The workshop on SWOT and Cost-benefit analysis was held on 8^th September 2015 in the premises of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection (MAEP).

The purpose of the workshop was to present and discuss the main outputs of the SWOT analysis regarding the existing institutional and organisational structure in data collection and reporting and to establish a precise assessment of the costs for the implementation of Monitoring Mechanism Regulation (MMR) and Effort Sharing Decision (ESD).

The workshop was attended by the Members of the MMR working group from the Ministry of Mining and Energy, the Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS), Secretariat of Urbanism, Construction and Environmental Protection of Vojvodina, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Statistical Office, SEPA, Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, representatives of the Division for Climate change (MAEP), the project team and short-term experts.

The results of the SWOT and Cost-benefit analysis a will be used for the preparation of the assessment report enabling to set-up recommendations on institutional and procedural arrangements necessary for the implementation of MMR and ESD.

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MMR Kick-off Meeting

EU launches Twinning project “Establishment of a mechanism for implementation of Monitoring Mechanism Regulation (MMR)”

On 9th of Јune 2015, in the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, high officials marked the launch of the Twinning Project “Establishment of a mechanism for implementation of Monitoring Mechanism Regulation (MMR)”.

Monitoring Mechanism Regulation (MMR) is a legal instrument establishing a framework for effective monitoring and reporting of all anthropogenic (man-made) GHG emissions and preparation of climate-change related policies and measures. The main purpose of the Regulation is to ensure the fulfillment of Member States’ reporting obligations required under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). As a Party to UNFCCC, Serbia has to align its reporting obligations under the UNFCCC with requirements applicable to the EU countries. On the other hand, the implementation of Monitoring Mechanism Regulation is a part of the process of harmonization of national legislation with EU climate and environmental Aquis.

In that context, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment Protection has initiated the Twinning Project “Establishment of a mechanism for implementation of Monitoring Mechanism Regulation” based on the transfer of EU best practices in that field. The overall objective of the project is to assist the R. of Serbia to meet environmental and climate Acquis through institutional building and improvement of environmental reporting infrastructure. The main purpose of the project is то ensureе the alignment with EU climate Aquis and fulfillment of the UNFCCC requirements.

In general, the project aims to establish necessary legal and procedural framework enabling to define roles and responsibilities of Governmental Institutions involved in the process of monitoring and reporting on GHG emission and for reporting other information relevant to climate change. The legal framework will create a binding obligation for data collection and their reporting to responsible institutions. Beside making available climate change related information and data, the establishment of the MMR will facilitate the monitoring of climate change relied laws, strategies and relevant sector policies. Also, it will ensure the improvement of policy documents and better adaptation to the climate change by introducing the climate change related issues in national policy-making process.

The project, which officially started on 18th May 2015, is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia, French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy and the Interprofessional Technical Centre for Studies on Air Pollution (CITEPA). The two year-long Twinning project is funded by the European Union and Republic of Serbia (1,2 million EUR).

The project includes over 500 expert mission-days, involving representatives of French national administration and other specialties institutions of the Republic of France. More than 30 French will work with Serbian colleagues in order to transfer the know-how and EU best practice in the field of EU climate acquis. The project will also include representatives of Serbian line ministries, Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, universities and institutes, civil society and NGOs.

Opening speeches were given by Mr. Ješa Erčić, Head of the Department of agriculture and industry, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Mrs. Stana Božović, State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Rainer FREUND, Program Manager, EU Delegation to Serbia, H.E. Christine Moro, French Ambassador to Serbia and Mrs. Kalina Marković Ilić, Head of Division for Tender Preparation and Contract Management, Ministry of Finance.