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Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network for Accession (ECENA) Introduction
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The Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network for Accession (ECENA) was established by high-level officials from the environmental ministries of South Eastern Europe (SEE) in Sofia, Bulgaria in March 2005. ECENA is an informal network of environmental authorities from the pre-candidate, candidate and acceding countries. Members of ECENA are the following countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro including Kosovo as defined by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 of 10 June 1999 and Turkey. The European Commission is also a member of ECENA. The ECENA mission is to protect the environment in its member countries through effective transposition, implementation and enforcement of EU environmental legislation by increasing the effectiveness of inspectorate bodies and promoting compliance with environmental requirements. ECENA tend to take over the role of Accession Countries IMPEL (AC IMPEL). It is a logical continuation of the work of BERCEN. ECENA operates under the framework of the stabilisation and association process, the European Union's strategy for creating the conditions needed to integrate the countries of the region into European structures. A cornerstone of this approach is the stabilisation and association agreement, which is a contractual agreement adapted to the specific context of each country. This agreement offers a country the prospect of integration into the EU's structures while setting political and economic conditions to be met. Environment is included as a key area for cooperation. The SAP also sets political and economic conditions for the countries, as well as the need for regional cooperation. ECENA facilitates, assists and promotes the enforcement of regulations throughout SEE by disseminating information, finding common denominators for cooperation and developing projects of common interest with the countries participating in the network. The members of ECENA will work together to advance the application and implementation of environmental legislation and to increase the effectiveness of enforcement agencies and inspectorates. ECENA will use the experience of BERCEN, IMPEL, INECE and and Regulatory Environmental Programme Implementation Network - REPIN (previously known as NISECEN - NIS Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network) to provide a good strategic framework for future cooperation and exchange of information. The European Commission CARDS Programme provides funding for ECENA's activities. |
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