The absence of progress in negotiations and reforms implemented in the area of environmental protection is one of the conclusions from the latest Coalition 27 Shadow Report named “Chapter 27 in Serbia: Progress in the Mist”. A complete report on Serbia’s progress in adopting the European Union’s environmental acquis will be published on October 7th, 2020.

The experiences from writing previous annual reports have been among the topics at Coalition 27 strategic planning organized as part of the project ECO SYSTEM: Environmental Reforms Supporting Programme. The programme is implemented by Young Researchers of Serbia and supported by Sweden. Considering the progress made so far, Coalition 27 made plans for the upcoming months and years.

The first report of this kind was published in 2014. Its goal was to systematically monitor the progress of reforms in the area of environmental protection. This is a unique challenge, considering that this field deals with numerous areas of life which are deeply intertwined, yet function and get managed separately – water, air, land, natural habitats, etc. This is why it is often difficult to gather relevant and correct information about the state of the environment and achieved progress. 

In time, Coalition 27 reports gained recognition, not only as a document created for state institutions, decision-makers, and experts, but also as an important source of information for the public. In accordance with this growth, vision and goals of Coalition 27 transform and develop, and this year’s strategic planning was a great opportunity for member organizations to define which short- and long-term activities contribute to the network’s mission. 

The organizations joined in Coalition 27 are: Belgrade Open School, Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia, Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, Environment Improvement Centre, Environmental Engineering Group, One Degree Serbia, Safer Chemicals Alternative, Young Researchers of Serbia, and the World Organization for Nature (WWF).

One of the main goals of the ECO SYSTEM programme is strengthening these civil society organizations’ networks. By joining forces, these organizations grow their logistical, negotiating, and financial capacities. Starting next year, Young Researchers of Serbia will provide grants dedicated to CSO involved in environmental protection. To stay informed about Young Researchers’ activities and news from ECO-SYSTEM programme, sign up for our newsletter or follow us on our Facebook and Instagram pages!