Law on Environmental Protection

The Law on Environmental Protection is important because the environment is not separate from people’s lives. The air people breathe, the water they drink, the land they live on, forests, rivers and mountains are not decoration around society. They are the conditions of life.

This law regulates how nature is protected, who is responsible for pollution, what obligations institutions, businesses and citizens have, and how the public can participate in environmental matters. It is especially important when dealing with pollution, mining, industry, waste, inspections, permits, impact assessments and the right of citizens to know what is happening in the space where they live.

For Avangarda, this law is not only an environmental regulation. It is part of the story about human rights, the public interest and the limits of power. When nature is destroyed without responsibility, the consequences do not stay on paper. They end up in people’s lungs, water, soil, food, health and everyday life.

This resource serves as a starting point for understanding environmental protection in Serbia. For specific legal procedures, the official source should always be checked and professional legal assistance, the competent inspection authority, public authorities or environmental organizations should be contacted.

The current framework law includes Official Gazette RS 135/2004, 36/2009, 36/2009 — another law, 72/2009 — another law, 43/2011 — Constitutional Court decision, 14/2016, 76/2018, 95/2018 — another law and 94/2024 — another law. Chapter 3.2 on chemical accidents ceased from 6 December 2025 under the new separate law in 94/2024; those provisions must not be treated as current. Polluter responsibility, monitoring, information and public participation require reading this framework with water, air, nature, assessment and permitting laws. Identify the competent authority and specific procedure. Record place, time and available pollution findings. Document requests, participation and inspection reports serve different purposes and are not automatically the same remedy.

This supplements Avangarda’s informational editorial overview, rather than reproducing the statute. Translations are editorial, not official. Check the applicable text and appropriate legal route for your case.

This law is used to understand how the environment is protected, what obligations institutions, businesses and citizens have, who is responsible for pollution, and how the public can participate in decisions that affect nature, human health and the space in which people live.

This law can be used by citizens, local communities, journalists, researchers, students, activists, civil society organizations, experts, institutions and anyone who wants to understand how the environment is protected and how to respond when there is pollution, a health risk or a threat to nature.

Use it when there is pollution, a risk to human health, a threat to nature, or a problem related to water, air, soil, waste, noise, industry, mining, permits, inspections or environmental impact assessment. It is especially important when citizens want to know what is happening in their community and how they can participate in decisions that affect the space in which they live.