NSSD NEWSLETTER: News from Montenegro and the EU · 2010-03-05 · January NSSD NEWSLETTER: NEWS FROM MONTENEGRO AND THE EU 4 Copenhagen Conference On the 19th of December, at the

NSSD NEWSLETTER: News from Montenegro and the EU This seventh issue of the NSSD newsletter presents an overview of facts and evolutions occurred during the month of December 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.

2010

January NSSD NEWSLETTER: NEWS FROM MONTENEGRO AND THE EU

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Contents

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

News from Montenegro .................................................................................................................3

Minister Branimir Gvozdenovic and Minister Pedrag Nenezic in Copenhagen .................................................... 3

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

European Commission: announced new portfolio on Climate Action .................................................................. 3

Copenhagen Conference ...................................................................................................................................... 4

ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................................................... 5


Seminar on the implementation of the Law on Physical Planning and Construction of facilities ........................ 5

Workshop on the application of the Espoo Convention ....................................................................................... 5

Montenegro’s Strategy on development until 2020............................................................................................. 5

The first Regional Development Agency created .................................................................................................. 5

Agreement between Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environmental Protection and NGOs .............................. 6

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

2009 Review of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy ................................................................................. 6

Environment Council ............................................................................................................................................. 7

ENERGY ................................................................................................................................. 8


End of the year of Energy Efficiency ..................................................................................................................... 8

Reduction in electricity prices ............................................................................................................................... 8

Wind Farms construction ...................................................................................................................................... 8

News from the EU ..........................................................................................................................8

Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators seat in Ljubljana .................................................................... 8

Fifteen energy projects for European economic recovery ................................................................................... 9

Accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the Energy Community ............................................................................ 9

TRANSPORT ......................................................................................................................... 10

News from Montenegro ............................................................................................................... 10

Integrated and sustainable mobility system in Perast ........................................................................................ 10

News from the EU ........................................................................................................................ 10

Road safety in the EU .......................................................................................................................................... 10

Rail international passenger transport market opened to competition ............................................................. 10

News from the European Parliament ................................................................................... 11

Delegation of MEPs in Copenhagen .................................................................................................................... 11

December Plenary Session .................................................................................................................................. 11

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


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CLIMATE CHANGE

News from Montenegro

Minister Branimir Gvozdenovic and Minister Pedrag Nenezic in Copenhagen

Minister of Spatial Planning and Environmental Protection, Branimir Gvozdenovic, and Minister of

Tourism, Pedrag Nenezic, attended to the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

During the Conference, Minister Gvozdenovic stressed the urgent need to cope with the increasing

effects of climate change in Southeast Europe, as well as the importance of ensuring financial support

from developed countries and technology transfer in order to put in place mitigation and adaptation

measures to climate change. He also held several bilateral meetings; among those, he met Srdjan Kerim,

special advisor to UN Secretary-General for climate change, to whom he expressed Montenegro’s

commitment to develop as an ecological state, and Yannick Glemarekom, UNDP / GEF executive

coordinator and director of the UNDP Group for Environment and Energy. Furthermore, he participated

to the final part of the high level plenary session.

Minister Nenezic participated to a panel on tourism and climate change where he pointed out the role

of the public sector in adaptation and mitigation of climate change and of other phenomena such as loss

of biodiversity that have a negative impact on environment and that affect the tourism sector as well.

He also highlighted the importance of public-private partnership in the tourism sector as a response to

the global challenges represented by climate change and the economic crisis.

Source: Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environmental Protection and Ministry of Tourism of

Montenegro; Institute Alternativa’s daily brief 319

News from the EU

European Commission: announced new portfolio on Climate Action

On the 27th of November, José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, announced the

portfolios responsibilities for the next European Commission 2009 - 2014. If the European Parliament

will vote its consent on it after the hearings of each Commissioner-designate from the 11th to the 19th of

January, the new Commission will start working from February 2010.

Climate Action is one of the new portfolios announced by President Barroso. Its Commissioner-

designate is Connie Hedegaard, currently Minister for The United Nations Climate Change Conference in

Copenhagen 2009.

Source: European Commission website

http://ec.europa.eu/commission_designate_2009-2014/index_en.htm


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Copenhagen Conference

On the 19th of December, at the end of the two weeks UN conference in Copenhagen, heads of state and

of governments found a climate agreement. The two main aspects of such agreement are: the need to

keep temperature rise under 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, and financing for

developing countries.

Concerning this second aspect, it was agreed a fast start funding for adaptation, emissions reductions,

research and capacity building in developing countries of 30 billion USD coming from industrialised

countries on the short term (2010-2012). For the long term, the sum of funding for developing countries

was estimated to 100 billion USD per year by 2020. Moreover, a Copenhagen Green Climate Fund was

proposed, aiming to support initiatives for adaptation, emissions reductions and technology

development. The agreement also foresees the creation of a mechanism to intensify technology transfer

between developed and developing countries.

For what is of GHG emission reduction commitments, an annex was attached to the agreement where

countries or groups of countries can fill in their commitments.

The Swedish Presidency of the EU presented its conclusion on the Copenhagen Accord to the

Environment Council on the 22nd of December. In the conclusions, it specified that it considers such

agreement a first step involving most parties and giving basis to reduction commitments, financing,

Monitoring, Reporting and verifications (MRVs) and fight against deforestation. It also stressed the need

to review, assess and learn from the meeting in Copenhagen as well as to build on the progress made in

the UNFCCC negotiations during the last years. Moreover, it reiterates EU conditional offer to move to a

30% reduction by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. Finally, it made clear the EU and its Member States

readiness to contribute with fast-start funding of 2.4 billion € annually for the years 2010 to 2012.

Source: EU Swedish Presidency website and Presidency conclusions on COP 15 - Copenhagen climate

conference

http://www.se2009.eu/en/meetings_news/2009/12/19/cautious_step_forward_in_copenhagen

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/envir/112067.pdf


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ENVIRONMENT


Seminar on the implementation of the Law on Physical Planning and Construction of facilities

A seminar on experiences arisen from the implementation of the new Law on Physical Planning and

Construction of facilities was organized by the Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environmental Protection

and UNDP from the 9th to the 11th of December.

The seminar consisted in a number of round tables where participants discussed about questions

related to this important legislation such as furnishing and upgrades, content and form of planning

documents, existing monitoring system, process of issuing building permits, conditions for access to

facilities by personnel with reduced mobility, inspection, urban spatial plans of local governments, state

planning documents and their mutual compatibility.

Source: Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environmental Protection of Montenegro

Workshop on the application of the Espoo Convention

On the 15th and 16th of December, Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environmental Protection organized a

two-day sub regional workshop on the application of the Espoo Convention, the Convention on

Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context. The conference was organized in

cooperation with the UNECE Secretariatof the Espoo Convention.


Montenegro’s Strategy on development until 2020

On the 11th of December, Montenegro’s strategy on development until 2020 was made public by the

Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environmental Protection.


The first Regional Development Agency created

In mid December, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management declared that the first

Regional Development Agency (RDA) of Montenegro, based on the European model, has been

established. This RDA will cover the region of Bjelasica, Komovi and Prokletije.

In the next three years, its work will be financed by the Austrian Development Agency with 1,5 million €

and by the Ministry that will co-finance with 150,000 €.

Source: Institute Alternativa’s daily brief 321

http://www.gov.me/files/1260782780.pdf


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Agreement between Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environmental Protection and NGOs

A memorandum on cooperation was signed by Branimir Gvozdenovid, Minister of Spatial Planning and

Environmental Protection, and the representatives of 21 Montenegrin NGOs in the field of environment

protection. Moreover, it was created a working group composed of 4 representatives of the NGO sector

and the Ministry.

This initiative aims to promote cooperation between civil society and the state administration in order

to enhance capacities to solve problems in the area of environmental protection.


News from the EU

2009 Review of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy

On the 1st of December, the Report on 2009 Review of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS)

was issued by the Presidency of the Council.

In its review the Council focused on past and present trends and possible future orientation of the SDS

stressing that SDS should provide guidance to all relevant short and medium-term decision processes

and strategies in the EU, in particular the new EU 2020 strategy (that will substitute the Lisbon Strategy).

It also specified that the link between the monitoring and the implementation of the SDS should be

strengthened and that the governance of the SDS should improve.

Other important topics are addressed into the report such as: Climate Change and Clean Energy,

Sustainable transport, Sustainable consumption and production, Conservation and management of

resources, Public health, Social inclusion, Demography and Migration, Global poverty and Sustainable

Development Challenges, together with other cross-cutting issues.

In conclusion, the Report proposes that the Strategy focuses on the EU’s long-term goals by:

- contributing to a rapid shift to a safe and sustainable low-carbon and low-input economy, based on

energy and resource-efficient technologies and shifts towards sustainable consumption behaviour,

including sustainable food patterns, and fostering energy security and adaptation to climate change;

- intensifying efforts for the protection of biodiversity, air, water and other natural resources and food

security, and more focus on integration of biodiversity concerns into policy areas with potential negative

impact on biodiversity such as parts of the common agricultural policy, the common fisheries policy and

transport policy;

- promoting social inclusion and integration, including demographic and migration aspects, and

improving protection against health threats;

- strengthening the international dimension and intensifying efforts to combat global poverty, including

through fair and green growth, and addressing population growth and its impact in terms of increased

pressure on natural resources.

http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/09/st16/st16818.en09.pdf


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Source: 2009 Review of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy - Presidency Report, Council of the

European Union website

Environment Council

On the 22nd of December, the EU Ministers of Environment met in Brussels where they

discussed the outcome of the climate change conference in Copenhagen;

adopted conclusions on combination effects of chemicals and therefore signaled to the

European Commission that the EU legislation needs to be adapted to take account of the

combination effects of chemicals;

adopted conclusions on biodiversity beyond 2010;

agreed on conclusions on regional management of water and the marine environment, including

the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region;

held a policy debate on a proposal for a revised regulation on biocides.

Source: EU Swedish Presidency website

http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/09/st16/st16818.en09.pdf

http://www.se2009.eu/en/meetings_news/2009/12/17/environment_council_combinations_of_endocrine_disruptors_must_be_dealt_with_in_existing_eu_legislation


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ENERGY


End of the year of Energy Efficiency

On the 14th of December, Branko Vujovic, Ministry of Economy, opened the ceremony for the

celebration of the conclusion of the Year of Energy Efficiency, to which also attended Branimir

Gvozdenovic, Minister of Spatial Planning and Environmental Protection, Sreten Škuletid ,Minister of

Education and Science and Peter Plate, Ambassador of Germany in Montenegro.

Source: Ministry of Economy of Montenegro

Reduction in electricity prices

Electricity prices will be on average 15% lower in Montenegro starting from the 1st of January 2010.

More in depth, at the end of December the Montenegrin Regulatory Agency for Electricity (RAE)

announced that such reductions will be about 28% for Steel Plant, about 24% for Montenegro Railways,

and about 20% for the distribution consumers, while the price of electricity will be increased for

Aluminum Combine Podgorica (KAP) for about 7%.


Wind Farms construction

The Ministry of Economy has issued a call for interest for the construction of two wind farms in Možura

and Krnovo, expected to harvest up to 50 megawatts each.


News from the EU

Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators seat in Ljubljana

At the beginning of December it was decided that the new Agency for the Cooperation of Energy

Regulators (ACER), foreseen in one of the Regulations part of the Third Energy Liberalisation Package,

will have its seat in the capital of Slovenia.

ACER aims to promote an effective functioning of the EU markets in electricity and gas by

complementing and coordinating the work of National Regulatory Authorities, participating in the

creation of European network rules, taking binding individual decisions on cross border energy

infrastructure and giving advice on various energy related issues to the European institutions.

Source: DG Transport and Energy Rapid Press Release

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1885&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en


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Fifteen energy projects for European economic recovery

On the 9th of December, the European Commission made public its approval to fifteen energy projects

aimed to contribute to the economic recovery of the EU.

More in depth, 1 billion € was allocated to six CO2 capture and storage projects and 565 million € to nine

offshore wind energy projects.

Source: DG Transport and Energy Press Release

Accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the Energy Community

On the 18th of December, the Energy Community Ministerial Committee held its seventh meeting.

During such meeting, it agreed that Ukraine and Moldova will be able to access the Energy Community

once their gas laws comply with the EU acquis obligations.

Moreover, the extension of the area of work of the Energy Community also to three EU energy efficiency

Directives addressing three important aspects: energy end-use efficiency and energy services, energy

performance of buildings and labelling. It was decided that these directives are to be transposed into

national legislation by December 2011.


http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/542&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en



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TRANSPORT


Integrated and sustainable mobility system in Perast

On the 16th of November, Minister of Tourism Pedrag Nenezic discussed the preliminary design draft of

the Integrated and sustainable mobility system in Perast project with Marco Cremonini, General

Manager of the Italian engineering company D’Appolonia which is developing the project.

A question time with journalists was held in order to present this project whose main objective consists

in maintaining or improving the town of Perast accessibility limiting the use of private cars and

implementing tourist services. The project target is to operate on the modal shift to increase the use of

innovative zero emission systems (seaways, electric cars, etc.) and of public transport system (bus or

ship), while maintaining competitive travel time and travel costs through a management system to

support the accessibility procedures.

Source: Ministry of Tourism of Montenegro

News from the EU

Road safety in the EU

On the 2nd of December, a debate on road safety in Europe took place in Brussels and dealt with safety

of vehicles and of infrastructure and with the role of citizens in improving road safety. This conference

together with a public consultation held by the European Commission from the 25th of September 2009

until the 20th of November 2009 is to contribute to the drafting of the European Road Safety Action

Programme 2011-2020. The Action Programme will focus on key priorities such as accidents in rural

roads and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and elderly people.


Rail international passenger transport market opened to competition

As foreseen by Directive 2007/58/EC, starting from the 1st of January 2009, all European rail

undertakings will be able to operate international services; this means that they will be able to access to

the rail infrastructure in other Member States for the purpose of operating an international passenger

service. Such measure is expected to increase choice for passengers and to lead to a quality

improvement in the service provided as well as lower prices.





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News from the European Parliament

Delegation of MEPs in Copenhagen

An official delegation of 15 Members of the European Parliament participated in the Conference on

Climate Change in Copenhagen between 14th and the 18th of December. The President of the European

Parliament Jerzy Buzek also attended the conference on the last days of negotiations.

Those MEPs, who were in Copenhagen to follow the negotiations and support efforts to reach a follow-

up agreement for the Kyoto Protocol, expressed disappointment for the fact that the Copenhagen

Accord is not a legally binding agreement, only recognises the need to keep temperature increase below

2 degrees Celsius and lacks short-term and long-term CO2 emission reduction targets for 2020 and 2050.

Source: MEP Delegation website

December Plenary Session

From the 14th to the 17th of December, the European Parliament held its last 2009 plenary session in

Strasbourg.

Many points were discussed during the four-day meeting; among them the adoption of the EU budget

for 2010 and the review of the EU Swedish Presidency. Moreover, a Question Hour with the European

Commission President José Manuel Barroso was held, during which MEPs asked the President questions

on the EU 2020 Strategy and on other numerous topics.

Source: European Parliament website

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/064-66630-351-12-51-911-20091217IPR66629-17-12-2009-2009-false/default_en.htm

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/focus_page/008-66083-341-12-50-901-20091207FCS66070-07-12-2009-2009/default_p001c001_en.htm


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Upcoming events

22-26 March 2010: The EU Sustainable Energy Week – Brussels, Belgium. http://www.eusew.eu/

14 April 2010 - 16 April 2010: 6th International Congress on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Sources for South East Europe – Sofia, Bulgaria. http://www.viaexpo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30&Itemid=40&lang=en

20-23 April 2010: European Wind Energy Conference – Warsaw, Poland. http://www.ewec2010.info/

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

EVENTS

http://www.eusew.eu/

http://www.viaexpo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30&Itemid=40&lang=en

http://www.ewec2010.info/

Documents

NSSD NEWSLETTER: News from Montenegro and the EU · 2010-03-05 · January NSSD NEWSLETTER: NEWS FROM MONTENEGRO AND THE EU 4 Copenhagen Conference On the 19th of December, at the