The European Commission communication (COM(2007) 262 final) sets out the views of the European Commission on the future of the Environment for Europe (EfE) process, as well as its involvement in EfE-related activities after Belgrade. In the Commission's view, the EfE process has made an important contribution to the environmental transition in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, South Eastern Europe, and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia since 1991. "Today, the EU legislation and standards in the environment area cover the normative needs of its newer member States in Central and Eastern Europe. The large majority of the remaining countries in the UNECE region have established strong links with the EUthrough pre-accession, stabilisation and association agreements as well as the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plans, which all promote environment protection through better environmental governance, including legislation and institutions." Thisbilateral cooperation between the EU and the non-EU countries of the UNECE region offers, in the Commission's view, "a more directinstrument to target the environmental challenges of each country and to channel the EU assistance." The Commission signals its intention to concentrate its involvement after the Belgrade Conference on, inter alia, actively participating in the implementation work of the existing UNECE environmental conventions, and supporting the network of EECCA Regional Environmental Centres, which can play a key role for capacity building in the neighbourhood countries as well as the Central Asian states,
