Implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment in Serbia in the EU Integration Context: Current State and Recommendations
Implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment in Serbia in the EU Integration Context: Current State and Recommendations
Author(s): Nebojša Lazarević, Stefan Šipka, Miloš Đinđić, Dejan Maksimović
Subject(s): Energy and Environmental Studies, Environmental and Energy policy, Environmental interactions, EU-Approach / EU-Accession / EU-Development
Published by: Centar za evropske politike CEP
Keywords: Environmental policy; Serbia; EU integration; Environmental impact assessment (EIA); Strategic environmental assessment (SEA); Public participation; Legislation harmonization; Institutional mechanisms; Decision-making; EU standards;
Summary/Abstract: Serbia faces significant challenges in terms of environmental policy reform. These challenges are connected with the EU integration process, due to high EU environmental standards Serbia needs to comply with. One of the key environmental policy measures is the environmental assessment of projects (environmental impact assessment - EIA), as well as planning documents (strategic environmental assessment - SEA). Environmental assessment ensures that the competent authority will make more informed decisions. Thereby adverse environmental effects of projects and planning documents are prevented or reduced. Public participation is the crucial element in the procedure which ensures the flow of information from the civil society towards the competent authority and guarantees transparency and legitimacy of the decision-making process. Approximation of Serbia’s legislation and institutional solutions with the EU standards concerning EIA and SEA is contested both in Serbia and by the EU. In order to determine the exact state, comprehensive research was conducted concerning implementation of the EIA Directive and to a certain extent SEA Directive in Serbia, primarily at the local level. The research focus was on institutional mechanisms and public participation. Besides implementation, certain attention was given to harmonization of Serbia’s legislation with the EU law.
Series: Centar za evropske politike - STUDIES
- Page Count: 4
- Publication Year: 2014
- Language: English
- Content File-PDF