The economic instruments discussed in this report play a significant role in raising revenue to finance environmental protection, as well as providing incentives for internalizing environment related costs. Though the seven countries covered by this report are implementing different environmental policies, their initiatives in the area of economic instruments reflect similar approaches and obstacles. The goal of this report is to provide reference information about the use of economic instruments in practice, and with that, to facilitate the exchange of experience and to strengthen cooperation in implementing economic instruments.
The report consists of seven country case studies and an introductory overview chapter. The individual country case studies consist of two parts; part A providing background information relevant for the implementation of economic instruments, and, part B describing various actual economic instruments in detail. These country case studies were drafted according to specific, standardized formats so as to maximize comparability of information. In addition, the questionnaires used for the description of the various instruments were developed in such a way to be compatible with the questionnaires used by OECD for a similar review on the use of economic instruments in OECD countries (Managing the Environment - The Role of Economic Instruments, OECD, 1994).
The following experts were engaged to draft their respective country case studies: Ms. Evdokia Maneva - Head of the Environmental Economics Department of the Ministry of Environment, Ms. Amelia Bozkova and Ms. Nona Karadzova - Experts at the Environmental Economics Department, Ms. Milka Docheva - Expert at the International Relations Department of the Ministry of Environment (Bulgaria); Mr. Zdenek Stepanek - Advisor to Minister, Ministry of Environment (Czech Republic); Mr. Jürg Klarer - The Regional Environmental Center Budapest (Hungary); Ms. Joanna Spyrka - Department of Ecological Policy at the Ministry of Environment and Mr. Tomasz Zylicz - Warsaw University, Economic Department (Poland); Ms. Valentina Radoi - Mechanical Engineering and Research Institute Bucharest and Mr. Kornel Negrei - Environmental Economist at the Bucharest University (Romania); Mr. Jozef Myjavec - Director of the Department for Economic Instruments at the Ministry of Environment (Slovak Republic); and, Mr. Andrej Cerar - Advisor at the Ministry of Environment and Regional Planning (Slovenia).
Significant additional contributions were provided by Mr. Patrick Francis who provided crucial assistance in reviewing of the draft version and in finalizing the report; and Ms. Zsuzsa Lehoczki who supported the project with frequent expert advice.
Mr. Jürg Klarer developed the concept of the report, wrote two chapters, managed the whole project, performed desktop publishing and graphic layout and edited the entire document.
I would like to thank all of the contributors to this report, and especially Mr. Jürg Klarer for his dedication and commitment. Special thanks also to the Swiss Federal Office of Environment, Forests and Landscape and the Cooperation Office for Eastern Europe who enabled him to work on this project by supporting him in the initial period of his stay.
Stanislaw Sitnicki
Executive Director