1)

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European Parliament

Court of Justice

Court of Auditors

Economic and Social Committee Committee of the Regions

Council of Ministers(Council of the EU) European Commission

European Investment Bank European Central BankAgencies

European Council (summit)

Institutions of the EU (2)

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Citizens, interest groups, experts: debates and consultations

European Commission: formal proposal

Parliament and Council: co-decision

Commission and Court of Justice: monitoring of implementation

National and local authorities: implementation

Decision-making process in the EU

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Građani, interesne grupe, stručnjaci: rasprava, konzultacije

Europska komisija: formalni prijedlog

Parlament i Vijeće: zajednička odluka

Komisija i Court of Justice: monitoring izvođenja

Nacionalne ili lokalne vlasti: implementacija

Decision-making process in the EU

consultation

Palič, 24.9. 2013

Građani, interesne grupe, stručnjaci: rasprava, konzultacije

Europska komisija: formalni prijedlog

Parlament i Vijeće: zajednička odluka

Komisija i Court of Justice: monitoring izvođenja

Nacionalne ili lokalne vlasti: implementacija

Decision-making process in the EU

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► decisions are made by the institutional triangle:

Decision-making process in the EU

European Commission (interest of the EU)

Council(interest of the member states)

European parliament (interest of the people)

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Instruments

instrument type Characteristic Procedure

REGULATION LawObligatory and directly

validLegislative

DIRECTIVE LawObligatory, selection of

form and method by member state

Legislative

DECISION Law or not lawObligatory for the

adressee ('sui generis‘)Legislative or

comitology

RECOMMENDATION Not law Not obligatory Not legislative

OPINION Not law Not obligatory Not legislative

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Advocacy at EU level

► work at home► work at EU level ► networking with other actors (NGOs, interest groups, media...) ► don’t give up► meet the people► plan you actions

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Case 1: Giant EU energy flag (1)

► FoE Europe and its local groups engaged in the Europe-wide campaign for sustainable energy in January 2007 ► ‘EU stars’ were signed by people from the individual member states by local FoE organisations prior to the Summit

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Case 1: Giant EU energy flag (2)

► March 2007: finalising action plan Energy Policy for Europe

► action outside the summit venue in Brussels, where people from all over EU formed a Giant EU Energy Flag ► the European Council at this meeting adopted the famous EU 20/20/20 goals: 20% reduction of greenhouse gases, 20% increase in the share of renewables and 20% increase in energy efficiency by 2020

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Case 2: Climate and energy package

► creation of a position paper (our expectations) ► participation in the stakeholder consultation► promoting position paper among decision-makers (we were even a part of some working groups) ► analysis of the proposed package ► regular communication and meetings with decision-makers to advocate our positions► EU campaign to create pressure on the heads of the states ► briefings and meetings with MEPs ► communication with the permanent representatives and with national parliament (EU committee) ► regular media briefings (press conferences, individual meetings) ► analysis of the adopted package and media communication

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Lidija Živčič

lidija@focus.sitel: +386 1 515 40 80

Focus, društvo za sonaraven razvojMaurerjeva 7, 1000 Ljubljana

office: Trubarjeva 50, 1000 Ljubljanawww.focus.si

Thanks!