"Financing Natura 2000 Guidance and Workshops” Reference: ENV .B.2/SER/2005/0020 Official Journal reference: S 73 -070009

"Financing Natura 2000 Guidance and Workshops” Reference: ENV .B.2/SER/2005/0020 Official Journal reference: S 73 -070009 WHY ? WHAT ? WHO ? HOW? WHEN?

Why – Background of work Designation of sites is close to an end Management of sites becomes a more relevant topic First management plans are under preparation in some MS, including suggestions for concrete measures Financing needs cover very diverse measures, reaching from one off investments to ongoing support Lack of clarity how to finance Natura 2000 among potential groups of beneficiaries EU aims to co-finance Natura 2000 using the existing funding Instruments Preparations for the new EU financial period 2007-2013 are to be completed by the end of 2006!

What –aim and outputs I Give guidance which EU funding instrument can be used for Natura 2000 and how after 2006! Financing Natura 2000 Guidance Handbook Points out funding possibilities across all EU funds Addresses all potential groups of beneficiaries Identifies all categories of Natura funding needs Links all these elements in an user-friendly way Will be translated in 20 languages

What –aim and outputs II Inform and support MS on how to apply the EU co-financing opportunities on the national level National Workshops on Financing Natura 2000 Present the handbook and how to use it Establish co-operation among stakeholders Inform all potential beneficiaries Discuss country specific problems and challenges 33 workshops in 25 countries

25 MEMBER STATES Project Partners Who – the project team 25 MEMBER STATES Project Partners ….. capacity, knowledge, cooperation, facilitation, WWF IEEP NOVA EUROPEAN UNION

The core responsibilities WWF Germany and EPO Coordination and project management Contact point to EU (EPO) Contact point for national partners (WWF Germany) IEEP Guidance handbook Nova Workshop concept and analysis

National project partners Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Poland, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom 15 countries covered by WWF Czech Republic: Arnika Estonia: Estonian Fund for Nature France: France Nature Environment Ireland: An Taisce Lithuania: Lithuanian Fund for Nature Portugal: Liga para a Proteccao da Natureza Slovakia: Daphne - Institute of Applied Ecology Slovenia: Society for Bird Research and Nature Protection Malta: Nature trust Malta Netherlands: Stichting Natuur en Milieu 10 countries covered by Partners

National Partners – project team How – working together National Partners – project team Participate in the kick-off-meeting for national partners Co-operate in the workshop organisation with national authorities Prepare workshop standard material in the national language Present the Guidance handbook in the national language Prepare the national part of the workshop Prepare a report on results and problems identified in the workshop Provide and secure a translation of the Guidance handbook Comment on handbook

National Partners – governm. authorities How – working together National Partners – governm. authorities = Members or delegates of European Habitats Committee Comment on Handbook Approve overall workshop concept Comment on and approve national workshop component Organise national workshop jointly with national partners Distribute and promote Handbook

How – working together Accompanying working group Set up by DG Environment MS representatives Commission DG´s Stakeholder groups Serves as project steering committee Approves Handbook structure and Workshop concept Approves final Handbook

When – timing background 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 … 2013 Decision on new funding regulations and community strategic guidelines CSG Decision on national strategic framework and preparation of operational programs NSF OP Funding period 2007-2013 Implementation of policy

agree on general procedure for the hand-book and workshops When - timing 05.2006 06.2006 04.2006 03.2006 02.2006 01.2006 12.2005 11.2005 10.2005 ….. Guidance Handbook Draft handbook Consultation Translations National Workshops Contact ministries Agree structure Plan workshops Start workshops 1st WG meeting: agree on general procedure for the hand-book and workshops (7th Nov. 2005) 2nd WG meeting: agree/last input on handbook, detailed workshop procedure (2nd March 2006)

Challenges Handbook Find the right balance between EU level funding approach and national funding needs Complete the work before programming is finished

Challenges Workshops Sufficient support from national authorities Clear division of responsibilities between partners and authorities How to include workshop results into handbook?

Thank you!

WWF Germany-Berlin Peter TORKLER torkler@wwf.de +49 30 30 8742 15