Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer, Slovakia in the Process of EU Enlargement

Abstract

The Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology transfer in Bratislava (further Centre), the Slovak Republic, was established as a unit within the Slovak Environmental Agency, Centre of Waste and Environmental Management in 1995. It covers geographical area of Central and Eastern European countries. The Centre started up its activities in February 1996. During that time it has held 10 training workshops for Central and Eastern European countries on various technical, information and legal aspects of the Basel Convention and has carried out a number of waste management related projects including web oriented information system. The Centre has also undertaken case studies and issued Newsletters, which have been disseminated, to all Central and Eastern European countries. There are described experiences of the Centre in the process of European Union enlargement since 1997 in the paper. The new role and function of the Centre in an enlarged European Union with respect to information society and sustainable development is also presented.