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

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E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y
S T R AT E G I C M O V E S
The inspection culture in SEE focuses predominantly on punishment for infringements
rather than on prevention, education and dialogue. The reform of the
inspectorates should therefore introduce inspection practices that are based on
greater dialogue and cooperation.
The current capacity of the inspectorates in terms of numbers, knowledge and
equipment is relatively weak. The environmental expertise of the police, prosecution
and courts is also weak. The reform of environmental inspection is an integral
part of a wider regulatory and judicial reform. There is a need to strengthen all aspects
of the functioning of the inspectorates and to separate the enforcement and
regulatory functions of the administration.
Companies lack strong monitoring and reporting systems, which decreases the
efficiency of inspectors’ work. Increased efforts in this direction will improve selfmonitoring
practices and facilitate the work of the inspectorates.
Institutions for the environment
The current capacities of environmental institutions (ministries, agencies etc.)
may prove to be insufficient for the administration of all the requirements of the
acquis. The experience of the new member states (EU-10) has shown the importance
of proper human resources planning for institutions at central and local government
level in line with the newly acquired environmental obligations.
Environmental institutions in SEE countries often suffer from a high level of
fragmentation and lack good systems for horizontal and vertical communication.
This leads to unclear competencies and responsibilities. There is a low level of transparency
and accountability in institutions’ operations at national and local levels.
As the environmental acquis requires increased levels of cooperation among institutions,
communication and coordination systems need to be set up in a timely
manner in order to optimise funds and improve institutional efficiency.
Environmental funds are only one of the options for addressing institutional
deficiencies. However, their success is dependent on the principles of transparency,
autonomy and accountability, and governments must abide by these
principles if they decide to go for this institutional option. The work of any
body/department dealing with environmental investments should be based on
similar principles in order to increase public trust in a context of limited funds
and competing projects.
Water and waste utilities in SEE:
Status and reform
As a result of the decentralisation process, responsibility for water, solid waste
and sewage treatment services now falls on the lowest self-governing municipal
level. Local governments and the utilities that belong to them have found themselves
unprepared for the new tasks and increased obligations.