Sweden continues to support the implementation of the Integrated IPPC Permit Program, which implies that an integrated license for the work of farms and industries in Serbia and the export of their products to the EU market is issued by fulfilled standards applicable to the European Union.
In the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, the project “Implementation of the Industrial Emissions Directive in Serbia” was presented, a continuation of the project that Sweden already supported. The second phase will last until 2020, and the total value of both periods is 2.3 million euros. By implementing this directive, an essential part of the accession to Chapter 27 on the environment, the first draft of Serbia’s negotiating position in this chapter comes to light.
“Sweden and the European Union are ready to share with Serbia the burden of fulfilling the requirements and implementation of Chapter 27 because it is not just a burden, it is also a potential. It is in European interest and will open a new page in the development of the Serbian economy. In addition to these investments, the Serbian economy will consume less energy and chemicals, it will develop and be more competitive, ” said Swedish Ambassador H.E. Jan Lundin.
The second phase of the project included 227 plants, of which 93 farms, and this relates to the fulfilment of standards on raw and energy efficiency to save and protect the environment from pollution. Almost all industrial branches, from the chemical, through the electric power industry, to the oil industry, agriculture and water management, are covered. The goal is also to raise awareness of the Polluter Pay Principle’s environmental liability of the industry.
“Economy is the largest environmental pollutant, but also the largest investor in the environment. The benefits of this project are great, as domestic industry and enterprises have to adapt to the standards already in force in the European Union, especially in negotiating for chapter 27, “said Minister of Environmental Protection Goran Trivan.
The IPPC Directive is an integrated framework of measures that the state of Serbia has to implement at the national and local levels so that it can provide Serbian companies and farms with the possibility of business and export to the EU market. This means that more stringent standards in the area of environmental protection introduced are directly affecting the public health of the population in Serbia because there will be far less pollution of water, air and soil.
Sweden is the most significant donor to Serbia in the field of environmental protection, and total support for development assistance in 2018 is about 10 million euros. Over the past four years, Sweden has paid a total of EUR 12 million to Serbia for environmental projects to help Serbia meet as soon as possible, and as efficiently as possible the envisage of Article 27 in the Negotiating Chapters for EU membership.
Sweden is ready to make significant investments in this area, which will lead to new jobs and positive economic development, which means that the line ministry in the Serbian government should increase it’s administrative and other necessary capacities.
