Progress Report on Kosovo - Approximation to European standards in the field of environment remains at an early stage
18 October 2011
18.10.2011 - The Progress Report on Kosovo for 2011, prepared by the European Commission within the framework of fulfilling European standards in the environmental sector, has highlighted the progress achieved and provided recommendations for addressing the challenges.
Within the framework of the progress achieved, the Report states that there has been limited progress in the field of horizontal legislation, some progress in the field of air quality, and little progress in the field of waste management. As for water quality, the report notes that there has been very little progress, as small progress has also been documented in the field of nature protection. Little progress has also been reported in the field of chemicals and in the field of climate change, while limited progress has been made in the field of industrial pollution control and risk management.
The report concludes that overall, alignment with European standards in the field of environment and climate change remains at an early stage, while a concerning issue related to the environmental sector is also mentioned as the insufficient budget for the Ministry of Environment, evaluating that the allocated budget in this sector is insufficient to face the major environmental challenges that Kosovo has, particularly the significant investment needs in infrastructure.
Within the framework of the recommended suggestions for addressing the challenges in the report, it is emphasized that political debate on environmental issues should continue to be carried out. It is also recommended that Kosovo should take concrete steps towards the transposition and implementation of the EU climate acquis, in particular the decision on the monitoring mechanism. The report highlights that there is an urgent need to raise awareness and strategic planning in the field of environment and climate change. Further efforts are required to improve institutional arrangements to ensure coordination and cooperation among institutions involved in environmental and climate change issues. The quality of water and air requires essential attention to meet the minimum requirements for human health.