CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATIVE CHANGES
(Twenty years since the beginning of the Europeanization process in the Republic of Serbia)
Keywords:
EU integration, Europeanization, Environmental Legislation, Republic of Serbia, Harmonisation, Implementation, Transposition
Abstract
The Europeanization process, conceived as harmonisation of national regulations with EU legislation, is a complex process that is determined by various socio-economic and political conditions. For more than nine years, the Republic of Serbia (RS) has been a European Union (EU) candidate country. The procedure for preparation and adoption of regulations has been partly changed in RS as a response to the defined objectives. However, the procedure still does not provide full perception and consideration of the specific conditions and possibilities of the RS’s economy and the society. Additionally, the harmonization and implementation process is faced with a number of other challenges. By taking as an example the environmental legislation of the RS and by evaluating the conditions under which the environmental laws were prepared and implemented, the paper explains the effects and limitations of the Europeanization process. The data shows that there are some results in the harmonization and implementation of regulations that are in line with EU regulations. Almost all key environmental laws have been adopted, as well as a huge number of bylaws. However, the huge costs of implementation represent one of the long-term obstacles to achieving the goals of Europeanization.
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Decision on the Establishment of the Commission for Harmonisation of the Legal System of FRY with Legislations of the European Union and the Council of Europe, Official Gazette of FRY, No. 45/1996.
Dimitrakopoulos D.G. (2001). The Transposition of EU Law: ‘Post-Decisional Politics’ and Institutional Autonomy. European Law Journal. 7(4). 442-458.
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Economides S, Ker-Lindsay J. (2015). ‘Pre-Accession Europeanization’: The Case of Serbia and Kosovo. Gender, Work and Organization. 53(5). 1027-1044.
Fernandez A.M, Font N, and Koutalakis, C. (2010). Environmental governance in Southern Europe: the domestic filters of Europeanization. Environmental Politics. 19(4). 557-577.
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GOV RS. (2010b). Conclusion of the Government of RS, OJ RS, 34/10.
http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=RS. Accessed on February 10, 2021.
https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/countries/detailed-country-information/serbia_en. Accessed on January 15, 2021.
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ten00002/default/table?lang=en Accessed on February 1, 2021.
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https://rsjp.gov.rs/cir/misljenja-na-propise-i-djp/?godina=2020&tip_misljenja=misljenja&pretraga=%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B6%D1%98%D0%B5&prikazi=10#misljenja-filter. Accessed on July 4, 2020.
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Hulla & Co Human Dynamics. (Ed). (2015-2016) Handbook on the Implementation of EU Environmental Legislation. ECRAN – Environment and Climate Regional Accession Network, 23.
Inglis K. (2004). Enlargement and the Environment Acquis. RECIEL. 13(2). 135-151.
Jenny M, Muller W.C. (2010). From the Europeanization of Lawmaking to the Europeanization of National Legal Order: the Case of Austria. Public Administration. 88(1). 36-56.
Kaeding M. (2008). In Search of Better Quality of EU regulations for Prompt Transposition: The Brussels Perspective. European Law Journal. 14(5). 583-603.
Kaeding M. (2006). Determinants of Transposition Delay in the European Union. Journal of Public Policy. 26(3). 229-253.
Kramer J.M. (2004). EU Enlargement and the Environment: Six Challenges. Environmental Politics. 13(1). 290-311.
Kružikova E. (2004). EU Accession and Legal Change: Accomplishments and Challenges in the Czech Case. Environmental Politics. 13(1). 99-113.
Konig T, Brooke L. (2009). Troubles with Transposition? Explaining Trends in Member-State Notification and the Delayed Transposition of EU Directives. B.J.Pol.S. 39(1). 163-194.
Law on State Administration, Official Gazette RS, No. 79 (2005), 101(2007), 95(2010), 99(2014), 30(2018), 47(2018)
Law on the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Official Gazette RS, 9 (2010)
Law on the Planning System of the Republic of Serbia, Official Gazette RS, 30 (2018)
MAEP. (2015). Transposition and Implementation of Environmental and Climate Change Acquis – Chapter 27: Status and Plans. Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, Belgrade.
MEI. (2018). National Programme for the Adoption of the EU Acquis, Third version, Ministry of European Integration, Belgrade. http://www.mei.gov.rs/upload/documents/nacionalna_dokumenta/npaa/npaa_2018_2021.pdf. Accessed on February 15, 2021
Musa A. (2015). Adjustments of the Process of Law-Making to the European Integration: Novelties and Challenges. Croatian Academy of Legal Sciences Yearbook. 6. 3-40.
Pejović A.A. (2020). Instrument pretpristpune podrške Evropske unije 2007-2027 (The Instrument of Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) of the European Union 2007-2027). Evropsko zakonodavstvo. 72. 16-29.
Reiniger B. (2004). Challenges of Environmental Protection in Hungary. JEEPL. 1(1). 61-65.
Rotka J. (2004). Harmonisation of Polish Legislation with the Water Framework Directive. JEEPL. 1(3). 200-206.
Rules of Procedure of the Government, Official Gazette RS, No. 61 (2006), 69 (2008), 88 (2009), 33 (2010), 69 (2010), 20 (2011), 37 (2011), 30 (2013), 76 (2014), 8 (2019).
Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly of RS, Official Gazette RS, 20 (2012).
Rules of Procedure of the Federal Government, Official Gazette FRY, 67 (1994).
Schmidt V.A. (2002). Europeanization and the mechanics of economic policy adjustment. Journal of European Public Policy. 9(6). 894-912.
Sedelmeier U. (2011). Europeanisation in new member and candidate states. Living Reviews in European Governance. 6(1). 1-52.
Sedelmeier U. (2008). After conditionality: post-accession compliance with EU law in East Central Europe. Journal of European Public Policy.15(6). 806-825.
SO RS. (2018). The Statistical Pocketbook of the Republic of Serbia. Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade.
Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), Official Gazette RS, 83 (2008).
Stahl B. (2013). Another 'strategic accession’? The EU and Serbia (2000–2010). Nationalities Papers. 41(3). 447-468.
Author. (2020). ‘Air Quality’ in regulations of the Republic of Serbia and the European Union (From an ambiguous definition to a complex air protection system), Collection of papers Faculty of Law Niš. 87. 37-54.
Author (2017). ‘Europeanization’ of the Republic of Serbia Law: Between (un)clear goals and (in)appropriate indicators, In: B. Milisavljević, T. Jevremović Petrović, M. Živković (Eds). Law and Transition, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law, Belgrade, 45-56.
Author (2018). Transboundary cooperation of Western Balkan states in the field of water resource management: Between the existing treaties and a new international treaty. Environmental Science & Policy. 89. 67-72.
Tzifakis N. (2012). Bosnia’s Slow Europeanization. Perspectives on European Politics and Society. 13(2). 131-148.
UN. (1992). United Nation Security Council, S/RES/757 (1992), 30 May 1992.
UNEP. (2002). Depleted Uranium in Serbia and Montenegro, Post-Conflict Environmental Assessment in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
UNGA. (1992). Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, (Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992), Report of the Credentials Committee, A/CONF.151/26 (Vol. IV), 28 September 1992, point. 14. http://www.un.org/documents/ga/conf151/aconf15126-4.htm Accessed on January 20, 2019
Uniform Methodological Rules for Regulations Elaboration, Official Gazette RS, 21 (2010)
Vukasović V, Author. (2021). Environmental Law in Serbia, Wolters Kluwer.
Vučić M (2017) Equity and the use of shared water resources. Collection of Papers, Faculty of Law Niš. 56(75). 107-127.
Zhelyazkova A, Yordanova N. (2015). Signalling ‘Compliance’: The Link between Notified EU Directive Implementation and Infringement Cases. European Union Politics. 16(3). 408-28.
Published
2021/10/28
Section
Original Scientific Paper