4.2. Responsible institutions for the coordination and reporting process

The initial information about implementation of the NSSD Action plan was prepared by the Ministry for Sustainable Development and Tourism in December 2017 [16] and submitted to the National Council for Sustainable Development as main advisory body and to the Government. NSSD AP will be evaluated through regular progress reports according to the dynamic plan presented in the Table 3. The first regular progress reports will be prepared in 2019. All phases of proposed evaluation process are presented in the table below.

The Ministry for sustainable development and tourism, as central coordinating body, is obliged to develop the detailed methodology for monitoring and reporting process. Development of a progress report methodology contains four basic elements: (a) preparation of detailed methodologies for reporting on all indicators, (b) producing reporting forms on each individual indicator being monitored ("indicator's passport"), (c) preparation of reporting methodology on the dynamics of the implementation of measures envisaged by the NSOR Action Plan, including mechanism of coordination, and (d) preparation of forms for reporting on individual measures and shares from the NSOR Action Plan. The reporting methodology is in the final phase of development and will be ready for the first evaluation process [17].

The process of implementation, monitoring and evaluation consists of few phases, and each of them is very important so the process itself represents a functional methodology. It necessitates setting up this process as to have precise defined obligations and responsibilities of all subjects


The central coordination institution is Ministry for sustainable development and tourism which covers three important phases of the monitoring and reporting process (Figure 1). According to the new systematization in the Ministry, the Department for Sustainable Development has been integrated into the General Directorate for Climate Changes and Mediterranean Affairs. As of December 2017, the Direction for Mediterranean affairs assumed the SDG related responsibilities of the previous "Department for Sustainable Development" [17]. New systematization and division of labor has introduced a lot of innovation into a system of sustainable development policies coordination. It will take time for the new internal organization scheme to be consolidated. Hence, there is potential risk of slowing down preparation of

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The National council for sustainable development, climate change and integrated coastal zone management is currently chaired by the President of Montenegro and constitutes of 26 members from different stakeholder groups (national and local government authorities, the business sector, public institutions, civil society and independent experts) and four working groups (WGs): (1) WG for the revision and monitoring of the NSSD implementation; (2) WG on the Sustainable Management of Resources; (3) WG on mitigation and adaptation to Climate Changes; and (4) WG on integrated coastal zone management. The National council provides recommendations to the central government on the following: (1) implementation of sustainable development policies; (2) harmonization of sector policies under the principles and objectives of sustainable development, climate change and integrated coastal zone management;

Figure 1. The NSSD 2030 coordination mechanism: Phases of the monitoring and reporting process.

the first NSSD report scheduled for 2019.

Table 3. Dynamics of evaluation process of the NSSD implementation by 2030.

involved in the NSSD implementation, with precisely defined procedures and process format and data exchange due to preparation of report of the NSSD [12]. Next scheme presents that coordination mechanism and its phases.

The UN Agenda 2030 [7] determined that "A robust, voluntary, effective, participatory, transparent and integrated follow-up and review framework will make a vital contribution to implementation and will help countries to maximize and track progress in implementing this Agenda in order to ensure that no one is left behind; As national ownership is key to achieving sustainable development, the outcome from national level processes will be the foundation for reviews at regional and global levels, given that the global review will be primarily based on national official data sources; at the same time follow-up and review in the national context is defined as voluntary instrument led by countries taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities." Hence, it is necessary to enable continuous realization of the program for transposition of SDGs into national context and building of national capacities for the efficient implementation in upcoming monitoring and reporting process.

In addition, the establishment of a functional information system and data base represents the basis for successful measurement of progress in the 2030 NSSD implementation. Well organized functional information system should enable not only simultaneous collecting of data by subjects responsible for monitoring of certain sustainable development indicators, or the NSSD measures, but their archiving and further processing towards efficient national and international reporting.

The central coordination institution is Ministry for sustainable development and tourism which covers three important phases of the monitoring and reporting process (Figure 1). According to the new systematization in the Ministry, the Department for Sustainable Development has been integrated into the General Directorate for Climate Changes and Mediterranean Affairs. As of December 2017, the Direction for Mediterranean affairs assumed the SDG related responsibilities of the previous "Department for Sustainable Development" [17]. New systematization and division of labor has introduced a lot of innovation into a system of sustainable development policies coordination. It will take time for the new internal organization scheme to be consolidated. Hence, there is potential risk of slowing down preparation of the first NSSD report scheduled for 2019.

The National council for sustainable development, climate change and integrated coastal zone management is currently chaired by the President of Montenegro and constitutes of 26 members from different stakeholder groups (national and local government authorities, the business sector, public institutions, civil society and independent experts) and four working groups (WGs): (1) WG for the revision and monitoring of the NSSD implementation; (2) WG on the Sustainable Management of Resources; (3) WG on mitigation and adaptation to Climate Changes; and (4) WG on integrated coastal zone management. The National council provides recommendations to the central government on the following: (1) implementation of sustainable development policies; (2) harmonization of sector policies under the principles and objectives of sustainable development, climate change and integrated coastal zone management;

involved in the NSSD implementation, with precisely defined procedures and process format and data exchange due to preparation of report of the NSSD [12]. Next scheme presents that

Revision of the NSOR x

Phases 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030

xxxxxxxxxx

57 70 80 90

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxx

x x x x xxx

xxx

The UN Agenda 2030 [7] determined that "A robust, voluntary, effective, participatory, transparent and integrated follow-up and review framework will make a vital contribution to implementation and will help countries to maximize and track progress in implementing this Agenda in order to ensure that no one is left behind; As national ownership is key to achieving sustainable development, the outcome from national level processes will be the foundation for reviews at regional and global levels, given that the global review will be primarily based on national official data sources; at the same time follow-up and review in the national context is defined as voluntary instrument led by countries taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities." Hence, it is necessary to enable continuous realization of the program for transposition of SDGs into national context and building of national capacities for the efficient implementation

In addition, the establishment of a functional information system and data base represents the basis for successful measurement of progress in the 2030 NSSD implementation. Well organized functional information system should enable not only simultaneous collecting of data by subjects responsible for monitoring of certain sustainable development indicators, or the NSSD measures, but their archiving and further processing towards efficient national and interna-

coordination mechanism and its phases.

Table 3. Dynamics of evaluation process of the NSSD implementation by 2030.

in upcoming monitoring and reporting process.

tional reporting.

Data collecting and processing

72 Statistics - Growing Data Sets and Growing Demand for Statistics

NSSD indicators introduction

indicators

reports

reports

Development of recommendations for improving NSSD

Revision of the NSOR action plan

Preparation of progress reports

% of introduced SDG

Publishing of progress

Analysis of data in line with UN Statistical Commission regular


Figure 1. The NSSD 2030 coordination mechanism: Phases of the monitoring and reporting process.

(3) amendments to existing regulations; (4) adoption of new national regulations and (5) involvement in the process of monitoring the implementation of the NSSD 2030 [18] .

Montenegro that covers not only the framework period of accession process but also expected future period of Montenegro's development as the EU Member State. With adoption of the NSSD 2030 and a corresponding Action Plan for its implementation, the Government of Montenegro nationalized UN 2030 agenda for sustainable development, including its Sustain-

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The EU also implements the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, together with its Member States, in line with the principle of subsidiarity. The EU's answer to the 2030 Agenda includes two work streams: the first is to mainstream the SDGs in the European policy framework and current Commission priorities; the second is to launch reflection on further developing of European longer term vision with the focus on sector policies after 2020—preparation for the long term

The sustainable development lies at the core of European values and constitutes an overarching objective of the Union. The EU has played a leading role in the process that led to the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 SDGs in September 2015. It is now determined to take the lead in its implementation. In June 2017, the European Council confirmed that "the EU and the Member States are strongly committed to implementing the 2030 Agenda in a full, coherent, comprehensive, integrated and effective manner and in close cooperation with partners and other stakeholders, including sub-national authorities, civil society, the private sector, social partners and academia." The European council underlined

Having in mind all of the above mentioned, Montenegro has committed to both the EU accession negotiations and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This paper is also focused on analysis of relations between these processes and reporting characteristics. The main research questions are the following: (a) what is the level of similarities of those two reporting processes and (b) are there space for creating synergy and improve quality of

Structural complementarities of these two agendas are presented in the Table 4. The Agenda 2030 is a long-term development framework focused on SDGs and its targets, while the EU agenda is comprised of the pre-accession period (accession negotiations process) and post-

2030 Agenda as a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity, is based on achieving the sustainable development goals [12] while the EU integration process is based on achieving the accession criteria defined in negotiating chapters and related benchmarks [20]. Pre-accession assistance is provided by the EU through the Programme of the pre-accession assistance—IPA [26]. This programme is created in order to support Montenegro's integration process according to defined priorities in specific sectors. While IPA I (2007–2013) was implemented through its five components, IPA II (2014–2020) is created through sector-based approach for

At the same time, United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2017–2021 is a five-year strategic framework of cooperation between the Government of Montenegro and the UN for the period 2017–2021. Strategic document called Integrated UN Programme for

that the EU and its Member States will act as frontrunners in this respect [25].

accession period and obligations arising from the full-fledged membership.

able Development Goals (SDGs) and SDG indicators.

implementation of the SDGs [24].

reporting for both agendas.

pre-accession support [27].

The final phases in the monitoring and reporting process are regular adoptions of the monitoring report by Montenegro's Government and its submission to the UN Economic and Social Council.

#### 4.3. Establishment of a functional information system for data collection and reporting

Establishment of a functional information system and data base is the foundation for successful measurement of progress in the NSSD implementation. The established system should be simple, efficient and friendly oriented towards users since its primarily purpose is to facilitate implementation monitoring in order to have quality implementation of the NSSD, and not to be represent too massive and inefficient system that in practice will not work. Such organized functional information system should enable not only simultaneous collecting of data by subjects responsible for monitoring of certain indicators or measures, but their archiving and further processing towards efficient national and international reporting [12].

Existing UNEP's online reporting system (Indicator Reporting Information System—IRIS) is the solution recommended by the NSSD for organization and development of the information system. If adopted, after the ongoing test phase, IRIS will be managed by Montenegro. In this case the Ministry for Sustainable Development and Tourism, within a unit that will be in charge for the NSSD 2030 implementation [19].
