The European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet) have officially welcomed Ukraine as a cooperating country. This expands the EEA’s network to include 32 member countries and 8 cooperating countries. Ukraine joins Moldova and the Western Balkans partners: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo.
Ukraine is facing significant environmental challenges such as climate change, air pollution, biodiversity loss, and water resource protection. The war from Russia has exacerbated these issues by damaging land, water systems, air quality, and protected areas, leading to severe impacts on the natural environment and livelihoods. This collaboration with the EEA and Eionet is rooted in the EU–Ukraine Association Agreement and the EU enlargement framework, reflecting a shared European concern.
Ukraine applied for EU membership in February 2022 and was recognized as a candidate in June 2022. The EEA Management Board’s decision, supported by European Commission funding, marks a new phase of structured cooperation, building on previous collaborations from 2010 to 2020. Ukraine has also been a Contracting Party to the Energy Community since 2011.
Ukraine’s Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture, Oleksii Sobolev, expressed gratitude for joining the EEA and Eionet network, highlighting the importance of this step in Ukraine’s EU accession journey. This cooperation will aid Ukraine in improving environmental monitoring, implementing EU environmental legislation, and reinforcing its integration into Europe. European Commissioner Jessika Roswall lauded Ukraine’s dedication to European integration, emphasizing the importance of cooperation amid the ongoing war. EEA Executive Director Leena Ylä-Mononen and André Weidenhaupt, Chair of the EEA Management Board, also welcomed Ukraine, stressing the importance of shared knowledge for better environmental outcomes across Europe.
Cooperating countries like Ukraine can participate in EEA activities, contributing to and benefiting from shared environmental data and capacity-building initiatives. The cooperation will assist Ukraine in aligning its environmental data reporting with EU standards and facilitate its integration into EEA systems and networks.
For more details, the Ukrainian translation of this press release is available on the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine website. Source link
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