Head of the European Commission's Delegation to Serbia Ambassador Josep M. LLOVERAS said today at the ceremony marking the completion of smoke and dust emission control project in the Kostolac power station that this project shows how introduction of European standards brings tangible benefit to the lives of ordinary people.

"This project in Kostolac gives visible evidence to the fact that European integration is not a bureaucratic process but a process of reforms aimed at improving the daily lives of ordinary citizens. Serbia’s energy sector is moving forward to meet the challenges of improving its services to its citizens and its industry, of playing its full part in the regional energy market, and of meeting the European standards. This project at Kostolac is indeed a concrete and very important step forward towards achieving these goals. This project gives real 'value for money' in this direction because at a cost for the European taxpayers of € 5 million it brings a better environment to 100,000 people," Lloveras said.

The result of this project implemented by the European Agency for Reconstruction is that emission of smoke and dust from the power plant will meet the requirements of European and Serbian legislation which requires the filters to be able to meet a maximum emission limit of 50 mg per cubic metre. Prior to the installation of the new filters, the original emission levels in Kostolac A2 power plant were up to about 1,300 mg per cubic metre, i.e. about 25 times higher than the new limits.

The reduction in dust emissions from power plants is required under EU Directives. Thus this project is one more step in approximating Serbia to EU standards, as well as a part of the process of EU integration in Serbia.

Serbia has obligations to the international community in the field of energy. The Energy Community Treaty, recently signed and ratified by Serbia, requires the power sector to comply with the Environmental Acquis, Lloveras said.

The EU has since 2000, through the EAR, donated €450 million to projects in the Serbian electricity sector.

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