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Serbia’s Ministry of Mining and Energy has launched a public consultation on a preliminary framework for a new law on mining and geological exploration. One of the goals of the new law is to align national legislation with European Union regulations on critical raw materials, sustainable development, and the circular economy.
The law will be harmonized with the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act and the European Green Deal, to gradually align Serbia’s regulatory framework with the EU’s goals for sustainable mining, climate neutrality, and secure minerals supply, according to a document outlining the basis for the draft law.
Earlier this year, the European Commission included a lithium mining project in Serbia among the EU’s strategic projects for critical raw materials. Rio Tinto’s Jadar project is the only one on the list that involves the extraction of lithium and boron.
Lithium mining in Serbia is among the EU’s strategic projects for critical raw materials
Regarding harmonization with EU regulations, Serbia intends to introduce standardized reporting systems in line with the Pan-European Reserves and Resources Reporting Committee (PERC) standards, the UN Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC), and the Petroleum Resources Management System (PRMS), as well as implement ESG principles, which integrate environmental, social, and governance requirements into all phases of geological exploration and mining.
The main objective of the new law is to establish a modern, transparent, and efficient system for managing mineral and other geological resources in line with sustainable development standards, while strengthening the role of the state as the owner and steward of the country’s natural resources, according to the document.
It further highlights the need for more clearly defined mechanisms to ensure the application of sustainable mining principles and compliance with environmental standards, in line with advanced global practices. Investors’ obligations regarding environmental protection, land reclamation, and site remediation should be more precisely regulated during exploration and mining.
Investors’ obligations concerning environmental protection need to be more clearly defined
Improving the legal framework for granting exploration and mining rights is of particular importance, the document states. This would be done through models that ensure greater legal certainty, more efficient oversight, and consistent application of environmental and social standards, in line with sustainable mining principles.
The new law will also set clear criteria for identifying and protecting strategic mineral deposits, and ensure they are included in spatial and development plans. This would enable long-term protection of national interests in the field of mineral resources.
The law will digitalize permitting procedures for exploration and mining
The law will envisage digitalization and electronic processing in all administrative phases through a unified information system that enables electronic application and permitting, while allowing public access to data on exploration and mining fields.
The new law is also intended to ensure gradual alignment with European policies in the fields of green and digital transition.
The public consultation will be open until November 11, during which time citizens and organizations can submit proposals, comments, and suggestions.
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