Following legislation in the field of energy efficiency, providing certain obligations of local governments in the field of energy management, as well as trends and opportunities for projects financing in the energy sector, the Regional Development Agency Srem, with its municipalities – founders, formed the Inter-municipal working group for energy efficiency and renewable energy in Srem (IMWG for EE and RES). Deciding for this activity we had in mind that it is a very important part of the implementation of the policy and objectives of sustainable local and regional development.
Forming of IMWG for EE and RES is planned in The Inter-municipal agreement on the management and implementation of regional projects in Srem, which was signed by all Srem’s municipalities in October 2013 and in addition to (1) IMWG for Agriculture and irrigation, (2) IMWG for Sewage systems of waste water purification, (3) IMWG for Tourism, this will be the fourth working group.
„Our goal is to involve in this area significant potentials of Srem’s municipalities as well as individuals profession knowledge and knowing of local opportunities, to help ensure the most effective possible way of protecting the interests of each individual local government, but also regional cooperation through the establishment of optimal technical and organizational solutions. It should be borne in mind that this area is covered by a range of financial instruments, grants and funding (national and EU) which be used efficiently“ said Milan Miric, director of RDA Srem.
Inaugural IMWG for EE and RES session was held in Sr. Mitrovica on May the 16th, in the presence of Austrian delegation – expert IGEA consortium which is a regional platform of Austria in this field, and Srem was elected as a region that has the potential and operative organizational structure, and therefore may be subject to an official partner cooperation and support of this consortium. The host of this meeting was the City of Sremska Mitrovica with the deputy mayor Mr. Tomislav Jankovic. Guests from Austria, headed by PhD Gerhard Nauer and Ewald Spitäler expressed their satisfaction with the approach and organization method of municipalities of Srem and the RDA Srem, in the context of encouraging projects in the field of EE and RES. After the inaugural IMWG session, Austrian representatives held individual IGEA presentation platforms for energy sustainability with practical examples of implemented projects.
All Srem’s municipalities delegated into IMWG most competent representatives from its territories and the session was also attended by representatives of the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCCM).