NSSD NEWSLETTER: News from Montenegro and the EU This sixth issue of the NSSD newsletter presents an overview of facts and evolutions occurred during the month of November in Montenegro and within the European Union in the areas of Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Transport as well as news from the European Parliament and the upcoming events in Europe.

2009

December NSSD NEWSLETTER: NEWS FROM MONTENEGRO AND THE EU

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Contents

CLIMATE CHANGE .................................................................................................................. 3

News from the EU ..........................................................................................................................3

The Barcelona Conference and negotiation on climate change agreement ........................................................ 3

EU-India and EU-Russia Summits .......................................................................................................................... 3

ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................................................... 4

News from Montenegro .................................................................................................................4

Seminar on ship ballast water management ........................................................................................................ 4

News from the EU ..........................................................................................................................4

European pollutant release and transfer register – E-PRTR ................................................................................. 4

Progress towards achieving the Kyoto objectives ................................................................................................ 4

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) ........................................................................................ 5

ENERGY ................................................................................................................................. 6

News from Montenegro .................................................................................................................6

Construction of wind power plants ...................................................................................................................... 6

Energy Efficiency in buildings ................................................................................................................................ 6

Hydropower station Piva ...................................................................................................................................... 6

Ready the documentation for the construction of SHPP ...................................................................................... 6

News from the EU ..........................................................................................................................6

EU-Russia Early Warning Mechanism to enhance prevention of energy crisis ..................................................... 6

Political agreements on energy performance of buildings and on energy labelling............................................. 7

The EU member of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) ........................................................... 7

TRANSPORT ........................................................................................................................... 8

News from Montenegro .................................................................................................................8

Railways in Montenegro ....................................................................................................................................... 8

Adriatic – Ionian highway...................................................................................................................................... 8

News from the EU ..........................................................................................................................9

Conference on sustainable transport ................................................................................................................... 9

News from the European Parliament ................................................................................... 10

Vote on Visa abolition ......................................................................................................................................... 10

Preparatory work for the implementation of the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) ............................................ 10

Plenary Session 23rd

-26th

November ................................................................................................................... 11

Upcoming events ................................................................................................................. 12

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CLIMATE CHANGE

News from the EU

The Barcelona Conference and negotiation on climate change agreement

The Barcelona Conference, the last round of climate negotiations before the COP-15 in Copenhagen,

took place in the Spanish city from the 2nd to the 6th of November.

Even though some progress was made in streamlining the negotiating text on a number of technical

issues, it is undeniable that considerable work is still needed to reach a comprehensive agreement in

Copenhagen. As a consequence, doubts have been voiced from many sides over whether a fully fledged,

legally binding treaty can be completed in Copenhagen as originally intended.

Still hoping that this will be possible, the EU has specified that if this is not the case the minimum

outcome in Copenhagen must be a strong framework agreement including: an ambitious set of emission

reduction commitments by developed countries (including the United States) together with an adequate

action by developing countries to curb their emissions growth; and a financial deal to assist developing

countries in mitigating their emissions, in adapting to climate change and in taking measures to prevent

deforestation.

The EU stressed that it would maintain this position also after the Presidents of the USA and of China

together with the heads of state gathered in the Asia-Pacific economic cooperation forum (APEC)

declared on the 14th of November that a binding agreement in Copenhagen was unreachable due to the

little time left and that only a political agreement without figures would be reached.

The EU then welcomed climate bids by the USA and China presented at the end of November; President

Obama said the US will reduce by 17% their emissions below 2005 levels by 2020, China announced that

it will cut CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 40-45% by 2020 compared to 2005 levels.

The Environment Council held on the 23rd of November in Brussels confirmed the existing EU position

for the Copenhagen talks and underlined the need to show EU leadership at the conference.

Source: DG Environment Rapid Press Release, Agence Europe 17th of November 2009 and European

Council Press Release

EU-India and EU-Russia Summits

Climate change was one of the topics high on the EU-India summit agenda on the 6th of November.

In the conclusions of such summit, the EU and India reiterated the importance of reaching an ambitious

and comprehensive agreement in Copenhagen and their engagement in stepping up the pace of

negotiations.

About two weeks later, on the 18th of November, the EU-Russia summit took place. In this occasion, the

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev specified that Russia takes the threat of climate change extremely

seriously and that the country which already met its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol will

continue to work to further reduce its emissions.

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Source: EU Council Press Releases, EU Swedish Presidency website

ENVIRONMENT

News from Montenegro

Seminar on ship ballast water management

On the 10th and 11th of November, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transportation and

Telecommunications, in cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the

Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response (REMPEC), organized a two-day seminar on ship ballast

water management.

Stakeholders of the maritime and environmental protection sector in Montenegro as well as experts

from the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Slovenia attended to the seminar.

Source: Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transportation and Telecomunication

News from the EU

European pollutant release and transfer register – E-PRTR

On the 9th of November, the European Commission and the European Environment Agency announced

the launch of a new European pollutant release and transfer register (E-PRTR).

The register covers 30 countries, i.e. the 27 Member States and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, and

contains annual data over the emissions of pollutants to air, water and land by more than 24,000

industrial facilities in 65 economic activities throughout Europe within 9 sectors: energy, production and

processing of metals, mineral industry, chemical industry, waste and waste water management, paper

and wood production and processing, intensive livestock production and aquaculture, animal and

vegetable products from the food and beverage sector, and other activities.

91 pollutants falling under 7 groups are registered: greenhouse gases, other gases, heavy metals,

pesticides, chlorinated organic substances, other organic substances, inorganic substances.

Moreover, the register provides information such as the amount and types of waste transferred from

facilities to waste handlers inside and outside the above mentioned countries.

Source: E-PRTR website

Progress towards achieving the Kyoto objectives

On the 12th of November, the European Commission issued a Communication where it reported the EU

progress towards achieving the Kyoto objectives.

According to such report, the EU seems on track to deliver on its Kyoto Protocol commitments for

reducing emissions of greenhouse gases; in fact, the group of the so-called EU-15 (all the Member States

part of the EU before the two 2004 and 2007 enlargements) will meet its 8% reduction target.

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Moreover, 10 of the 12 remaining Member States of the EU are also bound by individual commitments

under the Protocol and according to projections they will reduce their emissions to 6 or 8% below base

year levels.

Source: DG Environment website and Rapid Press Release

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)

On the 13th of November, the study The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) was launched

in Brussels.

This study is an international initiative aimed at drawing attention to the global economic benefits of

biodiversity, by highlighting the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. It brings

together expertise from the fields of science, economics and policy to propose practical actions to policy

makers and it is the first of five interconnected reports which will culminate in a final study report in

October 2010.

TEEB is also relevant in view of next year; 2010 will be the UN International Year of Biodiversity, and

besides important policy developments are expected within the EU. In fact, in January the Commission

will present a proposal for a new EU post-2010 biodiversity target.

Source: DG Environment Press Release

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ENERGY

News from Montenegro

Construction of wind power plants

Fifteen companies from Croatia, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Spain, Russia, Germany, Romania, Greece,

Serbia and the US, submitted their expression of interest requested by the Ministry of Economy for the

construction of wind power plants in Možura and Krnovo.

Source: Institute Alternativa’s daily brief 289

Energy Efficiency in buildings

The Government of Montenegro received a World Bank loan worth 6.5 million € it will use to improve

energy efficiency in schools, hospitals and student hostels.

Source: Ministry of Economy Montenegro

Hydropower station Piva

Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPGC) will invest 11, 5 million € within one year in the construction of the

Piva hydropower station.

Source: Rinascita Balcanica 6th November 2009

Ready the documentation for the construction of SHPP

The Ministry of Economy has announced that the shortlisted candidates for the construction of Small

Hydropower Plants on 10 rivers in the Savnik, Berane and Plav regions are entitled to withdraw the

tender documents from the 25th of November. The shortlisted companies for Savnik are Haider Extrem

hydropower, MAH, Kelag & Strabag, mHidroCG, Kroling and EPCG-SHPP; for Berane Porr Technobau und

Umwelt, Elektrotehna e Radius; for Plav HidroCG, EPCG, Haider hydropower Extrem, MAH e Kroling.

Source: Rinascita Balcanica 18th of November 2009

News from the EU

EU-Russia Early Warning Mechanism to enhance prevention of energy crisis

On the 16th of November, Andris Piebalgs, EU Energy Commissioner, and Sergei Shmatko, the Russian

Minister for Energy, signed in Moscow the Memorandum on an Early Warning Mechanism to improve

prevention and management in case of an energy crisis.

Such Memorandum formally agrees on a new mechanism covering oil, natural gas and electricity, and

including three basic steps: notification, consultation and implementation.

As a consequence, the EU or Russia are expected to notify any likely oil, gas or electricity supply

interruption, to hold consultations or, if needed, to have a common assessment of the situation and a

joint plan for a solution. It is foreseen that third parties will be allowed to take part in the arrangement.

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Source: DG Transport and Energy Press Release

Political agreements on energy performance of buildings and on energy labelling

On the 18th of November, the European Parliament and the European Council reached two important

and awaited political agreements.

One is on the proposal for a Recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, presented by the

European Commission in December 2008. The key aspects of the Recast proposals are the extension of

the scope of the current Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings and its strengthening by setting a

legal framework to upgrade the national building codes, and by launching an ambitious policy of nearly

zero energy buildings, so that all new buildings will be nearly zero energy as of 2020. Furthermore,

concerning existing buildings, Member States would be required to draw up national plans to increase

the number of nearly zero energy buildings. Finally, the recast Directive also aims to improve the

information provided to consumers in the buildings energy performance certificate.

This political agreement will allow an acceleration of the 2nd reading process between the European

Parliament and the Council and therefore the adoption of the Recast Directive in early 2010.

The second agreement is on the Labelling Directive and clears the way to the extension of the Directive’s

scope which currently covers household goods only to all energy-related products. Moreover, Member

States will consider procuring the best performing products provided it ensures good use of public

money. Finally, it was also agreed that advertisements on products where they contain energy-related

or pricing information should also include a reference to the energy efficiency class of the product.

Source: DG Transport and Energy Press Releases (1 and 2)

The EU member of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

On the 23rd of November, the Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs and the Swedish Secretary of State

Ola Alterå signed the Statute of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

In this way, the EU became the 138th member of this Agency which has existed since January this year

and whose aim is to promote a swift transition towards the widespread and sustainable use of

renewable energy worldwide. IRENA is also meant to provide practical advice and support for both

industrialised and developing countries in order to help to improve frameworks and build capacity.

Moreover, the Agency intends to facilitate access to all relevant information, including reliable data on

the potentials for renewable energy, best practices, effective financial mechanisms, and state-of-the-art

technological expertise.

Source: IRENA website

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TRANSPORT

News from Montenegro

Railways in Montenegro

At the beginning of November, during the celebration of the 101st anniversary of the opening of the Bar-

Virpazar railway, the first railway in Montenegro, it was made public that 2009 Montenegrin Railway

revenues have increased of 44% compared to last year whereas expenditures decreased of 11%.

Moreover, important investments are foreseen for next year and numerous projects should start. More

in depth

10 million euro from the state budget next year will be allocated for the completion of planned

works on railways

the expenses of a capital reconstruction of the Bar – Belgrade railway are currently assessed by

Montenegro together with Serbia and Italy

Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina are conducting a feasibility study on re-building Nikšid

– Bileda line

it is planned to rebuild the railway from the border with Serbia to Kolašin

it is considered the possibility of extending the lines from Bijelo Polje to Berane and further, to

Kosovo, at the request of Priština.

Other investments will be made possible by loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and

Development (12 million euro) and from the European Investment Bank (34 million euro). Moreover, on

the 20th of November, the Montenegrin Government approved the signing by Railway Infrastructure of a

loan with the EBRD for the Emergency rehabilitation of railway infrastructure II Project for which the

Government will give guarantees.

Finally, in November next year the completed reconstruction of the Podgorica – Nikšid line, worth

around 50 million euro, is expected to be complete.

Source: Institute Alternativa’s daily brief 289 and 302

Adriatic – Ionian highway

The tender announcement for the construction of the Adriatic – Ionian highway will be soon announced

according to Veselin Grbovid, Head of the Montenegrin Directorate for Transport.

Mr Grbovid made also public that to his department 65 million euro will be allocated in 2010.

Source: Institute Alternativa’s daily brief 304

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News from the EU

Conference on sustainable transport

On the 20th of November, a high level conference on the future of the European transport system

organized by the European Commission (EC) took place in Brussels.

As in 2010 a White Paper on transport covering the 2010-2020 period will be adopted by the EC in the

second semester 2010, the conference aimed to gather stakeholders from the transport sector in order

to discuss policy measures that they would like to see in it.

More in depth, the conference addressed three topics:

integrating transport modes through infrastructure policy and the revision of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) policy;

promoting innovative technologies for clean vehicles and traffic management;

responding to the future needs of transport users and of workers.

Source: DG Transport and Energy Press Release and European Commission Transport website

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News from the European Parliament

Vote on Visa abolition

On the 12th of November, during the European Parliament (EP) Brussels Plenary Session, a vast majority

of Members of the European Parliament backed the Resolution presented by the Slovenian MEP Tanja

Fajon proposing visa abolition for citizens from Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia starting from the

19th of December.

Next step is represented by the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council, where the EU Ministers are

expected to take the final decision on the 30th of November.

Preparatory work for the implementation of the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS)

On the 10th of November, Jos Delbeke, Deputy Director-General of the Direction General (DG)

Environment of the European Commission (EC), presented to the Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE)

Committee the preparatory work for the implementation of the ETS, the EU cap and trade system, after

2012.

Mr Delbeke explained that:

- The EC presented a draft Decision listing 164 industrial sectors and sub-sectors deemed to be

exposed to carbon leakage approved by the EU Ministers on the 18th of September (see NSSD

Newsletter October). The European Parliament Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

(ENVI) Committee endorsed such list on the 4th of November. If the list is approved by the

European Parliament Plenary Session, the European Commission should adopt it by the end of

the year. Mr Delbeke specified that such list will be reviewed taking into account the outcomes

of the Copenhagen conference.

- The EC is working on benchmarks in order to promote fully harmonized rules for free allocation

of CO2 allowances to different sectors and sub-sectors in the EU Member States.

- Auctioning will be the predominant allocation method within the EU ETS. Regulation on

auctioning should be adopted by June 2010 and its draft submitted by the EC to the ENVI

Committee in January/February 2010.

- Different DGs from the EC and namely, DG Environment, DG Transport and Energy and DG

Internal Market and services are carefully following all the developments in the US and

worldwide in order to protect the carbon market from market abuses.

- Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) represents an attractive technology to be developed as soon

as possible. A draft proposal on CCS should be submitted by the EC to the ENVI Committee by

the end of the year or beginning 2010.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

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Plenary Session 23rd-26th November

The European Parliament met for its plenary session in Strasbourg from the 23rd until the 26th of

November.

Among the numerous issues discussed there were the Copenhagen conference and the EU Enlargement

Strategy.

Concerning the Copenhagen climate summit, MEPs called for a binding ambitious agreement with

emission reduction targets for developed and developing countries as well as funding commitments and

sanctions for non-compliance.

Regarding the EU Enlargement Strategy, MEPs stressed that the Parliament entirely support the

enlargement policy and the entrance of new countries in the EU under the condition that they strictly

respect the Copenhagen criteria. Moreover, in the country by country analysis, they welcomed the

progress made by Montenegro and the request by the Council to the Commission for an opinion on

Montenegro’s application for membership.

Source: European Parliament website

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Upcoming events

7-18 December 2009: United Nations climate conference (COP15) - Copenhagen, Denmark. http://en.cop15.dk/

2 December 2009: How to get REDD Right? - Brussels, Belgium. http://www.european-agenda.com/events/27603.php

2 December 2009: Role of the EU at the Copenhagen Climate Negotiations – Brussels, Belgium. http://www.european-agenda.com/events/27594.php

3 December 2009: Global Warming Hearing with Sir Paul McCartney and Dr Rajenda K. Pachauri – Brussels, Belgium. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/064-64172-315-11-46-911-20091110IPR64171-11-11-2009-2009-false/default_sv.htm

3-4 December 2009: Waste and Climate Conference - Copenhagen, Denmark. http://www.iswa.org/html/portlet/ext/eventslists/redirect.jsp?id=232&listId=3&language=en&rnd=0.6201052666412799

8 December 2009: A New Era in the Balkans - Brussels, Belgium. http://www.friendsofeurope.org/Events/tabid/452/EventType/EventView/EventId/412/EventDateID/412/PageID/1713/AneweraintheBalkans.aspx

13-15 December 2009: Ecocity World Summit 2009 - Urban Ecological Foundations for Climate Solutions - Istanbul, Turkey. http://www.ecocity2009.com/index.html

1-4 June 2010: Green Week 2010 on Biodiversity – Brussels, Belgium.

EVENTS