Seventh Annual Meeting of the EECCA Regulatory Environmental Programme Implementation Network (REPIN)
17-18 October 2005, Moscow, Russian Federation
REPIN(2005)8Summary of Key Outcomes
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REGULATORY ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION NETWORK7th ANNUAL MEETING
17th-18th October, 2005, Moscow, Russian Federation
Summary of Key Outcomes
Peer Review of Environmental Enforcement System in Armenia and Next StepsFollowing the discussion of the key findings of the Peer Review of Environmental Enforcement System in Armenia the participants adopted its Conclusions and Recommendations [REPIN(2005)3] subject to final revisions resulting from the discussion. The Secretariat took note of the comments expressed at the meeting and will incorporate them in the final version of the document. The participants agreed to provide the Secretariat with their written comments on the technical report by the end of October 2005.The final version of the report will be published in January2006.
In discussing the next steps, the participants agreed on the preparation of a regional assessment of the implementation of the Guiding Principles for Reform of Environmental Enforcement Authorities in EECCA. It was also agreed that such a document will be transmitted, via the EAP Task Force, for the presentation at the “Environment for Europe” Ministerial meeting in Belgrade in 2007. For the next REPIN meeting, the Secretariat will elaborate a document presenting an outline of such an assessment, an approach and a schedule of the assessment preparation.
Financing Aspects of Compliance Assurance Systems
The participants took note of the publication “Funding Environmental Compliance Assurance – Lessons Learned from International Experience” which was prepared following the decisions of the Kiev REPIN meeting in 2003. It was agreed that the subject of developing sufficient and stable funding of enforcement programmes will be analysed in the context of the recently launched project in Kazakhstan. Other countries were invited to express their interest to carry in-depth analysis of this subject and report at the next REPIN meeting.
Integrated Environmental Permitting Guidelines
The participants took note of the final version of the Integrated Environmental Permitting Guidelines for EECCA Countries. They also took note of the programmatic studies on the main aspects of the transition to integrated permitting that have been conducted in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan using the approach of the Guidelines. They also noted two training courses for permitting officials that were delivered in May 2005 in Kiev for representatives of Ukraine, Russia, Moldova and Belarus, and in September 2005 in Bishkek for representatives of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. They also acknowledged the information about a project supporting the reform of the environmental permitting system which has been launched in Ukraine with the support from the World Bank and Sweden.
Following further discussions of the draft concise policy document “Guiding Principles of Effective Environmental Permitting Systems” [REPIN(2005)4] the participants agreed on the submission of this document, via the EAP Task Force, for consideration of the Ministers at the Belgrade Ministerial conference. The document will aim tocreate a reference for governments, to identify key features of an effective and efficient permitting system, to generate high-level political and institutional support for permitting reform in individual countries, and to facilitate international cooperation on environmental permitting. The participants agreed to provide their comments on the draft by the end of November 2005.
Environmental Standards and Economic Instruments
The participants took note of progress in launching a project on reforming environmental standards in Moldova. They also endorsed a proposal to organise, back-to-back with the next meeting of the EAP Task Force in the fall 2006, a workshop on environmental policy instruments in the EECCA region. For the next REPIN meeting, the Secretariat will develop a document which will present the key objectives, inputs and expected outcomes of the workshop.
Economic Aspects of Compliance Assurance and Financing of Enforcement Efforts
The participants took note of the results of the OECD Global Forum on Economics of Environmental Compliance Assurance held in December 2004 and endorsed an idea of launching a project to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of enforcement and non-compliance tools which are applied by environmental enforcement agencies in selected EECCA countries. It was agreed that the Secretariat would work directly with countries which expressed interest in taking part in the project, and that preliminary results will be presented at the next REPIN meeting in 2006.
Performance Rating and Information Disclosure
The participantstook note of the progress in implementing the project on Performance Rating and Information Disclosure in Ukraine and the presentations on preliminary results and analysis of introducing the Performance Rating and Information Disclosure schemes in the Russian Federation.
The Secretariat will work with the Russian experts to gather information, analyse and assess the approaches applied in Russia and work further on the development of a guidance document on Performance Rating and Information Disclosure schemes which will facilitate their wider applications in the region.
Improving Self-Monitoring
The participants took note of the progress in the implementation of the project on self-monitoring in Kazakhstan[ENV/EPOC/EAP/POL(2005)4], including the use of draft chapter on self-monitoring as part of the development of the country’s Environmental Code. The meeting also took note of the outcomes of the special session on self-monitoring organised in June 2005 in the framework of the UNECE Working Group on Monitoring and Assessment.
It was agreed that regional guidelines on self-monitoring in EECCAshould be elaborated. The draft guidelines will be discussed at the next annual meeting of REPIN and the UNECE Working Group.
Enforcement and Compliance Indicators
The participants took note of the conclusions of the reports on the application of enforcement and compliance indicators in Russia [REPIN(2005)6] and in Armenia. It was agreed that in 2006 regional guidelines should be developed based on these conclusions, as well as recommendations worked out within the International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement.
CapacityBuilding of Environmental Enforcement Agencies and Officers
The participants took note of two training workshops conducted with managers of environmental inspectorates from Kyrgyzstan (February 2005) and Armenia (June 2005). They also welcomed two comprehensive projects for strengthening Environmental Enforcement Agencies in Georgia [REPIN(2005)7] and Kazakhstan that have been launched in September 2005 with the funding of the Netherlands and Norway.
The participants endorsed the plans for developing a training kit for enhancing skills of environmental inspectors and the organisation of the training session in 2006 for Ukraine and Moldova.
Co-operation with other Networks
The participants took note of the outcomes of the INECE conference held in Marrakech in April 2005 which included the participation of six REPIN representatives.
The participants also took note of a report on progress with the implementation of the work programme of Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network for Accession (ECENA) in Southeast Europe. It was agreed to maintain close exchange of information and seek opportunities for participation in respective activities of the two Networks.
The participants also took note of the activities of the Network of Ozone Officers in Eastern Europe & Central Asia and the “Green Customs”, both initiatives being led by UNEP. The participants recognised the need for better mainstreamingof the MEA implementation into National Environmental Programmes and establishing working relations with the customs agencies for strengthening compliance with MEAs.
Date and Place of the Next REPIN meeting
The participants agreed to hold the next annual REPIN meeting in early June 2006.The Network Members welcomed a written offer from Georgia and a verbal expression of interest from Kyrgyzstan to host the next meeting. Should there be a written offer from Kyrgyzstan by the end of November2005, the Secretariat will assess the feasibility and costs of the organisation of the meeting in each of the two countries. In the absence of such offer, Tbilisi, Georgia will be chosen as the next REPIN meeting location.
In conclusion, the participants expressed their appreciation to the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision of the Russian Federationfor its warm welcome and hospitality during the meeting.
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