A roundtable dedicated to improving and harmonising the procedures for issuing water and integrated permits was held in Belgrade, on March 28, 2024, organised by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, in partnership with the projects “EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia” and IED Serbia “Green Transition – Implementing Industrial Emissions Directive in Serbia 2021-2027”.
Representatives of the Republic Water Directorate presented in detail the legal framework and procedures for issuing water permits, highlighting the typical challenges faced by operators during this process, as well as useful advice for overcoming them. Following that, the focus shifted to the legal framework for issuing integrated permits, with an analysis of the challenges and obstacles in that process, along with suggestions for their resolution. A discussion followed, allowing attending operators to share their experiences, opinions, and suggestions for improving permit issuance procedures. The conclusions drawn from the discussion represent a significant contribution to resolving and aligning the procedures for issuing water and integrated permits in Serbia. Representatives from the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Republic Water Directorate, the Provincial Secretariat for Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, public water management companies, as well as experts from both projects, answered numerous questions from participants, both in person and online.
At the end of the roundtable, Serbia’s commitment to meeting deadlines for issuing integrated permits for existing facilities and activities was emphasised, as well as the importance of cooperation among all stakeholders in this process and the coordination of the work of competent authorities.