CARDS is an abbreviation and stands for Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation. In general there are many assistance programmes for the Balkans and South East Europe. The CARDS programme was established with the Council regulation No 2666/2000 of December 5 in 2000. The overall amount which has been spent by the European Union till the starting process with the Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP) was about 6.8 billion euros by the end of 2005.
A key factor in the external relations of the EU is to promote stability, democratisation and peace to non EU member states such as Europeans neighbours. The European neighbourhood policy is an example for the co-operation between the EU and the neighbours of the Union. Therefore in European Union law a debate is going on that the EU needs to have a legal personality. The EU needs to have legal personality in the future because the EU has internal policies that could only be fulfilled with external measures or policies. The status right now is that only the EC has treaty making competences. Those competences at the status quo are rather limited. Art. 24 of the EU Treaty (Nice) allows the EU to establish Agreements which are binding on the member states and the institutions of the Union. Such Agreements are for example the European “new” neighbourhood policy, Agreements for pre-accession or Agreements with the so-called ACP countries (African, Caribbean and Pacific countries).
The Western Balkan falls into the category of the Accession Agreements, which means the goal is the accession to the European Union and the transformation of the legal system(s) according to the acquis communautaire.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The CARDS Programme in Albania
2.1 Objectives of the Programme
3. Environmental Protection and Hazardous Waste Management
3.1 Projects under Priority Sector 4
3.1.1 Hazardous waste management system (HWMS)
3.1.2 Strengthening of environmental monitoring system
3.1.3 Sustainable and Integrated Development of the Tirana-Durres region
3.1.4 Construction of waste water treatment stabilisation ponds at Vlore
4. Conclusion and Outlook
Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the implementation and strategic importance of the European Union's CARDS programme in Albania, specifically focusing on how regional policy serves as a tool for stabilization, integration, and environmental remediation within the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP).
- The role of the CARDS programme in supporting Albania's accession path to the EU.
- State building and economic reform as essential preconditions for regional stability.
- The integration of environmental protection as a critical objective under Sector 4 of the CARDS programme.
- Analysis of hazardous waste management and the mitigation of environmental mismanagement legacy.
- The functionalistic approach of linking economic free market development with political stability.
Excerpt from the Book
The four projects are:
a.) Hazardous waste management system (HWMS)
b.) Strengthening of environmental monitoring system
c.) Sustainable and Integrated Development of the Tirana-Durres region
d.) Construction of waste water treatment stabilisation ponds at Vlore.14
The overall objective of the HWMS project is to improve waste management and to reduce negative impacts on the health of the population and on the environment as such. The more specific objective is the construction of a secure hazardous waste landfill. The overall goal is, after having achieved the objectives of the programme, to maintain the objectives and make the areas safe for future generation. So sustainable development is also to be taken into account.15 This projects was funded with 998.000 euros by the CARDS programme for Albania. The implementation period for this project (cleaning up environmental hazards) was between March 2004 and March 2005.16
In the beginning an assessment carried out by specialized international organizations took place to identify and find out sites of danger. Already in 2002 bilateral programmes took place and some waste has already been removed then. The assessment in 2004 found out that there are 18 sites in the territory of Albania, which are dangerous for human health and the environment as such. An important aspect was the decontamination of a nitrate fertilizer plant near Fier (southwest Albania). The waste of the production of fertilizers were stored in old tanks and containers which began to corrode in the 1990s. A major part of the work in this special area was to get the old waste restored to limit further danger on human health and the environment as such. The health of thousands of people living downstream has already been affected, also due to the fact that the soil around this site has already been polluted for more than 15 years. So the EU project is there to limit the danger and the impact of years of mismanagement and to find the best way possible for future prevention of environment pollution.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the CARDS programme as a central EU instrument for reconstruction and development in the Balkans, providing necessary context on EU legal personality and external relations.
2. The CARDS Programme in Albania: The chapter outlines the specific objectives of the programme in Albania, including the rule of law, state building, and the fostering of a functioning market economy.
3. Environmental Protection and Hazardous Waste Management: This section details the environmental challenges faced by Albania and how Sector 4 of the CARDS programme specifically targets the remediation of hazardous industrial waste and site decontamination.
4. Conclusion and Outlook: The concluding chapter summarizes the importance of the CARDS programme as a mechanism for regional integration and emphasizes the necessity of incorporating environmental considerations into long-term political and economic stability strategies.
Keywords
CARDS programme, Albania, European Union, Stabilisation and Association Process, SAP, Environmental Protection, Hazardous Waste Management, State Building, Foreign Direct Investment, Sustainability, Regional Policy, European Integration, Balkan States, Infrastructure Development, Economic Reform.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on the European Union's CARDS (Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation) programme and its implementation in Albania, with a particular emphasis on environmental protection as a key sectoral objective.
What are the central themes of the work?
The central themes include EU external relations policy, the economic and political stabilization of the Western Balkans, state building, and the mitigation of environmental hazards caused by historical industrial mismanagement.
What is the core research goal?
The goal is to analyze how the EU utilizes financial and technical assistance programmes to align Albanian standards with the acquis communautaire and prepare the country for future EU accession.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The work employs a policy analysis methodology, examining Country Strategy Papers (CSP) and official EU regulatory frameworks to evaluate the effectiveness and strategic alignment of the CARDS programme.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body covers the strategic pillars of the CARDS programme in Albania, such as rule of law and judiciary strengthening, and provides a detailed case study on hazardous waste management systems (HWMS) and environmental monitoring.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include CARDS programme, Albania, EU integration, Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP), hazardous waste management, and sustainable growth.
Why is the Fier nitrate fertilizer plant significant in this study?
The plant serves as a critical case example of environmental "hot spots" in Albania, illustrating the risks posed by corroding industrial containers to local health and the necessity of EU-funded intervention.
How does the author connect environmental projects to overall EU accession?
The author argues that aligning environmental standards with EU norms is not just a technical requirement, but a fundamental part of creating a stable, investable economy that supports the country's broader integration into the European Union.
- Quote paper
- Harald Löberbauer (Author), 2006, The regional, structural and cohesion policy of the European Union: CARDS in Albania, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/58629
