EU Twinning Project in Support of the Environmental Sector
The Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA) is the beneficiary of an EU Twinning project called "Support to the Environmental Sector in Kosovo". It is an EU funded project with a duration of 22 months, with a budget of 1.0 m € and 0.1 m € co-financing from the State Budget of Kosovo.
Background
A number of efforts have already been made by the Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency to improve the state of the environment in Kosovo. In connection with the efforts to start with the implementation of the EU Environmental Policies and the preparations for the future use of the IPA Environmental Development Component, KEPA has to introduce new and important policies and tools in support of reforms and general, sectoral and institutional developments.
This project will be implemented by the Environment Agency, Austria, Umweltbundesamt (UBA), in collaboration with experts from the Finnish Meteorological Institute and the Latvian Center for Environment, Geology and Meteorology. These three countries have already passed the EU accession process and have successfully implemented similar Twinning projects in Eastern and Southeastern Europe. The Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency expects that this project will be a historic occasion for the preparation of Kosovo's path to the EU.
About Twinning
Launched in May 1998, the Twinning program is one of the main tools of admission assistance in Institution Building. The twinning aims to assist beneficiary states in developing modern and efficient administrations, with the structures, human resources and management skills necessary to implement the "acquis communautaire" at the same level of standards as the Member States. Twinning provides the framework for administrations and semi-public organizations in the beneficiary countries to work with their counterparts in the Member States. Together they will develop and implement a project aimed at relocating, implementing and implementing specific parts of the acquis communautaire.
Overall objective
The overall objective of this Twinning Project is the continuous and sustainable improvement of environmental conditions including air quality, management and control of water resources to meet EU standards, in particular with regard to public health and economic development. Kosovo. The purpose of the project is focused on further institutional support for the Environment Sector in Kosovo.
The main results expected from the project are:
Consolidation of administrative capacities in KEPA and relevant departments in MESP in legal, institutional and technical issues of environmental monitoring with special focus on air and water.
Improved KEPA capacity to meet at least 30% of reporting requirements to the European Environment Agency for priority flow data indicators (air, water, environmental protection)
Strategy designed to raise public and material awareness on availability
Establishment of modern data management including database development
The main data of the project:
About 400 working days of Member States "Short Time Experts" in Kosovo
3 study visits to Member States for Kosovo officials
1 Resident Twinning Advisor, 1 KRB Assistant and Language Assistant 1
Project Duration:
22 months, from November 25, 2010 to September 30, 2012
Budget:
1.0m € financed by the European Union
0.1m € co-financing from the State Budget of Kosovo / KEPA
Project Structure
The project is divided into 4 main components.
Component 1: “Institutional, legal and technical support to KEPA and relevant MESP departments in improving their capacities to manage and continue monitoring activities related to key environmental issues including water and air quality, nature protection, etc.
Component 2 "Support to the preparation of the State Environmental Report on improving cooperation with the European Environment Agency".
Component 3 "Support for data processing review, data management and database preparation".
Component 4 “Support in the preparation of the strategy for raising public awareness and for the elaboration of materials.
Institutions involved
The Twinning Project is implemented by the Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency, Departments of the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and the Kosovo Hydrometeorological Institute in cooperation with the Environment Agency, Austria (Umweltbundesamt), the Finnish Meteorological Institute, and the Center for Environmental Meteorology, Geology and Meteorology of Latvia,
Special support was provided by the European Commission through the European Commission Liaison Office in Kosovo.
