• Following the hearing of Bulgaria, the member states adopted an unanimous decision on the compliance of national legislation, policies, and practices with the seven legal instruments of the organization

The Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Reneta Koleva participated in a closed meeting of the Committee on Environmental Policy (CEP) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), during which the Second Review of the Compliance of National Legislation, Policies, and Practices with Seven Legal Instruments of the Organization was held.

During the hearing of Bulgaria, Deputy Minister Koleva presented our country's position and priorities in the field of integrated coastal zone management, sustainable tourism development, integrated pollution prevention and control, ensuring environmental compliance, improving the effectiveness of governance in the field of environment, improving the environmental performance of public procurement and the environmental assessment of projects and programs for development assistance.

In her presentation, she provided a detailed overview of the progress attained in implementing the requirements of the seven recommendations within the competence of the CEP, highlighting the challenges overcome and the achieved compliance with the provisions of the instruments.

Emphasis was placed on the actions taken by our country, including legislative changes, administrative and investment measures to improve the ecological status of marine and coastal waters, the cleanliness of beaches, as well as to increase the effectiveness of control activities, the ecological requirements for certain groups of products subject to public procurement, the environmentally friendly functioning of public administration, etc.

As good results achieved, she mentioned the modernized and newly constructed wastewater treatment plants for coastal agglomerations, the regular and extraordinary monitoring, the promotion of good business practices through the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and the EU Ecolabel, the Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Bulgaria, the beaches awarded the Blue Flag program, the developed Methodology for Mapping, Delineation and Categorisation of Sand Dunes for the Protection of Coastal Ecosystems, the increased fines and more severe sanctions for environmental damage or pollution.

In their statements after the comprehensive review of our country's achievements, CEP members noted that Bulgaria has taken important implementation measures in the areas covered by the legal instruments under consideration. Deputy Minister Koleva answered a number of questions posed by them and presented additional information, including in respect to sustainable tourism practices, ambient air quality and the use of alternative means of transport, water management and monitoring, the implementation of adaptation measures and the environmentally sound use of economic instruments.

Following the hearing, OECD member countries adopted a unanimous decision on the compliance of national legislation, policies, and practices with the organization's seven legal instruments and the Action Plan for Accession to the Committee of 28 April 2023.