International legal protection of biodiversity in the light of the European integration and South-East Europe

Todić, Dragoljub (2016) International legal protection of biodiversity in the light of the European integration and South-East Europe. The Review of International Affairs, LXVII (1162-1163). pp. 83-102. ISSN 0486-6096

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Abstract

The introductory part of the paper focuses on the importance ofbiodiversity. This is followed by referencing the most important internationalagreements in the field of biodiversity protection. The paper gives anoverview of the membership status of the Southeast European (SEE)countries in the international agreements in the field of biodiversity: bothEU Member States (Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia), and those in theprocess of joining the EU (Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina,Macedonia, Albania and Turkey). It also provides a basic overview of theBirds Directive and the Habitats Directive. The author points to the issueof the relevance of transitional measures (deadlines) for the implementationof regulations in the field of nature protection (agreed by the countries thathave become EU members in the last three rounds of the enlargement). Theimportance and types of protected areas in the EU and non-EU countriesare emphasised. The final part of the paper discusses the issue of thesimilarities and differences between the countries from the region of SEEin the process of joining the EU, in terms of assessment of the achievedlevel of harmonization of national legislation with the EU legislation. Thepaper considers the thesis that in terms of membership in internationalagreements there are no significant differences between SEE countries thatare in the process of joining the EU and EU Member States. However, inregards to the protected areas, there are differences. The relevance and thenature of the differences between the countries which are not members of the EU in terms of the dynamics and level of harmonization of nationalregulations with the EU should be researched.

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