Strategic Moves - Regional Environmental Center for Central and ...

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C H A P T E R 7
F I N A N C I N G E N V I R O N M E N TA L I N F R A S T R U C T U R E I N V E S T M E N T S
BOX 19: Example from Croatia — IPA EPOP 2007–2009 as a tool to streamline IPA III regional development funds
In Croatia, IPA funds are implemented through three multi-annual operational programmes (OPs). In the environmental
sector, the Environmental Protection Operational Programme (EPOP 2007–2009) was devised in
order to define priorities and implementation means and mechanisms. The expected impacts of the EPOP are
the achievement of compliance with the EU acquis and improved institutional capacity in the management of
future structural funds (IPA EPOP Croatia 2007).
One of the specific objectives of the EPOP was to support investment in the environmental infrastructure sector.
The current EPOP under IPA 2007–2009 relates to the waste management and water quality protection sectors. The
EPOP defines three priority axes and two lists of priority projects for the water and waste sectors.
The priority axes are: 1) the development of waste management infrastructure for establishing an integrated waste management
system in Croatia (EC contribution: EUR 26.3 million); 2) the protection of Croatia’s water resources through
improved water supply and wastewater integrated management systems (EC contribution: EUR 26.5 million); and 3)
technical assistance (EC contribution: EUR 699,750).
The 14 water sector projects on the EPOP list are related to water supply and/or water treatment facilities (including
sewerage networks where relevant). Of the 12 waste sector projects, 11 are related to the construction of regional
waste management centres, and one to the remediation and closure of an abandoned hazardous waste landfill.
During consultations between the REC and the Croatian Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and
Construction it was decided to harmonise the PEIP lists with the EPOP list. As a result, the PEIP lists contain all the projects
in the EPOP list, plus an additional three projects related to the remediation of hazardous waste sites.
The project applications approved for IPA funding in the current programming period are the water supply, sewerage
and wastewater treatment plant in Slavonski Brod; the regional waste management centre for Zadar county; the
Kastijun county waste management centre for Istria; and the Mariscina regional waste management centre.
S T R AT E G I C M O V E S
need to allocate funds from the national budget and/or loans, private sector participation
or other financial mechanisms such as carbon financing. The IPA can
be seen as a learning exercise that will prepare future member states for the challenges
and opportunities of the EU Structural and Cohesion Funds.
As the first result of IPA operation, a set of national and regional programmes, as
well as horizontal (multi-beneficiary) programmes, covering the environmental sector
were elaborated under IPA Component I. Projects receiving support from IPA 2007
and 2008 are approved and under implementation, and approval of the next set of IPA
projects is currently taking place. However, due to the financial crisis, IPA funds for
2009 are slightly smaller (Presentation: Fiedler, 2008a). Current funding continuously
helps countries to strengthen national capacities for environmental management; and
to upgrade municipal environmental infrastructure, including the establishment of integrated
waste management systems and the modernisation of water supply and wastewater
treatment facilities. Several regional programmes for environment were
established under IPA 2007, 2008 and 2009 to improve integrated water management
in the region, to facilitate approximation to the EU acquis in the field of water, and to
create a sustainable pipeline of projects dealing with water protection.
Current practice shows that the majority of countries were able to prepare lists
of environmental investment projects eligible for financing. However, many of the