Slovensko - krajina v strede Európy

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Ministry of the Environmentof the Slovak Republic

Slovak EnvironmentalAgency

STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENTREPORT

SLOVAK REPUBLIC1999

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European Union, OECD, NATO

In May 1999 the National Program for Adoption of Acquis Communautaire (NPAA), was revised.Elaborated were also Reports on the SR Preparedness for EU Accession. In June 21 – 25, 1999 there wasorganized in Brussels a bilateral screening for environment. On the basis of its outcomes, the area of envi-ronment appears to be one of the most difficult chapters due to a high investment burden to comply withEU requirements. In order to fully implement the NPAA, it is necessary to process cca 300 legal normsTechnical and physical infrastructure, including the capacity of training facilities, will cost 11.2 mil. EUROannually. The process of complying with acquis is estimated to incur the costs of 4.6 billion EURO ininvestments, and 0.2 billion EURO in operating costs.

In 1999 the SR carried on with their role of an observer on theOECD environmental activities.

SR was also actively participating on the activities of individu-al workgroups within the Environment Policy Committee (EPOC).

Within the Ministry of Environment, there has been created asystem of regular consultations of the Visegrad Group (V4) nationalconsultants to the Committee for Challenges of Modern Society, asthe NATO’s working institution in the area of environment. InDecember 1999, the MŽP SR representatives participated at themeeting of experts and the presentation of a pilot study calledEnvironmental Management Systems in the Military Sector.

International Organizations

In 1999 the SR continued in its involvement on various environ-mental activities organized by the following institutions:•UN (The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP),

European Economic Commission, Commission on Sustainable

• INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Mankind is a part of nature and the life depends on unimpairedfunctioning of natural systems, which provide energy and nutri-

tion…Permanent benefit from nature depends on sustaining basic eco-logical processes and systems important for living and on diver-

sity of life forms, which are endangered by excessive exploitationand destruction of habitats by man.

The World Charter for Nature adopted by the United NationsGeneral Assembly on 28th October, 1982

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Development, Global Environmental Facility)•Council of Europe•European Environmental Agency•Central Europe Initiative •The Visegrad Group (V4)•Working Association of the Danube Countries •Danube Commission•Working Association for Rural Development and Village Renewal •Network of Protected Areas and National Parks.

Bilateral Cooperation

In 1999 the SR signed the following cooperation agreements:•Agreement between the SR and CR Government on cooperation on the border watercourses •Agreement between the SR and Hungarian Government on cooperation in the area of environmental and

nature protection.Further, there was signed in October 1999 the Memorandum of Agreement between MŽP SR and the

Ministry of Housing, Territorial planning and Environment of the Dutch Kingdom. The mentioned agreements thus became a part of bilateral agreements signed in 1999 with the following

countries:

•Government conventions – Czech Republic, The Netherlands, Japan, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Turkey,Germany, Austria, The Swiss Confederation, Ukraine

•Ministerial agreements – Bulgaria, Belarus, Denmark, Croatia, Cuba, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia,Austria, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, the US of America – State Maryland

•Memorandum of Understanding – US Peace Corps in Slovakia, US Agency for International Development, The Netherlands, Canada, Austria.

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The Ministry of Environment of the SR coordinates and participates in the multilateral and bilateral proj-ects financially supported by foreign funds.

Multilateral Projects

Phare - National Program The National Phare Program was developed in accordance with the new Phare Program Directive, which

is a part of the Partnership for Accession’s concept (PpV), as mentioned in a document of the EuropeanCommission – Agenda 2000 (part II – Strengthening of the Pre-Accession Strategy). The Program encour-ages investments and co-funding of projects within the European Grant Scheme (EGS), and focuses onstrengthening the state administration (twinning), legislature approximation, and management of environ-mental infrastructure investments. Funds will be used for the areas of water protection, waste management,air protection, institutional support, and technical assistance.Environmental Grant Scheme (EGS)

EGS is a part of the Financial Memorandum (FM) 1998 of the National Phare Program. Its mission is toencourage investment projects in the area of Slovak environment.

The European Commission (EC) approved 17.5 mil. ECU to be invested into the area of environment.Signing of the FM by the SR Government and the EC allocated funds for project implementation under thePhare program’s directives effective until December 2002, 65 investment projects were finally selected. Institutional strengthening of MŽP SR (twinning)

In the framework of strengthening the state administration institutions (twinning), 3 projects were imple-mented in 1999: Legal Consulting for the Water Legislation Approximation twinning partner of the projectis the Holland Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, Harmonization of SectoralConcepts – partner of this Project is the German Federal Environmental Agency, and InstitutionalStrengthening – partnered by he Austrian Ministry of Environment, Youth and Family.

Toward the end of the year, the 1999 FM was signed, launching the project of Institutional Strengthening andApproximation Assistance, and Transposition of the SR and EU Environmental Legislation. The main partner ofthe project is the Austrian Ministry of Environment, Youth and Family closely cooperating with the ItalianNational Agency for Environment Protection in Torino. Th Projects comprises 3 partial subprojects:Development of integrated strategy for the full adoption of Acquis Communautaire, Implementation of WaterToxicity Assessment in water management institutions’ approval processes, and Implementation of timely

• PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

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NEAP II is based on the need to for the creationof conditions for the society's sustainable devel-opment in both national and international con-text, and prerequisites for the fulfillment of therequirements enabling the integration of theSlovak Republic into the European structuresfocused on global environmental safety and

peace in the world (EU, OECD, UN …)

NEAP II, approved by the SR GovernmentResolution No. 1 112/1999

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alarm system for input characteristics for drinking water supply through continual biological monitoring. ISPA - Instrument for Structural Policy for Pre-Accession

The EU accession assistance to the associated countries will be funded from the EU pre-structural funds.The EU Commission developed a management proposal, which features general terms of this EU assis-tance. Correspondingly, in the years 2000 – 2006 there will be 1.04 billion ECU released from the EuropeanGuarantee and Provision Fund to all ten associated countries. For Slovakia this will represent 50 mil. ECUannually for environmental and transport investments. (Instrument for Structural Policy for Pre-Accession -ISPA).

ISPA plans to cooperate with public and private sources in funding its assistance projects. For the ISPAProgram and environmental investment project preparation, the MŽP SR will build on priorities set by theNational Environmental Action Program (NEAP) and NPAA designated for protection of water, air, wastemanagement, and introduction of environment-friendly technologies.

On August 13, 1999 there were 6 projects submitted to the Government Office, applying for the ISPAfunding:

• Trenčín – sewerage system and WWTP• Banská Bystrica, extension of WWTP and sewerage collector • Nitra – WWTP• Integrated environmental protection of groundwater of the Žitný ostrov• Utilization of geothermal energy for the city of Košice• Emission reduction in the historical downtown of Bratislava, conversion of fuel system of the volume of

approximately 7 billion SKK.

LSIF - Support for Large Scale Investment FacilityThis is the precursor of ISPA with its volume of allocated funds totaling 2.4 mil. EURO for SR. The objec-

tive of LSIF (Large Scale Infrastructure Facility) is not only to support the ISPA Program in individual coun-tries, but also to assist to specific implementing agencies in clarifying the conditions and procedures for per-spective projects implementation. Specifically, the assistance opts to ensure the needed technical and imple-mentation documentation in order to successfully and timely implement the ISPA projects.

Phare MCPE – Multinational Phare Program

• Environmental programme of the Danube River BasinProponent: Countries of the Danube regionBeneficiary: Ministries of Environment of the Danube region countriesApproved budget: years 1991-1997: 23.1 MECUYears: 1991 - 1999

• Development of revitalization measures after uranic exploitation activities in the countries of Central andEastern Europe

Proponent: URANPRES and MŽP SRDeveloper: AEA Technology, Koral, s.r.o.Approved budget: year 1995: 1 MECU, year 1996: 1 MECU, year 1997: 2 MECU

• Europark Expertise Exchange - II phase Sustainable Nature ProtectionProponent/developer: OOPaK, MŽP SR, Administration of the Slovak National Parks, SAŽP-COPKCoordinator in Germany: EUROPARK Federation, Grafenau

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Planned volume of financial assistance:1.9 MEUR (2000-2001 for Phare countries + western Mediterranean)

Costs incurred by the Slovak side: UnknownCondition: The EEE project has been implemented since 1997, but temporarily halted in

1999. The Project offers the National Parks and Protected Landscape Areaworkers the opportunity to participate at workshops, training sessions, andinternational study programs. The Project is expected to continue until 2001.

Phare CBC - Trans-Boundary Cooperation

Phare CBC represents a support in cooperation between the EU border regions and countries of Centraland Eastern Europe. The sum of 20 MECU was allocated for the period of years 1995-1999, which repre-sents 4 MECU annually.

Cooperation of Slovakia and Austria (FM 1995) • WWTP MalackyVolume of assistance: 442 thousand EUR

Cooperation of Slovakia - Austria – Czech Republic (FM 1996) • Cyclo-trails connecting Slovakia, Austria and Czech Republic Volume of assistance: 250 thousand EUR

• The Feast of PomoravieVolume of assistance: 500 thousand EUR

Cooperation of Slovakia - Austria – Czech Republic - Hungary (FM 1996) • Concept of surface and groundwater management (originally the project was called Water consumption

balance and discharge into the border area of Morava and Dyje)Volume of assistance: 200 thousand EUR

Cooperation of Slovakia - Austria – Hungary • Improvement of flood forecasting in the catchment area of middle Danube Volume of assistance: 1,520,000 SKK

• Old burdens risk assessment for ecologically vulnerable Slovakian, Austrian, and Hungarian territories Volume of assistance: 500,000 SKK

• Landslides and other slope malformations in the flysch territories of Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary Volume of assistance: 700,000 SKK

• Integration of geological information systems in Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary Volume of assistance: 300,000 SKK

INTERREG II C – the EU countries cooperation with associated countries in the area of territorial development and configuration (territorial planning and regional policy), involving the projectDONAUHANSA, proposed by SR and supported by the Austrian and German sides, forming the basis for

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the project: "The Basics of Spatial Configuration of Territory – Development of Computerized Data Catalogueon Territory and Environment in the Danube Region". MŽP SR was commissioned to supervise the work ofthe group for Spatial Configuration of the Territory of the Working Association of the Danube Countries(ARGE Donauländer).

The Small-Scale PHARE Projects Fund – CBC– in 1999 there was submitted for funding a draft of theSUSTRAIN project – Sustainable Transport Infrastructure and Inter-modal Transport Concept for Northernand Central Europe, developed in Bratislava and supported by the Territorial Planning Department of theMŽP SR.

GEF – Global Environment Fund • Strategy for Biodiversity Protection, the Action Plan for the Implementation of National Strategy, and

National Report on Implementation of the Convention on Biological DiversityVolume of assistance: 77,000 USDVolume of spent in 1999: 2,000 USD

The Council of Europe• The Council of Europe’s Pilot project for creation of the Emerald networkVolume of assistance: 70 thousand CHF (including external assistance)

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Bilateral Projects

The following Table provides a summary of specific tasks and their financial aspect, as implemented with-in the SR bilateral assistance scheme:

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Table 148: Summary of tasks addressed within bilateral assistance scheme

Source: MŽP SR

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