1. Erkki Vedder erkki@ctc.ee Cooperation with Russia in the Context of the EU Enlargement

2. Peipsi CTC is an international non-profit institute dealing with cross-border cooperation projects around Lake Peipsi that occupies most of the border area of Estonia and Russia. There are Peipsi CTC PIUs in Tartu (Estonia), St. Petersburg and Pskov (Russia).

3. Lake Peipsi is shared by Estonia and Russia

4. In May 2004 Estonia is expected to join the European Union. The EU accession brings good opportunities to the accession countries as well as to the Russian border regions. Multiple new projects were started on Estonian as well as Russian sides to ensure sta blity in the future EU border region.

5. Peipsi CTC projects address jointly issues of economic development and environmental protection in the whole region – these projects have economic as well as environmental components. Most of the projects prepare the situation in the region for the time of the EU accession.

6. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN THE LAKE BASIN – supported by Danish EPA Data for major point pollution sources were collected. A GIS based database of point pollution sources was developed.

7. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT – DANCEE PROJECT Two pilot projects on inventarisation of point sources pollution were conducted: the Amme River (Estonia) and the Gdovka. River (Russia). This is the basis for investments into municipal infrastructure. The Amme River basin The Gdovka River basin

8. The strategy was developed through a participatory process: a series of consultations and three workshops were held with local authorities and stakeholders on Estonian and Russian side of the Lake Peipsi basin. Recommendations formulated during these meetings were used to revise the wastewater treatment strategy. PARTICIPATORY APPROACH TO THE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

9. ECONOMIC COMPONENT OF THE PROJECT Preparation of an electronic database of enterprises in the region and a report. Booklet “Economic development perspectives for the Lake Peipsi Area” containing the analysis of the current economic situation and economic development patterns.

10. Estonia works to adapt its laws and the institutional setup to the requirements of the EU. As a part of this work the Estonian Water Act was revised to harmonize with the EU Water Framework Directive. DEVELOPING A COMMON GROUND TO OVERCOME EXISTING DIFFERENCES IN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS, NORMS, AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS BETWEEN ESTONIA AND RUSSIA Russia is not obliged to apply to the EU Water legislation and its waters are managed according to the Russian Federation Water Code.

11. CREATING KNOWLEDGE BASE IN THE BORDER AREA Cooperation between various institutions – universities, scientific institutes, regional environmental bureaus. Transfer of knowledge through joint work of local and international experts - networking.

12. LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE – PREPARING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EU WATER POLICY The cooperation projects laid a solid basis for the formulation of a comprehensive region- wide Lake Peipsi Basin Management Program.

13. The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) supported the follow up activities with 1 mln. USD. MANTRA-East project under the EU 5 th Framework programme is already under way (2001-2003).

14. The main challenge in future for the regional stability and sustainable development in the region is a growing gap in social and economic development, different norms and standards, practices, and different information between different sides of the border

15. More funding to the Russian side of the border should also be provided for the infrastructure and especially for information dissemination about the European Union as well as for administrative and institutional capacity building, development of new skills.

16. Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation website: www.ctc.ee

17. Thank you for attention