The Ministry of Environmental Protection has initiated the preparation of the IV National Report on the Implementation of the Aarhus Convention. The UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters is one of the most advanced international treaties in the sector. The Parties to the Convention are required to make the necessary provisions to ensure:

– The right of the citizens to receive environmental information that is held by public authorities

– The right of the citizens to participate in preparing plans, programmes, policies, and legislation that may affect the environment

– The right of the citizens to have access to review procedures when their rights with respect to access to information or public participation have been violated

Detailed instructions on how to participate in the preparation of the report are available on the website of the Ministry.

Young Researchers of Serbia – Aarhus Center New Belgrade are inviting environmental CSOs to use this opportunity and share their opinions and recommendations. The deadline for submitting proposals and relevant information is 3 July 2020. Only with active participation of numerous organizations will we be able to get a true picture of the state of Aarhus Convention implementation in Serbia. This is also a great opportunity to warn the authorities about the recurring issues in this sector.

Considering the importance of the Aarhus Convention and the multitude of problems encountered by citizens’ associations in their work, we are here to provide help with drafting comments and recommendations for the report.

If you need any advice, help with filling out the questionnaire or any kind of assistance related to the report, you can always contact our Oikos Support team. We are available at ekosistem@mis.org.rs.