ECOLAS N.V. IEEP Lange Nie uwstraat 43 Ave des Gaulois 18 2000 Antwerpen 1040 Brussels Belgium Belgium Tel: +32 3 233 07 03 Tel: + 32 (0) 2 738 74 74 Fax: +32 3 233 81 20 Fax: + 32 (0) 2 732 40 04 http://www.Ecolas.be http://www.ieep.org.u k Task 1 - Implementation and Enforcement Capacities in Croatia for the environmental acquis Final Report The European Commission – DG Environment 04/08853/AL May 2005 ECOLAS / IEEP / Elektroprojekt Content 04/08853 – Croatia – Implementation and Enforcement Capacities for the environmental acquis CONTENT Content .......................................................................................................................................i Abbreviations .............................................................................................................................v List of figures ............................................................................................................................ vi List of tables ............................................................................................................................ vii Executive summary.................................................................................................................... I 1 Background and Objectives ................................................................................................1 1.1 Background ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................... 1 1.2 Objectives ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................... 2 2 implementation & enforcement process in Cro atia ............................................................3 2.1 The regulatory Cycle ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 3 2.2 Key organisations ................................ ................................ ................................ ................. 5 2.2.1 Political Structure and Policy Development ................................ ................................ ... 5 2.2.2 Ministry of Environme ntal Protection, Physical Planning and Construction (MEPPPC) ....... 5 2.2.3 Ministry of Culture ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 10 2.2.4 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management (MAFWM) ............................. 12 2. 2.5 Other Ministries ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 13 2.2.6 Other state administration bodies ................................ ................................ .............. 14 2.2.7 Regional and Local Self-Government ................................ ................................ .......... 20 2.2.8 Regional Authorities ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 21 2.2.9 Local Authorities ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 22 2.2.10 Overview of responsibilities for Implementation and Enforcement in Croatia................. 25 2.3 Legislative Development and Strategic Planning ................................ ................................ ... 31 2.4 Permitting ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................... 34 2.4.1 Permitting authorities ................................ ................................ ................................ 34 2.4.2 Water permits ................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 36 2.5 Monitoring ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................... 37 2.5.1 Monitoring responsibilities ................................ ................................ ......................... 37 2.5.2 Implementation of the Environmental Protection Information System (EPIS) ................ 38 2.5.3 Public access to monitoring data ................................ ................................ ................ 38 2.6 Inspection/Enforcement ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 39 2.6.1 Air and waste sector: MEPPPC ................................ ................................ ................... 39 2.6.2 Water sector: MAFWM -Water Directorate, Croatian Waters and local administrations.... 41 2.6.3 Nature protection: Ministry of Culture - Direc torate for Nature Protection and public institutes on regional and local level for nature protection ................................ ............................ 42 2.7 Reporting ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................... 42 2.7.1 National level ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 42 2.7.2 Regional level ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 43 2.7.3 Local level ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 43 2.8 ROLE OF REGIONAL AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES ................................ ................................ ................ 44 2.8.1 Regional / County level ................................ ................................ ............................. 44 2.8.2 Local self -Government ................................ ................................ .............................. 46 2.9 Economic/Financial Framework ................................ ................................ ........................... 47 i ECOLAS / IEEP / Elektroprojekt Content 04/08853 – Croatia – Implementation and Enforcement Capacities for the environmental acquis 2.9.1 General ................................ ................................ ................................ .................... 47 2.9.2 Funding ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 48 2.10 WIDER TECHNICAL ISSUES ................................ ................................ ................................ 50 2.10.1 Staff of authorities ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 50 2.10.2 Laboratories ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 51 2.10.3 Budget allocated for R&D programmes to support environmental protection ................ 52 2.10.4 Environmental advice procedure s ................................ ................................ .............. 52 2.11 WIDER INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES ................................ ................................ ......................... 53 2.11.1 Complexity of the environmental protection system ................................ .................... 53 2.11.2 Public awareness ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 53 2.11.3 En vironmental NGOs ................................ ................................ ................................ 54 3 Implementation & enforcement at sector /Directive level ..............................................57 3.1 The Assessment Process................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 57 3.2 Horizontal Legislation ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 63 3.3 Air Quality ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................... 64 3.3.1 Legislation ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 64 3.3.2 Institutional framework ................................ ................................ ............................. 66 3.3.3 Strategy ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 67 3.3.4 Monitoring ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 68 3.4 Water ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ 69 3.4.1 Legislation ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 69 3.4.2 Institutional framework ................................ ................................ ............................. 70 3.4.3 Implementation of the polluter pays principle in the water sector ................................ 71 3.4.4 Water quality monitoring system ................................ ................................ ............... 72 3.4.5 Projects ................................ ................................ ................................ .................... 73 3.5 Waste Management ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 73 3.5.1 Legislation ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 73 3.5.2 Institutional