- Ausdruck vom: 30.07.2010, 19:18:50 Uhr
- Quelle: http://www.retech-germany.net/202
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The objective of a twinning project is to support new EU member states and EU candidate countries in adopting community law (acquis communautaire) and in establishing the necessary administrative capacities (institution building). Experts from the administrative authorities of the EU Member States pass on their know-how and experience in implementing community law to colleagues in their respective partner country within the framework of the EU's Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA) and the European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument (ENPI) - up until 2006 PHARE, CARDS and TACIS. The Resident Twinning Advisor (RTA) is the backbone of any project and works in the partner authority (supported by short-term experts) throughout the entire project, usually one to two years, and supports colleagues on site in achieving concrete project objectives.
In addition, countries that are not yet accession candidates (Ukraine, Moldavia, Southern Caucasus, Central Asia, the states bordering the coast of the Mediterranean) have access to the Twinning Programme through the EU Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The IPA incorporates EU accession candidates as well as other countries in the Western Balkan region.
The potential partner countries invite tenders for twinning projects with the agreement of the European Commission; the authorities of the EU member states then apply and take part in a competition.
Since the Programme was launched in 1998 the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) has been involved in a total of 74 twinning projects with an overall budget of more than €70 million. It has been project leader in 64 projects. With the exception of Cyprus, partnerships have been/are entered into with administrative authorities in all the new EU Member States, as well as Turkey, Ukraine, Croatia, Serbia and Egypt.
Waste management is one of Germany's priority areas when it comes to twinning projects. The BMU has been involved in a total of 12 twinning projects in the field of waste management, other projects have waste management-related components. The range of topics covered includes the entire EU law on waste management and its implementation. Project objectives range from developing national or regional waste management strategies and waste management plans to handling special wastes such as PCB and batteries to the transboundary shipment of waste and to taking on product responsibility for packaging or financial planning for landfill site modernisation at local authority level. The projects' key target groups are the competent environmental agencies in the partner country. Depending on the country and project, however, a variety of other actors such as waste management companies, various branches of industry, financial or economic authorities, and the general public are involved in their implementation.
Supporting the establishment of controlled waste disposal structures helps to protect both humans and the environment in partner countries and raises the population's environmental awareness and increases the involved enterprises' sense of responsibility. Experts from the EU Member States' authorities teach the basics of and the philosophy behind EU law on waste management, for instance the polluter pays principle, by means of practical examples and illustrations. Ultimately, cooperation in the full implementation of Community waste management law promotes the keeping of common standards in the Single European Market and increases economic and political cooperation between countries.
Five twinning projects providing support to national, regional and local environmental agencies are currently being carried out in cooperation with Romania. The projects touch on all the environmental areas which the authorities deal with. That also includes tasks in the field of waste management, particularly the implementation of regional waste management plans. The "Support the Regional Environmental Agency Galati" project is focussing on the topic of industrial waste disposal.
Twinning projects with Egypt (hazardous substances and waste management plans) and Bulgaria (mining waste) are in preparation.
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