Progress monitoring for the approximation of EU environmental legislation in the candidate countries
A progress monitoring manual on the approximation of EU environmental legislation in the candidate countries of Central and Eastern Europe, prepared for the European Commission, DG XI, has recently been made available. The manual describes the challenge ahead for the candidate countries in tracking progress in adopting and implementing EU environmental legislation, both prior to and following accession. Suggestions for ways in which countries can set up ongoing systems for monitoring are provided in the manual. This covers methodologies for monitoring progress in transposition and implementation developed under the "Progress Monitoring" project, as well as some of those developed by the newest Member States of the EU and the candidate countries themselves. Recommendations for the candidate countries, concerning measures to ensure the availability of up-to-date information on progress made with approximation, are also included. The following sections are contained in the manual: - Why monitor progress on approximation? - The EU's environmental reporting requirements; - Monitoring progress on approximation: transposition and implementation; - Monitoring approximation plans and programmes; - Recommendations; - Matrix for the overall coordination of progress monitoring; - Tables of concordance for monitoring transposition; - Implementation questions.