As part of the activities of the Balkan E-waste Management Advocacy Network (BEWMAN) project implemented by the Metamorphosis Foundation, the representative of its British partner Computer Aid International, Ms. Haley Bowcock, carried out a study visit to Macedonia as part of the activities for collecting information about the situation with e-waste in the region.

An important element of the visit of the representative of Computer Aid were also the meetings with representatives of stakeholders, including representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning and the Committee on Transport, Communications and Environment in the Assembly of RM, responsible for preparing the Law on e-waste.

During the 55th session of the Commission attended by 15 MPs, representatives of Metamorphosis and Computer Aid of shared part of the experiences from the implementation of the WEEE Directive in the EU, pointing out that research on the situation in Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Bulgaria is in progress and that the results from the regional project are available to both the legislative and executive authority, with the aim of adopting and implementing the highest possible standards for protection of the environment and health of the population.

The director of NDI Macedonia, Chris Henshaw, in his address to members of the Committee on Transport, Communications and Environment noted that this is a chance for Macedonia to properly form the future law on electronic and electrical waste, thereby acquiring the leading position in the region regarding this issue. The Law on e-waste is planned to be adopted in mid-2011.

The chairman of the meeting, Mr. Andrej Petrov noted that it is important to increase the knowledge about this new area among all societal stakeholders and the citizens, in order to deal more successfully with the risks associated with the disposal of electronic devices.

During the visit of the CEM club in Skopje, a kick-off meeting of the national network of 11 NGOs from Macedonia was held, and within the framework of the BEWMAN project, these NGOs shall have an opportunity to work on capacity building and on raising public awareness on a local and national level.

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