The Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Serbia, and the IED Serbia project jointly organised a two-day training for competent authorities responsible for issuing integrated permits (IPPC) and for district heating plant operators.
The event at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia was opened by Ms Aleksandra Imširagić Đurić, Assistant Minister on behalf of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia. She expressed gratitude to the projects EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia and IED Serbia and thanked for their support. She then emphasised the importance of this training, given that there are 21 operators in Serbia engaged in this industrial activity, namely district heating plants with a total rated thermal input of 50 MW or more. Mr Antoine Avignon, Environmental and Climate Change Programme Manager from the EU Delegation to Serbia, in his introductory address highlighted the significance of the Industrial Emissions Directive, which has been in force in the EU since 2011. Mr Miroslav Tadić, Programme Analyst at UNDP Serbia, provided participants with detailed information on the EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia project, and its collaboration with the industry. Ms Bojana Vukadinović, Project Manager of IED Serbia, welcomed the participants on behalf of the project team and the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, and briefly presented the activities and results of the IED Serbia project. Mr Dušan Stokić, Head of the Centre for Environment of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, welcomed the participants as the host of the event. Mr Radovan Nikčević, Project Manager of the EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia project, representing UNDP Serbia, was the moderator of the event.
The training aimed to build and strengthen capacities for the preparation of IPPC permits. Participants had the opportunity to learn more about the Industrial Emissions Directive, procedures for issuing IPPC permits, relevant BAT (Best Available Techniques) conclusions for operators in this sector, and investment support programs for compliance with BAT. This support is primarily through the open call of the “EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia” project followed by international financial institutions in Serbia such as the EBRD, KfW, and the European Investment Bank.
During the practical session, participants had the opportunity to work together with representatives of the competent authority on the example of an integrated permit for the Public Utility Company “Novosadske Toplane” District Heating Plant Istok, and, alongside the experts from both projects, engage in an exercise prescribing conditions in integrated permit.
One of the conclusions of the event pertains to the budget planning of district heating plants for the upcoming year, as obtaining an integrated permit implies compliance with the requirements of the Directive and emission limit values, which may entail investments in equipment and technological processes.

