The PHARE Programme (Poland and Hungary: Assistance for Restructuring their Economies) was launched in 1989 with a view to preparing the candidate countries for membership in the European Union, i.e., making them capable for a full implementation of the EU acquis and utilisation of structural and cohesion funds after the accession.
Under the PHARE 2005 Programme, a project aimed at the environmental inspection of the Directorate for Inspection of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and Construction (MEPPPC) has been approved - Enhanced environmental inspection for enforcement of the new environmental legislation, EuropeAid/123226/DSER/HR.
Since the programme primarily targets supporting institutional strengthening of the candidate countries, the overall objective of the project is enhancing environmental inspection through its harmonisation with the requirements of the implementation of new legislation, improving its structure, providing the inspectors with equipment, improvement of the permanent training and implementation of particular specialisations, as well as introducing a new reporting system and establishing cooperation with other relevant institutions pursuant to the existing and new environmental protection regulations harmonised with the EU legislation.
The project consists of two main components – the service component and the supply component, providing the equipment for the environmental protection inspectors.
To implement the service component, a contract worth € 1.468 million was signed between the Central Financing and Contracting Agency (CFCA) and the Irish firm Project Management Group in consortium with the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), for the beneficiary: the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and Construction.
As regards the implementation of the component of public procurement of equipment, the Central Financing and Contracting Agency has signed with selected firms three contracts providing for the procurement of the IT, communication and video-conference equipment worth € 577,000. The equipment will improve the work of environmental inspection by means of improving day-to-day communication of environmental inspectors in the central service and all regional and local units, implementing permanent education and coordinated inspections in complex environmental pollution cases.
Project implementation commenced on 14 January 2008 in Directorate for Inspection of the MEPPPC and is expected to be completed by November 2009.
In addition to the primary beneficiary of the project, the environmental protection inspection, the project will also see the participation of the representatives of inspection with whom the Agreement on the cooperation of environmental protection inspection services was signed, representatives of various industry sectors, non-governmental organisations, state and judicial bodies relevant for the protection of individual components of the environment (the judiciary, state attorney’s offices, the police, customs, protection and rescue services, as well as court witnesses, experts and Eco-headquarters).
Project activities are focused on four main thematic areas:
1. Analysis of the current situation and proposal for the improvement of the environmental inspection, to include an analysis of the existing structure and procedures of environmental inspection with regard to the forthcoming EU requirements. The analysis will include the needs assessment in line with the Recommendation for Minimum Criteria for Environmental Inspection (RMCEI), defining the standards for all inspections that participate in environmental inspection and the preparation of the proposal for the improvement of the structure of environmental inspection;
2. Definition of skills, knowledge and qualifications, training and education, under which three training programmes will be implemented for all the stakeholders and information provided about the national and EU environmental legislation (the Training of Trainers Programme for the group of environmental protection inspectors aimed at developing the skills necessary for the implementation of continuous education programmes after the completion of the project; the National Training Programme for all environmental inspectors and inspectors from partner ministries and bodies engaged in environmental inspection; Programme of Workshops and Seminars for various stakeholders in the area of environmental protection such as different industries, NGOs, non-organised citizens and any other party interested in this matter);
3. Proposal for the structure and working of the working group - Pilot Team, to include establishing of a Pilot Team with representatives of environmental inspection, other cooperating inspections, police, customs, state attorney’s offices, the judiciary, court witnesses and experts, protection and rescue service, and Eco-headquarters, and defining the standards of cooperation and procedures in cases of extraordinary events that are detrimental for the environment;
4. Development of the software which will improve the existing reporting system that will enable all stakeholders included in environmental inspection supervision an efficient management and utilisation of data, and will enable the public to have a timely and simple access to information.
The project is implemented in close collaboration with the MEPPPC and the main stakeholders of the project, including the Project Steering Committee (PSC), partner ministries and state bodies. Participation of state bodies with environmental inspection responsibilities will be ensured through working groups, workshops, trainings and web consultation.