The Legal Framework for Energy Communities in Serbia and Environmental Impact Assessment
The research was presented at the University of Pisa Faculty of Law on 28 and 29 November 2024 within the Circle U. alliance.
Prof. Dr Mirjana Drenovak-Ivanović and PhD candidate Miloš Kuzman presented their paper at the conference “Promoting Energy Communities and Sustainability: Multidisciplinary Legal Issues”. They analysed the legal position of energy communities in Serbia, amendments to the Energy Law adopted in November 2024 and the reasons why no energy community had yet been registered in practice.
The research examined the role of environmental impact assessment in aligning energy initiatives with sustainability objectives and connected green democracy with local-community participation. Findings were discussed with researchers from Pisa, Budapest and Graz and representatives of energy regulators.
The findings presented demonstrated that the legal recognition of energy communities alone is insufficient to ensure their effective operation. Putting this model into practice requires clear procedures for their establishment and operation, access to the electricity grid, appropriate financing arrangements and the support of local communities. By addressing environmental impact assessment and public participation, the study approached the energy transition not only as a technical and economic process, but also as a matter of law, democratic decision-making and the protection of the public interest.
The comparative findings were incorporated into JMC EECL teaching and research activities concerning renewable energy sources, energy communities and public participation. They were used to connect the European Union legal framework with the practical challenges of its implementation in different national and local contexts, thereby strengthening the programme’s international and comparative legal dimension.
