Full project description: Background According to the Dayton Accord for Bosnia and Herzegovina, environment is not regulated by the state, but by entity --  either the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H) OR Republic of Srpska (RS). In FB&H it is Federal Ministry of Physical Planning and Environment and in RS it is Ministry of Urbanism, Housing-Communal Work, Civil Constructing and Ecology that is responsible for environment management. Both of these ministries are also responsible for many other activities, and the environment is not a priority. In 1998, the REC facilitated the signing of a "Memorandum of Understanding," signed by the two entities' ministers of environment. This document led to the establishment of an Environmental Steering Committee-(ESC) -- an inter-entity expert body entitled to facilitate cooperation between the two states. Four representatives from each entity take part as voting members of the ESC. In addition, representatives of the OHR, REC, USAID, the World Bank and the European Commission may take part in the ESC as non-voting members. During its first year of operation, the REC Country Office Bosnia and Herzegovina acted as a technical support agency to the committee, providing it with administrative, professional and financial support. Unfortunately, as this support came to an end, additional funding became sporadic, which resulted in irregular meetings, a lack of cooperation, overlapping responsibilities between institutions, and a disrupted flow of information between entities. This project aims to: strengthening the status and role of the Environmental Steering Committee; promoting and ensuring efficient, proactive management of resources for actions on environmental issues; delivering timely, relevant and reliable information on the environment to policy-makers. The current project builds on the results of the several  REC projects that were implemented within the Regional Environmental Reconstruction Programme for South Eastern Europe. Project description The Environmental Steering Committee was established in 1998, according to the "Memorandum of Understanding," which was signed by environment ministers from each entity. In the first phase, the REC offered organisational, technical and financial assistance to the ESC. The ESC is already working on several programmes, including the REReP, the Danube Programme, the Mediterranean Action Plan and the European Union (EU) LIFE Programme. Ad-hoc expert working groups were frequently established or individual experts were commissioned in order to provide information and recommendations on certain environmental issues. However due to lack of funding, this valuable support was often absent or of poor quality. Realising the significance and importance of the role of the Environmental Steering Committee, the EU (through Life Programme funding), has committed roughly EUR 700,000 over three years to assist with normal operations. This support is expected to start in the first half of 2003. Considering the need for consistent work of the ESC, which totally justified its existence and function in the previous period, it is necessary to provide continuous financial resource and technical support. Therefore, in order not to disrupt normal operations of the ESC and to continue assisting the ESC in their efforts to increase efficiency and inter-entity cooperation, the Italian support is requested. To this end the project will support regular meetings (10 maximum) and needed expert involvement for the period of October 2002 – March 2003 or until the expected LIFE Programme begins. In addition to this project, there will be support for ad hoc working groups and expert assessments. Country Office Bosnia and Herzegovina has established and maintained excellent cooperation and relations with federal and cantonal governments from both entities, Bosnian Croats and Serbians: therefore, by being involved in this project as a neutral organisation, they are in a perfect position to play an important role in supporting, contributing and monitoring ESC activities. The role of the Country Office will be to act as ESC secretariat. Country Office staff will specifically be involved in the following way: preparing ESC meetings; identifying discussion topics; proposing an agenda; holding a preliminary discussion on the agenda; informing participants and experts; providing logistic support for meetings, dissemination of information on meeting outcomes through REC the "Bulletin," etc. contracting experts and monitoring their work; during the ESC meeting: taking minutes, preparing recommendations; disseminating recommendations; evaluation/reporting/follow-up suggestions The REC’s Head Office in Hungary will oversee implementation and quality control. Therefore, one or two trips to BiH in order to attend ESC meetings will be considered. Expected Results The following results are expected at the end of the project activities: organisation of six meetings of the Environmental Steering Committee, studies, analyses, surveys and assessments performed by outside experts or working groups; strengthened inter-entity cooperation among federal and Republica Srpska’s ministries; supporting and strengthening the ESC, allowing for increased effectiveness its scope of jurisdiction; and enhanced and strengthened cooperation between Italy and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

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