European integration, international cooperation and harmonization of regulations

"Setting up of the Environmental Management Center (EMC) in Serbia will enable efficient decision - making processes related to the environment and environmental issues that will be based on current and relevant information," said Mr. Oliver Dulić, Minister of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning at the "Reporting for Sustainability" conference, held on May 19, 2011 in Belgrade and thus officially announced launching of the project "Setting up Environmental Management Center in Serbia".

The Participants of the 19^th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD 19) in New York shared their experiences regarding the progress made in the environmental protection field and considered the decisions that should improve environment in the future, said the Minister of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning, Mr Oliver Dulić.

The Republic of Serbia must invest € 5.5 billion in the construction of wastewater treatment plant, as well as the utility systems for water protection by 2030 in order to harmonize its regulations with the EU legislation and thus meet the requirements for joining the European Union, said the Minister of environment, mining and spatial planning Mr Oliver Dulić at the Regional Ministerial Conference "Integrated River Basin Management - a platform for sharing of experiences" in Ohrid, Macedonia.

The Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Serbia and the Sustainable Development Office of the Deputy Prime-Minister in charge of European Integration,  in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and Construction of the Republic of Croatia are organizing a sub-regional workshop under the working title: "Green economy and sustainable production and consumption - experiences and examples of best practices" from 14^th -15^th of April, 2011 in Belgrade. The partners of this event are Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Five countries of Central Europe (Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia) have signed the Agreement on the establishment of a trans-boundary biosphere reserve along the Mura, Drava, and Danube rivers during Ministerial Conference "Future of European Waters" (24-25 March 2011) in Budapest. This world's first five-country protected area stretches from the south of Austria to Serbia. The Agreement was signed by the ministers responsible for environmental protection in Austria, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia, and Mr Oliver Dulić, the Serbian Minister of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning.

Minister of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning Oliver Dulić and the Portuguese Minister of Environment and Territory Ordering, Ms Dulce Alvaro Pássaro signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the two ministries, which facilitates cooperation between the two countries in matters related to environmental protection, urban planning, waste management and wastewater management.

After a two-year presiding over the Managing Council of the UNEP Global Ministeral Forum, the Republic of Serbia has handed over this function to the Kingdom of Spain at the 26^th regular session of that body held from 20^th to 25^th February, 2011 in Nairobi (Kenya). Ms Rosa Aguilar Rivero, the current Spanish Minister of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, will preside over the Managing Council of the UNEP Global Ministeral Forum on behalf of the Kingdom of Spain.

Serbian Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Mr Oliver Dulic met with his colleague Mr Predrag Sekulic, the Minister for sustainable development and tourism of the Republic of Montenegro in Belgrade today.

The ministers expressed their expectation that both countries should intensify their cooperation on environmental protection, especially concerning the issues of waste management, climate change and conservation of nature in order to expedite the processes of joining to the EU.

Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning Oliver Dulić said that the foreign investors show great interest in investing in infrastructure and environmental protection in Serbia. Dulić, while attending the Euromoney economic forum in Vienna, presented to potential investors the opportunities for investment in road and railway infrastructure along Corridor 10, the River Danube and also in environmental infrastructure.

Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning Mr Oliver Dulić participated today in the work of the 4^th Summer University for Democracy organized by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, where he gave a lecture titled ''Political Priorities, Natural and Technological Challenges Caused by the Lack of Natural and Energy Resources.''