Accomplishments in the first quarter include: The UNDP, Government of Hungary, Government of Slovenia and the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) signed the Project Document by early April and following this, the Project Cooperation Agreement was signed between the UNDP and the REC. The UNDP Project became fully activated on April 15, 2000.   The principal actors of the Project Implementation Team (“PIT”)including REC (Jernej Stritih Executive Director and Magda Tóth Nagy, Project Manager), New York University School of Law, NYU (Jane Stewart, Richard Stewart and Isaac Flattau) and Resources for the Future, RFF (Ruth Greenspan Bell) prepared and conducted kick-off meeting in New York and Washington between April 24-27, 2000. The principal actors of the PIT traveled to New York and Washington, D.C. to conduct a series of kick-off meetings April 24-28, incurring travel-related expenses. They finalized subgrant and cooperation agreements between each other and established a detailed eighteen-month schedule for major project activities. The kick-off meeting activities included, inter alia, discussions with UNDP (Andy Hudson, Christopher Briggs, Paul Chan, John Hough) and the Global Environmental Facility (Al Duda); discussions with project co-funder Trust for Mutual Understanding (Richard Lanier) (TMU also provided seed money for travel-related expenses that facilitated NYU and RFF's role in the development of this project); the creation of initial terms of reference for Hungarian and Slovenian national law experts, for the production of the needs assessment focusing on the current status of public access to environmental information and public participation in environmental decision making in Hungary and Slovenia; the development of criteria to guide CEE regional experts in identifying case studies, which will be used as the focal point of the training and technical assistance phases of the project; early identification of the characteristics that would be required of an EU environmental law expert, in preparation for creation of a TOR. Following the New York/D.C. kick-off meetings, the REC Project Manager and financial experts met with UNDP Bratislava officials to establish ground rules for financial and reporting relationships and requirements. First quarter implementation plan was submitted with a request fro advance payment. Subcontracts were subsequently concluded with NYU and RFF, including advance payments for the first quarter.   Terms of reference were developed for national environmental law experts for Hungary and Slovenia. Experts were selected and contracted including advance payment in July. The Slovenian REC CO Director helped to identify potential candidates for Slovenia.   The REC Project Manager had consultations with the Slovenian and Hungarian governmental officials and NGO partners updating them about the kick-off of the project and the implementation plan. The Project Manager traveled to Slovenia to have personal discussions with the Slovenian officials and the REC Country Office Director in June. Meetings included discussions with the Slovenian national law expert hired for the project. In Hungary, meetings and phone discussions were held separately with several different officials. Following personal changes in the Ministry of Environment further meetings will take place in July and August.   The REC Project Manager discussed in details with the Slovenian Country Office Director her involvement, tasks and responsibilities in the project. Similar discussions were held at the REC Headquarters in Szentendre, Hungary with REC staff involved in the project activities in the future.   The national environmental law experts for Hungary and Slovenia started to work on the first draft of the needs assessments for each country, as well as identification and analysis of proposed case study selections. First draft was produced by Slovenian expert by June 30 and the Hungarian is expected by July 15.   Comments are being prepared on these drafts and are expected to be given at the beginning of July by NYU and RFF, and by the REC by July 21providing suggestions to the experts via both e-mail and numerous conference calls.   Terms of reference were developed for a European Union law expert to consult on EU accession issues during the project.   The recruitment of the EU law expert has begun. The PIT has identified at least one qualified and available candidate who is interested in the position. The PIT is in the process of carrying out REC’s recruitment requirements for the position; we will likely hire someone at the beginning of the next quarter.   The PIT has begun to prepare for the October in-region kick off meeting to be held in Hungary.   First quarterly financial and narrative report was prepared based on the reports submitted by PIT.

Back to the Project Home Page