Accomplishments in the second quarter include: The main activities during this quarter were related to preparation of the Kick-Off Meeting organized on October 11-13, 2000. The main goal of this meeting is to agree with the partners from the two countries, Hungary and Slovenia on the concrete focus of the activities related to the project and the final outputs. To this end the following activities were carried out: The Project Implementation Team (PIT) received first drafts of needs assessments and case study identifications and analyses from Hungarian and Slovenian consultants in mid-July. The members of the PIT included from the REC Magda Tóth Nagy, Project Manager (PM), Marianna Bolshakova, Project Officer, Stephen Stec, Senior Legal Specialist, Jane Stewart and Isaac Flattau from New York University School of Law and Ruth Greenspan Bell from Resources for the Future. The members of PIT shared their respective comments on these drafts via email and numerous conference calls.    After intensive review of the drafts, the PIT engaged in extensive discussions of project goals and how to tailor the needs assessments and case study reports to achieve these goals. Following these discussions, the PIT provided comments to the consultants, who revised their drafts accordingly. Since mid-July the PIT has received numerous drafts from the consultants and has responded with in-depth comments; the result is a completed set of first-rate reports, which were distributed to the October 2000 Kick-Off Meeting participants in advance of the meeting.   Final preparation of the needs assessments and case study reports was an integral step in the preparation of the Kick-Off Meeting. As stated above, these reports were completed in acceptable fashion in time for their early distribution to the meeting participants.   The PIT has also prepared executive summaries of both the Hungarian and Slovenian needs assessments, as well as a short paper describing what we consider to be the priority issues raised in the reports. These documents were also distributed prior to the meetings, after they have been reviewed by the Hungarian and Slovenian consultants.   In late July and early August, the Project Manager and PIT engaged in a competitive selection process for an EU law expert to assist the project participants by providing perspective to the Hungary and Slovenia participants from the point of view of European Union accession. We are extremely pleased with the candidate selected, Jurgen Lefevere of FIELD. To date, Mr. Lefevere has provided valuable commentary on the Hungarian and Slovenian consultants’ needs assessments and case study reports from EU perspective. He also was invited to attend the October 2000 Kick–Off Meeting and lead discussions on EU accessions issues, and how our project activities can best address these issues.   Preparations were made for the October 2000 Kick-Off Meeting, to be held in Szentendre, Hungary from October 11-13, using via email and conference calls.   The PM drafted an initial list of meeting participants based upon specific knowledge of the Hungary and Slovenia environmental information and public participation regimes, and who manages them. In drafting the list, REC consulted with its Country Office in Slovenia, NYU and RFF, as well as with the Hungarian and Slovenian ministry officials and the consultants. The final list included also representatives from civil society in CEE involved in the Danube river basin issues. Approximately 45 – 50 participants were invited to the meeting.   REC Conference Department arranged for the Szentendre accommodations for the meeting participants, meeting facilities, local transfers and travel.   The PIT developed an agenda for the Kick-Off Meeting for early distribution to the meeting participants. The Project Manager and the REC Country Office Director in Slovenia had various consultations with the respective ministry officials on the draft agenda, the meeting goals, the potential case studies, outputs and the role of the government officials in the kick-off meeting.   A Project Steering Committee Meeting has been organized to follow the conclusion of the Kick-Off Meeting. Steering Committee members including Tehmina Akhtar, GEF/UNDP, Rastislav Vrbensky, UNDP Bratislava, Istvan tökés, UNDP Hungary, Slovenian and Hungarian Ministry officials and NGOs have been contacted and invited to the meeting to be held on Nov. 14 at the REC. A draft agenda was developed by the PM and the PIT and circulated for comments to Steering Committee members.

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