Palic,
September
24th to 26th 2013
EU Environmental
approximation in the WB and
Turkey- ETNAR Conference
Accession process in WB and civil society-Montenegro
Nataša Kovačević
NGO Green Home
Chronology
Date
Event
15 October 2007
Montenegro signs the Stabilisation and Association Agreement
15 December 2008
Formal application for membership submitted
12 April 2010
Montenegro submits answers to the Commission's Questionnaire
9 November 2010
European Commission replies to the answers of the Questionnaire with a
positive opinion (Avis)
17 December 2010
Montenegro receives official candidate status
12 October 2011
Commission recommends starting of negotiations
26 March 2012
Screening started
European Council sets a target date of 29 June for the beginning of
accession negotiations
26 June 2012
29 June 2012
Accession negotiations begin with the screening process
4 February 2013
Explanatory screening for chapter 27 – environment
18 March 2013
Bilateral screening for chapter 27
Pending
Report on harmonization with EU acquis with measures
Negotiation
structure
The Montenegrin Government adopted the Decision on establishing a negotiating
structure in February 2012.
• The Decision defined six main structures for the negotiation process:
• Collegiums,
• Negotiating Team,
• State Delegation for Negotiations on the Accession of Montenegro to the EU,
• working groups for negotiating chapters,
• Office of the Chief Negotiator and the
• Secretariat of the Negotiating Team.
• It was defined that the structures will consist mainly of state officials, and the inclusion
of CSO members in the negotiation structures was not directly foreseen by the
Decision.
• Relations with Parliament cleared, but remains undefined relation among parliement
and CSOs.
CSOs in preparations
for for opening
chapter 27
•
•
•
•
•
participation at experience echange meetings (Lithuania, Croatia, Hungary,
Romania and spec thematic issues i.e. Industrial emmisions, Natura 2000 etc.)
meetings with EU representatives:
– EC, Parliament study visits (P2P study visits, projects and nets related visits)
– DEU to Montenegro (consultative meetings on progress reports, other)
– Desk officer for Montenegro (in Montenegro and Brussels)
RENA (Regional Environmental Network for Accession)/ECRAN - assists the
beneficiary countries in exchange of information and experience related to
preparation for accession (www.renanetwork.org)
two ways of participation (national NGO representative and through
Environmental Forum (www.evforum.eu) – aim to support NGOs in their active
and constructive role in the enlargement process.
CSOs in preparations
for opening chapter
27
•
•
•
National Convention for EU integration project (www.eukonvencija.me, 2010 –
2014)
– Working group IV – Protection of the environment
• Conflicts and compromises between economy and ecology in the
construction of Hydropower Plants in Montenegro
• Establishing Natura 2000 ecological network
• Possible derogation with regards to the implementation of the limit
values for the emission of air pollutants
• Chemicals
use expert knowlede of other organisations International organisations IUCN,
Euronatur, Birdlife, WWF, Transparency international, CEEWEB, SEE Change net
and other networks and NGOs
Internal training on role of NGOs in accession negotiation process
CSOs in preparations
for for opening
chapter 27
•
•
•
•
•
•
At the beginning of December 2012, the Chief Negotiator's Office invited
CSOs to propose representatives for participation in the working group 27.
Government of Montenegro adopted Decision for electing 60 WG members
out of 4 NGOs:
– NGO North Land – subgroup water quality and climate change
– NGO PRONA – subgroup waste management and nature protection
– NGO Zeleno Srce – subgroup waste management
– NGO Green Home – subgroup nature protection and water quality
Explanatory screening 4-8th February 2013
Bilateral screening 18-22nd March 2013
3 working group meetings
Members of the working groups representing NGOs were not present at
explanatory and bilateral screening in Brussels which brings up a concern of
possible future marginalization of civil society in the negotiation process.
CSOs in working
groups
•
environmental NGOs supportive in the process, not very active
–
–
•
•
•
different levels of knowledge and human capacities,
good and active in specific issues or project oriented issues
no real communication strategy or networking for harmonizing NGOs
engagement in working group
restricted documents and links sharing for screening and Privacy Statement
according to the Rules of Procedure, NGO representatives are full members
of working groups, with the role to contribute and not to monitor the
process, so they should not speak in public about the work of the working
groups.
Thank You for attention!
NGO Green Home
Address: Radosava Burica 31,
Podgorica, Montenegro
Phone/Fax: +382 20 609 375
E-mail: natasa.kovacevic@greenhome.co.me
www.greenhome.co.me