The Managing Authority of the Environment Programme 2021-2027 (EMA) held the Eighth Meeting of the Monitoring Committee (MC). The working forum was hosted by the Minister of Environment and Water Manol Genov. The Committee was attended by Zsolt Zokolai and Petar Hristov from the Bulgaria, Hungary, and Slovenia Unit in the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission.

“Today we will take important decisions related to environmental protection, which demonstrate the permanent commitment by the Ministry of Environment and Water and the members of the Monitoring Committee to the important issue for the health and quality of life of every person,” said the Minister of Environment and Water Manol Genov at the beginning of the meeting.

The assessment of the results for the mid-term review of the implementation of the Environment Programme 2021-2027 was presented within the framework of the working forum, in accordance with Art. 18 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060. As a result of the mid-term review, it was established that the implementation of the programme as of 31.12.2024 is moving at a sufficiently fast pace, currently allowing for the full implementation of all the set objectives of the program, as well as the achievement of the set result indicators, reporting a strongly positive trend compared to the previous two programming periods. The results of the review indicate that the implementation of the additional measures proposed in the document and the support for the planned so-called "back-up projects" will contribute the overall successful implementation of the programme by 2029.

The members of the committee approved an amendment to the Environment Programme 2021-2027 in the priorities "Waste", "Water", "Air", and "Biodiversity" as a result of the assessment of the mid-term review of the programme according to Art. 18 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060. You can read the main highlights regarding the proposed amendments to the Program in the presentation presented at the meeting by the Managing Authority here.

During the working meeting, the members of the Monitoring Committee approved an amendment to the methodology and assessment criteria under the procedure "Nature-friendly measures for flood risk prevention and management" under Priority 4 "Risk and climate change" of the Environment Programme 2021-2027. The municipalities expressed concerns about the scope of the project ideas in the concepts for integrated territorial investments (ITI), given the start of the preparation of investment projects and the process of applying for permits to the competent authorities under the Water Act. The pre-project analyses and consultations with the competent authorities under the River Basin Management Plans and Flood Risk Management Plans showed the need to include additional measures in order to ensure comprehensive, effective, and adequate flood protection. The Managing Authority of the program concluded that in order to achieve the objectives of the procedure, it is necessary to provide the beneficiaries with the opportunity to review and adjust some of the activities planned in the ITI concepts to ensure optimal effect from the investments made. The degree of compliance with the project idea set out in the ITI concept should be consistent with the identified needs for flood risk prevention and protection measures on the territory of the respective municipality.

Within the framework of the working forum, information was presented on the financial instruments under the Environment Programme 2021-2027 in implementation of Art. 12, para. 1, item 16 of the Council of Ministers' Decree No. 302/2022. You can see the presentation on the topic here.