Serbia – Supporting EU approximation

Last reviewed: ‎11‎ ‎November‎ ‎2024

EU approximation is a high priority for Serbia. Since 2011, the Swedish EPA provides support in their preparational work for the upcoming EU accession negotiations. 

The EU and Serbia began the discussion regarding membership in October 2005, an application was made by Serbia in December 2009, and the formal negotiations started in January 2014. Followed by a screening process Serbia received an invitation to submit the Negotiating Position to open the environment and climate change chapter (Chapter 27) for negotiations. Support provided by the Swedish EPA through the projects ENVAP1 and 2, 2011-2016, contributed significantly to the positive outcome of that process.    

Environment Accession Project 3 (ENVAP3)

ENVAP3 started in September 2016 and was planned to last until August 2020. After a request of the Ministry of Environmental Protection in Serbia, MEP, it was agreed to be extended until April 2022.

The activities have focused on supporting the MEP in coordinating the process of development of the Negotiating Position for Chapter 27. It includes 14 supporting documents and has more than 1500 pages in total. The final negotiating Position for Chapter 27 was approved by the Government of Serbia and submitted to EU in January 2020. Since then, MEP has further developed supporting material and clarifying positions to be used in discussions with the Member States in preparation of the opening of Chapter 27 for negotiations and during the coming negotiations itself.  

After this, the European Commission has developed a draft EU Common Position which was submitted to the European Council for further procedures in the autumn 2020. The Cluster 4 – Green agenda and sustainable connectivity, was then opened for negotiations during a meeting of the Accession Conference with Serbia at Ministerial level on 14 December 2021. This means the opening of Chapter 27 for negotiations together with other cluster 4 chapters: 14-Transport policy, 15-Energy, and 21-Trans-European networks. ENVAP3 was a strong support to this positive progress for Serbia. 

Environment Accession Project 4 (ENVAP4) 

The previous three ENVAP stages were considered successful. Serbia asked Sweden and the Swedish EPA to continue the support to MEP in planning and implementing negotiations and approximation (transposition, institutional support, implementation, and enforcement) activities. 

From that request, Sida decided to finance a fourth stage, Environment Accession Project in Serbia, phase 4 (ENVAP4) – “Supporting Serbia’s Chapter 27 environment and climate change negotiations and approximation”.  

The project objectives are

to strengthen the Ministry’s capacity in an inclusive management of the approximation and negotiations process.
to align Serbia’s standards and policies for environmental protection and climate change with EU requirements.

In turn, the project objectives and implementing activities will obtain the expected results and strengthen the Ministry in 

its leading role in coordinating Chapter 27 approximation and negotiations, progress monitoring, reporting and priority-based planning. 
in the coordination and facilitation of the implementation of the Chapter 27 requirements.

Continuous support

The new methodology requires that the EU Commission, COM, not only continues to review the overall progress in the negotiations, but also proposes the way forward for the following years with more detailed reforms, including proposals for corrective measures. Another aspect is the cluster approach when individual chapters are opened and closed in clusters. Chapter 27 is in Cluster 4 – Green Agenda and sustainable connectivity, together with Chapter 14 – Transport policy, Chapter 15 – Energy, and Chapter 21 – Trans-European networks. 

These aspects of the new methodology, in combination with the Economic and Investment Plan and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, will influence future approximation and negotiations-related action prioritization. It will also require improved communication and coordination between different sectors. 

Despite all additional important factors in the process, closing the negotiations on Chapter 27 will depend on the progress made in the approximation requirements of Chapter 27 – Transposition, implementation, and enforcement of environmental acquis. During the next stage, the accession process will require intensive action and involvement from all Chapter 27 institutions as well as support from civil society and the public to achieve the approximation targets. The ability of institutions and, first and foremost, MEP to manage Chapter 27 obligations through good governance needs to be developed and demonstrated.  

Besides the general process support, Swedish experts provide directive specific support for approximation of all sectors in Chapter 27:

waste management
water management
climate change
chemicals
nature protection
industrial pollutions control
horizontal legislation
air quality
noise

The project also supports communication of Chapter 27, including development of factsheets for several topics, such as Chapter 27, EU accession, air quality, climate change, nature protection, waste management, water management, and environmental investments. ENVAP4 has also developed a webpage for the Negotiating Group 27, which is used for publishing information and documents concerning the accession process for Chapter 27. It is placed on the MEP website. 

ENVAP4 activities are being implemented in close cooperation with other Sida-financed Swedish development projects supporting the EU accession process. For several years, ENVAP has cooperated with the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, SALAR/SKR, and the Chemicals agency.