"Financing Natura 2000 Guidance and Workshops” Reference: ENV .B.2/SER/2005/0020 Official Journal reference: S 73 -070009 Peter Torkler Brussels 02.03.2006

Where do we stay ? Timing Project Milestone Todays task "Financing Natura 2000 Guidance and Workshops” 2nd meeting of the project steering group 02.03.2006 Where do we stay ? Timing Project Milestone Todays task

All documents available for comments on: Where do we stay Work started in October 2005 First Steering group in Nov. 2005 to agree on structure All sub contracts are signed Consortium submitted offer to add Romania and Bulgaria HANDBOOK 1 draft of the Handbook was prepared by the end of 2005 2 draft circulated for comments end of january DG´s where contacted to revise the content of the Handbook WORKSHOPS First contacts in all countries established Workshop concept was developed by end of 2005 13/14.02 Kick off meeting to finalize structure of workshops All documents available for comments on: http://forum.europa.eu.int/Public/irc/env/financing_natura/library

agree on general procedure for the hand-book and workshops Project 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)

24 out of 36 workshop dates are preliminary fixed Overview of workshop planning April May June July … Sept Okt. A    ? B 2 CZ CY ?  D ? DK E? EST F? FIN GB? GR H I IRL? L 05.07 LT? LV M? NL 30.03 P? PL  X X  S SK SLO? BG RO 24 out of 36 workshop dates are preliminary fixed

Berlin kick off meeting for workshop planning „A great possibility to exchange experience among countries and create a network of people“ 47 Participants 26 Partner countries 10 participants from national authorities Presentation of the whole project Working groups on all suggested workshop modules Partners gained better understanding of targets and target groups for the project as well as a clearer picture how the modules can be structrured in the workshops

Workshop Problems Convince national authorities to organize workshop as host Explain the benefit of national workshops Divide tasks between national partners and national authorities Lack of communication between different departments and lack of sufficient background information about national programming of funds revised Workshop Guidelines try to address these issues

Today's planned results Adopt „Guidance Handbook“ and start interservice consultation Adopt structure and content of national wokshops Present next steps Solve remaining open questions:

Questions to be solved Translations: can the partners start now? Layout how to make it „user friendly“ Printing: when, how many copies per country? How to assure that EC speakers are available for national workshops (prepare list of potential speakers to coordinate dates?) Some countries/partners feel that the COM should address MS more official to host workshops (Another official letter from DG ENV? or a joint letter signed by steering group on behalf of different DG´s?) =>> is it an internal communication deficit in MS ? =>> could communication of the work to country desk officers in DG´s be helpful ?