National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia / Activities / Activity details
Monday, 6 September 2021
13th Sitting of the Environmental Protection Committee
At the sitting held on 6 September 2021, the Environmental Protection Committee considered the Bill on the Confirmation of the Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, submitted by the Government.
The Bill was presented, in the form of a panel presentation, by Aleksandra Imsiragic Djuric, Assistant Minister of Environmental Protection.
She said that the Montreal Protocol adopted in September 1987 sets out the obligation to phase down the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. Four amendments to the Montreal Protocol have been adopted: the London Amendment, adopted in 1990, which added carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloroform to the list of controlled substances; Copenhagen, adopted in 1992, which added bromofluorocarbons and methyl bromide to the list of controlled substances; Montreal, adopted in 1997, which provides for a licensing system for the import and export of new, used, recycled and reclaimed controlled substances in Annexes A, B, C and E, and Beijing, adopted in 1999, which provides for the annual reporting to the Ozone Secretariat.
The Kigali Amendment was adopted at the 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, held in Rwanda on 15 October 2016. As the Montreal Protocol proved to be a very effective document in the field of environmental protection, it was decided to control the consumption of HFC substances in the same way as the consumption of ozone-depleting substances (HCFC substances).
This amendment introduces fluorocarbons (HFCs) into the Montreal Protocol, i.e. phasing down the consumption and production of these substances. Fluorocarbons are fluorinated greenhouse gases and are used as an alternative to ozone-depleting substances. What is characteristic of this group of substances is that they do not damage the ozone layer, but they do have a high global warming potential and an impact on climate change. Due to the high use of HFC substances and increasing global warming, it was decided to take measures to reduce the consumption, production and use of this group of substances.
Imsiragic Djuric said that the SFRY had ratified the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer on 3 January 1991 and the Republic of Serbia had confirmed all four amendments to the Montreal Protocol in March 2005. Taking the above into account, by confirming the Kigali Amendment, the Republic of Serbia will continue on the path aimed at preserving the ozone layer, and HFC substances being greenhouse gases it will additionally contribute to the implementation of the Paris Agreement confirmed by the Republic of Serbia on 30 May 2017.
In the period following the ratification of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol, the Republic of Serbia has successfully implemented these agreements through programmes for the elimination of ozone depleting substances, investment and non-investment activities and thus fulfilled the obligations arising from the Montreal Protocol.
Through the implementation of the Kigali Amendment, the Montreal Protocol takes responsibility for HFC with a leading role in working toward an environmentally sustainable world, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The group of signatories referred to in Article 5 of the Kigali Amendment, one of which is the Republic of Serbia, shall have access to financial and technical support provided in accordance with the Protocol. There are a number of other benefits to ratification.
The adoption of the Amendment sets out the obligations for countries party to the Montreal Protocol to gradually phase down the consumption of HFCs. According to the Amendment, the countries are divided into four groups, with different control measures.
The Republic of Serbia, as a developing country and a country operating under Article 5 of the Protocol, is obliged to introduce control measures as follows: - determination of basic consumption from 2020 to 2022; - freezing consumption to the level of basic consumption in 2024; - 10% reduction in consumption in 2029; - 30% reduction in consumption in 2035; - 50% reduction in consumption in 2040; - 80% reduction in consumption in 2045.
In the process of EU accession, the Republic of Serbia is obliged to harmonise its legislation with, among other things, Regulation (EU) no. 517/2014 on fluorinated gases, which has already established stricter control measures for this group of substances. The adoption of this Amendment and the introduction of control measures will facilitate the subsequent adoption of more stringent measures prescribed by Regulation (EU) no. 517/2014, and will also contribute to the achievement of the goals set by the Paris Agreement.
As a country operating under Article 5 of the Protocol, by ratifying the Amendment, the Republic of Serbia will have the opportunity to apply for funding for the preparation of plans and programmes to reduce consumption of this group of substances, which will enable the country to, within the EU accession process, meet the standards and requirements prescribed by EU regulations, and facilitate the economic sector’s transition and access to new technologies and refrigerants that do not damage the ozone layer and with lower global warming potential (GWP).
Following the presentation and an exhaustive discussion, the Committee members decided to propose that the National Assembly accept the Bill on the Confirmation of the Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
Under item any other business, the Committee accepted the proposal that Committee Chairman Prof. Dr Ljubinko Rakonjac and Committee member Vesna Krisanov should form the delegation to participate in the parliamentary meetings in Rome and Glasgow, organised by the IPU, concerning environmental protection.
The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairman Prof. Dr Ljubinko Rakonjac.
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