A significant portion of the principles promoted by the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians <www. carpathianconvention.org> has already been recognised in national policy and legislation. This was one of the main conclusions from assessments drafted in 2005 of the readiness of signatory countries to cooperate on the matters promoted by the Convention. Several such policies and laws have already been implemented, the assessments confirmed.

The draft assessment studies of Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Ukraine and Slovakia are part of the umbrella project, “Support to the implementation of the Carpathian Convention in the framework of the Alpine-Carpathian Partnership.” The initiative is financed by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Territory, and this component is implemented by the REC in partnership with the European Academy (EURAC). According to the draft assessment reports, approximation of the EU’s environmental acquis and participation in relevant multilateral environmental agreements are significant driving forces behind laws and policies that will assist in the implementation of the principles promoted in the convention.

Among topics covered by the convention, the Carpathian countries are most advanced in biodiversity, nature protection, cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and water management, the draft assessments showed. Major concerns include the existence of industrial hot spots, lack of investment in renewable energy, infrastructure development that harms mountain ecosystems, weak public participation and a lack of education programmes for communities.

The specific draft national assessments were discussed at stakeholder meetings in the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia and will be reviewed in the rest of the Carpathian countries in the coming months. These meetings are organised as forums for reviewing the draft assessments and stimulating discussion on the implementation of the convention’s principles.

Stakeholders, including NGOs, ministry officials and representatives of local authorities highlighted the need for better awareness-raising of all stakeholders, as the Carpathian Convention remains little known on both central and local levels.

Authorities overseeing transport, infrastructure development, industry, energy and tourism should be better informed and involved in activities related to the Convention, and the same can be said of local authorities and communities, participants noted.

Stakeholders also underscored the need for greater involvement of communities in relevant decision making processes, especially as the Convention applies to mountain regions whose settlements tend to be small. Stakeholders stressed that decisions affecting mountain regions should reflect the specific interests of each country.

Signed in Kiev in 2003, the Carpathian Convention set the stage for countries in the region to take a more integrated and focused approach to “protect, maintain and sustainably manage the natural resources of the Carpathians.”

“After having been negotiated in record time, the Carpathian Convention is now rapidly advancing towards its entry into force, as ratification procedures in the majority of participating countries have already been completed or are close to finalisation,” Harald Egerer, head of the Interim Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention, said.

A full description of the project is available at <www.rec.org/REC/Programs/ITF/Conventions.html>.