| Bulgaria |
- Entrance fees for visiting some of Bulgaria's nature protected areas are planned.
- Fines can be sanctioned for breaking the Nature Protection Act.
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| Croatia |
- Fines can be sanctioned for breaking the Nature Protection Act. Fines up to USD 30'000 can be imposed.
- Entrance fees for visiting some of Croatia's nature protected areas can be levied.
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| Estonia |
- A nature protection non-compliance fee is in force. The fee is established as compensation of damages to the wildlife (illegal collection, catching, hunting, gathering etc.). The revenue goes to the Estonian Environmental Fund. Total yearly revenue varied between 0.01 and 0.15 mln USD. Revenue leaders are illegal fisheries and hunting.
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| Hungary |
- A nature protection non-compliance fee is in force which can be levied on individuals and firms violating nature protection legislation. The level of fees depends on the category of protection of an area where the law was violated and on the degree of damage/violation. The law defines maximal fee rates. Multipliers apply in case of repeated violation, in case of irreversible damages or if the survival of eco-systems is endangered. Before the enactment of new nature protection legislation in 1996/7, the fee was very ineffective and revenues very low (< USD 0.02 mln/year).
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| Lithuania |
- Non compliance fees for nature protection are in force. The fee can be levied on the following activities: 1. non-compliance with rules on recreational and commercial fishing and fish protection; 2. compensation for damage done to the hydrobiota; 3. Compensation for damage done to species (plants, animals, fungi) which are Included in the Lithuanian Red Data Book or to their habitats (regulation is expected to come into force in spring 1998); 4. non-compliance with the Hunting Regulation; 5. Compensation for damage done to protected trees and bushes that do not depend to the State Forests Fund (will be revised in 1998); 6. compensation for environmental losses due to damage done to landscape; 7. compensation for damage done to the State Nature Monuments. All above mentioned methodologies foresee higher rates for damage done to the nature components in protected areas. In 1997, nature protection fines in the amount of USD 0.37 million were imposed (separate data about actual collected revenue from nature protection fines are not available). The revenue is allocated to the State Nature Protection Fund. The legislation regulating some of the fines mentioned above is planned to be modified.
- According to the general regulations of National Parks, visitation, the use of forest products and water bodies, or the use of any other resources in their territory is restricted and can be charged in agreement with the respective municipalities.
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| Poland |
- Charges are introduced for the entrance to National Parks. These charges are collected and used by the management of the National Parks.
- Fines are set and collected by the National Park staff, Forest Service for State Owned Forests and Municipal Police.
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| Slovak Republic |
- According to the Act on Nature Protection and Landscape (1994), environmental offices or inspectorates may impose a penalty which varies up to USD 14'000 depending on the harmfulness of the violation. Penalties are paid to the State Environmental Fund. The revenue in the past years was as follows: 1994: USD 0.01 mln; 1995: USD 0.04 mln; 1996: USD 0.28 mln; 1997: USD 0.03 mln.
- In 1993, the Ministry of Environment issued a Regulation on the social value of selected parts of the nature. The Regulation includes a list of protected plants and animals. These values may be taken into account in case of any permitting activities and the environmental offices may impose the charges in case of damage to or deterioration of selected plants and animals.
- In addition, according to the Nature Protection Act, environmental offices or owners of protected areas may collect fees for entrance, transit, parking of motor vehicles in designated protected areas. The revenue from the state nature protected areas is paid to the State Environmental Fund.
- There is also a property tax exemption for lands located in protected areas, water protected areas, swamps and peat bogs.
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| FR Yugoslavia |
- A nature protection non-compliance fee is in force. Violation of nature protection regulations can be fined up to approx. USD 2'500.
- For gathering, using and trading species (such as berries, mushrooms, snails, etc., some of them with high export potential) a permit is needed and a charge of 5% of the highest selling price is levied. 1997 revenues from this charge to the Environmental Fund were approx. USD 0.5 mln. Recently, the gray economy infiltrated this business. There is weak enforcement.
- In Montenegros National Park Bigradska, an entrance fee is levied. The revenue is used for nature conservation measures in the Park.
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Note: No information has been provided for Latvia.
