Connecting Networks – Serbia Report on environmental information systems, access and exchange; Progress & Priorities June 10, Belgrade, SERBIA&MONTENEGRO

JEROME SIMPSONThe Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe JSimpson@rec.org

Progress

Reporting & public access: Several institutions providing their own environmental Info access, but no single portal

Legal Progress: Progress is made through the adoption of two legislations regarding the access of environmental information

Institutional Development(s): Establishment of the Agency for Environmental Protection in late 2004.

ICT Capacity & know-how: The situation has improved in the past years, but improvement is still needed

Multi-stakeholder cooperation: Little improvement, but still needs to be emphasized

Resource availability: Lack of funding; human resources are being trained, but CB is still needed

Priorities

Rep.&public access: Harmonization with EU standards of reporting

Development of unique Environmental Portal

Legal: Ratification of Aarhus Convention

Institutional Dev.: Improvement of regional cooperation and cooperation with EU Environmental Institutions

ICT Capacity and Know-how: Improvement of know-how

Cooperation: Improvement of cooperation between multi-stakeholders

Resource availability: CB of institutions, improvement of information exchange