Environment is a high ranking issue on the European agenda and increasingly so with regard to its interventions in BiH. The BiH and the European Unions' strategic documents stress the importance of proper implementation of the environmental acquis.
While the official responsibility for compliance lies with the BiH authorities, the NGO community has a very important role to complement the work of the administration by signalling infractions, collecting of information, coordinating the pilot project and educating citizens about their rights and obligations.
BiH environmental NGOs have developed considerably over the past decade. Further support to their capacity building and know how improvements has been recognised as valuable for their becoming full and complementary partners of the administration in implementation of the environmental acquis.
The European Union has recognised those needs, and provided series of development projects to contribute to encouragement of the partnership between governmental and non-governmental sectors with the aim of effective implementation of EU standards in environment in BiH.
In that respect, this European Union project aimed at improving a public involvement and cooperation as a precondition for environmental protection in the target area of Tuzla using the Jala River as a case study towards sustainable development.