ECRAN Sub-Regional Workshop on Appropriate Assessment of the Tikhvesh Pilot Site (Natura 2000) part II
Date: 13-14.10.2015
Place: Skopje, FYR of Macedonia
Organizer: ECRAN Secretariat with EC TAIEX Unit
The key EU instrument of nature protection across the EU MS is the network of sites dedicated to conservation of birds (Special Protection Areas) and selected fauna, flora and habitat types (Sites of Community Importance) established pursuant to the EU Nature Directives – Bird Directive (147/2009/EU) and Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) – called Natura 2000.
Within the ECRAN project, one of its activities is devoted to pilot AAs. Three of them have been agreed on – in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.
The objective of the series of both sub-regional workshops is to provide ECRAN Beneficiaries with the complete picture of the AA from its very beginning (screening) up to the final decision on the acceptability of the project and to make them familiar also with the derogation procedure according to Art. 6(4) of the Habitats Directive.
This event is the second AA workshop dealing with the Macedonian pilot intended for participants from Albania, Kosovo1 and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Participants from other ECRAN countries can take part if they are specifically interested in this pilot or if for some reason cannot participate in the other workshop organised on the other pilot sites closer to their country of origin.
Objectives of the Workshop
In order to make ECRAN beneficiary countries familiar with the requirements of EU Nature Directives in the field of protection of Natura 2000 sites from adverse developmental impacts, the workshop will focus on:
- What is the purpose of the 2nd and 3rd stages of AA – main assessment and taking decision on imperative reasons of overriding public interests, what forms they may have and what kind of data they require;
- Practical demonstration of the main assessment on a real pilot site (future Natura 2000 site) of the pilot project;
- An interactive main assessment exercise aimed at enabling the participants to train their competence to control the procedure of AA;
- Presentation of the correct interpretation of the derogation procedure pursuant to Art. 6(4) of the Habitats Directive;
- Practical recommendation as to establishment of the AA system in countries willing to join the EU.
Expected Results of the meeting
The expected results are the following:
- Familiarization with the requirements of main AA assessment;
- Getting practical experience with main assessment on the example of the pilot site and the pilot project;
- Improved capacity to establish the national AA system.
1This designation is without prejudice to position on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence Under UNSCR 1244/99
