Are Balkan Countries Safeguarding Their Rivers? A Legal Analysis of Environmental Standards in Six Western Balkan countries
Topics: EU Directives, Habitat & Biodiversity, River continuity, Hydropower,
Regions: Eastern Europe, Published: 11-07-2024 , ISBN: n.a. , Authors: Maja Pravuljac, ClientEarth; Małgorzata Smolak, Legal Consultant
Through a detailed legal analysis of the transposition and implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive, Environmental Liability Directive, Water Framework Directive, Habitats Directive and Birds Directive, the report examines the national legislation in each of these countries and sheds light on the crucial role of effective
legal frameworks in shaping environmental outcomes.
The analysis reveals that despite significant variations in transposition among countries, a certain amount of progress has been made overall, reflecting substantial efforts to meet the Directives’ requirements. In some examples, the national laws even go beyond the requirements of the EU acquis, showcasing some of the exemplary standards for river protection.
However, the report also testifies to particular systemic failures to comply with the EU framework concerning environmental law, which hamper effective river protection. Numerous countries are yet to conclude the adoption of secondary legislation to fully harmonise their national legislation with EU environmental legislation, whilst the urgent necessity for efficient enforcement of existing laws is evident across all nations.