Capacity building on compliance with environmental legislation - Nature Inspection
Date: 21-23.10.2014
Place: Kopacki Rit, Croatia
Organizer: ECRAN Secretariat with EC TAIEX Unit
The continuation of the deterioration of natural habitats and the threats posed to certain species are
one of the main concerns of European Union (EU) environmental policy. The EC Habitats Directive
92/43/EEC, which was adopted in 1992, introduced the range of measures to protect the series of
habitats and species listed in Annexes I and II of the Directive. Each Member State was required to
prepare and propose a national list of sites which has been evaluated in order to form a European
network of Sites of Community Importance (SCI). These will eventually be designated as Special
Areas of Conservation (SACs), and along with Special Protection Areas (SPAs), classified under the EC
Birds Directive 79/409/EEC, will form a network of protected areas known as Natura 2000. Article 6
is one of the most important articles in the Habitats Directive as it defines how Natura 2000 sites are
managed and protected.
The Birds Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the
conservation of wild birds (this is the codified version of Directive 79/409/EEC as amended) is the
EU’s oldest piece of nature legislation and one of the most important, creating a comprehensive
scheme of protection for all wild bird species naturally occurring in the Union. The directive
recognizes that habitat loss and degradation are the most serious threats to the conservation of wild
birds. It therefore places great emphasis on the protection of habitats for endangered as well as
migratory species (listed in Annex I), especially through the establishment of a coherent network of
Special Protection Areas (SPAs) comprising all the most suitable territories for these species. Since
1994 all SPAs form an integral part of the NATURA 2000 ecological network.
Related and Cross-cutting issues:
The present workshop will built on the results of the ECENA programme under RENA, with its workshops in
Lake Ohrid and Lake Skhodra, and will next to the attention for cross border issues in nature inspection also
pay attention to related and cross-cutting issues.
The latter not only refers to for example forestry and nature protection but also to the nature legislation
with other pieces of environmental legislation, including the IED and EIA. Trade in illegally harvested timber
and trade in endangered species are other elements to receive attention (ref. EU timber regulation, CITES
convention, Environmental Crime Directive ).
The present workshop is especially focused on the enforcement aspects. Many issues are relevant in this
respect including:
• the need for trans boundary cooperation;
• the need for joint management (for example harmonized monitoring indicators, centralized joint
baseline data, and monitoring data);
• legal framework harmonization with integrated roles into national legislation.
The regulatory role is not only confined to nature aspects but also aspects regarding the environment and
now also the illegal trade aspects (timber, endangered species). Depending on the area strengthening the
regulatory and enforcement capacity might be needed for specific nature aspects but also for fisheries,
forestry, and water management ,pollution control and environmental management in general and
aforementioned illegal trade aspects.
Objectives of the Workshop:
Wider Objective: increasing the effectiveness of inspection bodies and promoting compliance with
environmental requirements
Specific Objective: Increased capacity in the field of planning of Nature Inspection with attention for
cross border cooperation and cross-cutting issues.
Expected Results of the workshop:
The following results are expected for this activity
• Improved knowledge base and understanding of the required legal and institutional
requirements with compliance, and enforcement aspects in cross border nature
protection areas at key staff of the inspection bodies;
• Strengthened regional network of SEE professionals and experts in nature protection
areas with its compliance and enforcement aspects.
• Improved knowledge of a number of related and cross-cutting issues
