The International Network
for Sustainable Energy

Date: November 29, 2007
Place: Skopje, Macedonia
Title: Sustainable Energy Workshop, Skopje, Macedonia
Contact: Eco-Sense,
att. Julijana Daskalov, Ana Colovic
E-mail: info@ekosvest.com.mk
Web: www.ekosvest.com.mk

On November 29, 2007, Eco-sense and INFORSE-Europe organised a seminar on EU energy policy and their implementation in Macedonia.

Full Title: Analysis of the Energy Law in the Republic of Macedonia and its respective approximation to European Policy - INFORSE Europe experiences from last 15 years of activity in the area of sustainable energy.

The seminar brought together 20 participants representing NGOs, officials, research, ministries, companies, and the Macedonian power transmission operator.
Macedonia has joined the South East European Energy Treaty, which entered into force in 2006; the country also became an EU candidate country in 2006.
Both of these developments require Macedonia to implement the EU legislation on energy markets and on environment.
It was clear from the analysis presented at the seminar by Eco-sense that the status as a candidate country has a much larger effect for Macedonian legislation than the SEE Energy Treaty, which only requires a few of the EU policies for environment and renewable energy to be implemented. Macedonia is progressing well in adopting EU legislation on environment and energy; but the practical implementation of the EU-rules requires secondary legislation (bylaws and decrees etc.) that are not in place yet.
Therefore, most of the EU legislation is not enforced in Macedonia for the time being. Some interesting developments are taking place, however: Macedonia has adopted a feed-in tariff of almost 9 Eur-cent/kWh for renewable electricity, and many investors are working on wind-power and small hydropower projects. Until now problems with grid connections have held back the development, but there are hopes that this will be improved.
One issue of particular concern for many NGOs is Macedonia’s decision to buy a share of the proposed Bulgarian power plant Belena of not less than 500 million Euro. This was a decision of the previous government and many NGOs hope that the present government will step back and not make the formal agreement that would be the next step.

Publications:
Recommendations by Eco-sense , 3 pages, 112 kB , 2007 December
Booklet , 48 pages, 755kB , 2007 December

Program/Proceedings:
13:00 Welcome on the workshop
by Ana Colovic, Director of the Center for environmental research and information.

13: 15 Comparative analysis between the Law of Energy in the Republic of Macedonia, guidelines and regulations and European Policy- EC Directives related to energy
by Irena Srbinoska, Eco-sense, handout (163 kB) , slides (245 kB)

13:40 Recommendations and conclusions for more effective transposition of the European Directives in Macedonia
by Julijana Daskalov, Eco -sense, handout (156 kB) , slides (262 kB)

14:00 Coffee break

14:15 Global Picture, Our Visions, and EU Policy
by Gunnar Boye Olesen, INFORSE-Europe, handout 250 kB

15:00 Discussion, questions and answers

15:45 Conclusion from the discussion

16:00 Closing of workshop