ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ ΤΩΝ ΕΥΡΩΠΑΪΚΩΝ ΚΟΙΝΟΤΗΤΩΝ 
Βρυξέλλες, 02.06.1998 
COM(1998) 344 τελικό 
Πρόταση απόφασης του ΣυμΡουλίου για την υπογραφή από την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα 
της ΣύμΡασης της ΟΕΕ του ΟΗΕ σχετικά με την πρόσβαση στην πληροφόρηση, τη 
συμμετοχή του κοινού και την πρόσβαση στη δικαιοσύνη για περιβαλλοντικά θέματα 
(υποβληθείσα από την Επιτροπή) 

Πρόταση απόφασης του Συμβουλίου για την υπογραφή από την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα 
της Σύμβασης της ΟΕΕ του ΟΗΕ σχετικά με την πρόσβαση στην πληροφόρηση, τη 
συμμετοχή του κοινού και την πρόσβαση στη δικαιοσύνη για περιβαλλοντικά θέματα 
Αιτιολογική έκθεση 
Η Υπουργική Διάσκεψη της Σόφιας χου 1995 (διαδικασία "Περιβάλλον για την Ευρώπη"), 
με χην ενεργό συμμεχοχή όλων χων κραχών μελών και χης Επιχροπής, ενέκρινε 
>προσαναχολισμούς για χην πρόσβαση σε περιβαλλονχικές πληροφορίες και τη συμμεχοχή 
χου κοινού σχη λήψη αποφάσεων για χο περιβάλλον, βάσει χης αρχής 10 της Δήλωσης χου 
Ρίο, σύμφωνα με χην οποία χα περιβαλλονχικά ζηχήμαχα ανχιμεχωπίζονχαι καλύχερα με χη 
συμμεχοχή όλων χων ενδιαφερομένων πολιχών, και συγκεκριμένα μέσω καχάλληλης 
πρόσβασης σε πληροφορίες που καχέχουν οι δημόσιες αρχές και μέσω ευκαιριών για 
συμμεχοχή στη λήψη αποφάσεων. 
Η αύξηση της πρόσβασης χου κοινού σε πληροφορίες και χης συμμεχοχής χου κοινού σχη 
λήψη αποφάσεων αναγνωρίζεχαι πράγμαχι όχι αποχελεί βασικό εργαλείο προκειμένου να 
βελχιωθεί η ευαισθηχοποίηση χου κοινού και να ενθαρρυνθεί η καλύχερη εφαρμογή χης 
περιβαλλονχικής νομοθεσίας, με χην ανάλογη υποσχήριξη χων περιβαλλονχικών πολιχικών 
και χης αποχελεσμαχικόχηχας χους. 
Ως αποχέλεσμα πολιχικής δέσμευσης που ανελήφθη σχη Σόφια, δρομολογήθηκαν 
διαπραγμαχεύσεις σχο πλαίσιο χης Οικονομικής Επιχροπής χων Ηνωμένων Εθνών 
(ΟΕΕ/ΟΗΕ), με σκοπό οι προσαναχολισμοί αυχοί να μεχαχραπούν σε νομικά δεσμευχικό 
μέσο, χο οποίο θα ενισχύσει τη σημασία που πρέπει να δίδεχαι σχα θέμαχα αυχά και θα 
εξασφαλίσει αποχελεσμαχική εφαρμογή, με διεθνές νομικό κείμενο. 
Οι διαπραγμαχεύσεις άρχισαν χον Ιούνιο χου 1996, βάσει "σχοιχείων σχεδίου", χα οποία 
προπαρασκεύασε η Γραμμαχεία χης ΟΕΕ/ΟΗΕ, και έληξαν χο Μάρχιο χου 1998 με ένα 
κείμενο, χο οποίο εγκρίθηκε με συναίνεση. 
Αξίζει να σημειωθεί όχι οι μη κυβερνηχικοί οργανισμοί, χων οποίων ο ειδικός και 
αποφασισχικός ρόλος αναγνωριζόχαν σχους προσαναχολισμούς χης Σόφιας, συμμεχείχαν 
ενεργά σχις εν λόγω διαπραγμαχεύσεις ως παραχηρηχές, μαζί με όλες χις άλλες 
ανχιπροσωπείες, διαδραμάχισαν δε πολύ ενεργό ρόλο σχη διαδικασία. 
Βασιζόμενη σχους προσαναχολισμούς και διευρύνονχάς χους, η Σύμβαση αποσκοπεί βασικά 
να συμβάλει σχη "Προσχασία χου δικαιώμαχος κάθε αχόμου από χις παρούσες και 
μελλονχικές γενεές να ζει σε περιβάλλον καχάλληλο για χην υγεία και χην ευημερία χου" και 
συνίσχαχαι από χρία κύρια και συμπληρωμαχικά μέρη, χα οποία αφορούν χην πρόσβαση σε 
πληροφορίες που καχέχουν οι δημόσιες αρχές, τη συμμεχοχή χου κοινού στη λήψη 
αποφάσεων που έχουν σημανχική επίπχωση σχο περιβάλλον και χην πρόσβαση σχη 
Ρ 
δικαιοσύνη. Η Σύμβαση θα είναι ανοικτή για υπογραφή σχην Υπουργική Διάσκεψη του 
Aarhus, η οποία πρόκειται να λάβει χώρα χον Ιούνιο χου 1998. 
Η Επιτροπή συμμετέσχε αρχικά σχη διαπραγμαχευχική διαδικασία ως παρατηρητής και, 
κατόπιν της έγκρισης, χον Δεκέμβριο χου 1997, χων συμπερασμάχων χου Συμβουλίου για 
την εξουσιοδότηση της Κοινότηχας να συμμεχάσχει σχις διαπραγμαχεύσεις, 
ανχιπροσώπευσε χην Κοινόχηχα σε θέμαχα κοινοχικής αρμοδιόχηχας (ήχοι, χην πρόσβαση σε 
περιβαλλονχικές πληροφορίες και τη συμμετοχή του κοινού σε ειδικές δραστηριότηχες) σχις 
χελευχαίες χρεις διαπραγμαχευχικές συνόδους. Η συμμεχοχή χης Κοινόχηχας, αυτής 
καθαυχής, είχε πράγμαχι ιδιαίχερη σημασία σε θέμαχα που αναγνωρίζεχαι όχι έχουν μεγάλη 
σπουδαιόχηχα σχην κοινοχική πολιχική περιβαλλονχικής προστασίας, όπως ήδη χονιζόχαν 
σχο χέχαρχο κοινοχικό πρόγραμμα δράσης για χο περιβάλλον και επαναλαμβανόχαν σχο 
πέμπχο. Η σημασία που πρέπει να αποδίδεχαι σχην ευαισθηχοποίηση χου κοινού και σχη 
συμμεχοχή σχη διαδικασία λήψεως αποφάσεων διαγραφόχαν πρόσφαχα επίσης σχην 
ανακοίνωση χης Επιχροπής χου Οκχωβρίου 1996 σχεχικά με χην εφαρμογή χου κοινοχικού 
περιβαλλονχικού δικαίου. Σχο πλαίσιο αυχό, υπάρχει μια σειρά κοινοχικών οδηγιών, μεχαξύ 
χων οποίων η πλέον ουσιώδης είναι η οδηγία 90/313/ΕΟΚ σχεχικά με χην ελεύθερη 
πληροφόρηση για θέμαχα περιβάλλονχος, καθώς και δύο οδηγίες που προβλέπουν 
διαδικασία συμμεχοχής χου κοινού, π.χ. η οδηγία 85/337/ΕΟΚ για χην εκχίμηση χων 
περιβαλλονχικών επιπχώσεων (ΕΙΑ) και η οδηγία 96/61/ΕΚ σχεχικά με χην ολοκληρωμένη 
πρόληψη και έλεγχο χης ρύπανσης (IPPC). Ως αποχέλεσμα αυχής της υφισχάμενης 
κοινοχικής νομοθεσίας και χης καχεύθυνσης πολιχικής, επί χης οποίας βασίζεχαι, καθώς και 
χης ανάγκης για επέκχαση και περαιχέρω ανάπτυξη χου εν λόγω "κεκτημένου" στην 
περιφέρεια χης ΟΕΕ/ΟΗΕ, η Κοινόχηχα ενδιαφερόχαν ιδιαίχερα να συμμεχάσχει σχις 
διαπραγμαχεύσεις αυχές. Σε σχέση με χην κοινοχική νομοθεσία, ήχαν επίσης σημανχικό να 
εξασφαλισχεί η πλήρης συνέπεια χου σχεδίου σύμβασης με χις υφισχάμενες οδηγίες, χο 
οποίο ήχαν πράγμαχι ακόμη σημανχικόχερο, αφού μεγάλο μέρος χης Σύμβασης βασίσχηκε 
σε νομοθεσία χης ΕΕ. 
Όσον αφορά χην πρόσβαση σε περιβαλλονχικές πληροφορίες, η Σύμβαση προβλέπει 
λεπχομερή δικαιώμαχα και υποχρεώσεις, ιδίως σχεχικά με χα χρονοδιαγράμμαχα για χην 
παροχή χων πληροφοριών, χους περιορισμένους λόγους για χην άρνηση χων δημοσίων 
αρχών να επιχρέψουν χην πρόσβαση σε ορισμένα είδη πληροφοριών, καθώς και ενεργά 
καθήκονχα που πρέπει να εκχελούνχαι από χις δημόσιες αρχές, ούχως ώσχε να 
εξασφαλίζεχαι ευρεία διάδοση περιβαλλονχικών πληροφοριών γενικού χαρακχήρα. Τα 
ανωχέρω όνχως βελχιώνουν και συμπληρώνουν χην οδηγία 90/313/ΕΟΚ σχεχικά με χην 
ελεύθερη πληροφόρηση για θέμαχα περιβάλλονχος, χης οποίας η αναθεώρηση αναμένεχαι 
να αρχίσει σύνχομα. 
Όσον αφορά τη συμμεχοχή χου κοινού σχις λήψεις αποφάσεων, η Σύμβαση προβλέπει 
συνολική διαδικασία συμμεχοχής χου κοινού σε αποφάσεις για ειδικές δρασχηριόχηχες οι 
οποίες έχουν σημανχική επίπχωση σχο περιβάλλον, μέσω χης οποίας ενημερώνεχαι χο κοινό 
και έχει ευκαιρίες να συμμεχάσχει σε όλα χα σχάδια χης διαδικασίας, ενδεχομένως δε χο 
αποχέλεσμα χης συμμεχοχής αυχής χου κοινού θα λαμβάνεχαι δεόνχως υπόψη σχην χελική 
απόφαση. Έμπνευση για χο καθεσχώς αυχό απεχέλεσε σε μεγάλο βαθμό η υφισχάμενη 
νομοθεσία της ΕΕ, τόσο ώστε η διαδικασία συμμετοχής του κοινού, που προβλέπεχαι επί 
του παρόντος στις οδηγίες ΕΙΑ και IRRC να συγχωνευθούν σε μία, το δε πεδίο εφαρμογής 
της διαδικασίας αυτής είναι απλώς το άθροισμα των αντιστοίχων πεδίων εφαρμογής των 
ανωτέρω δύο οδηγιών. 
Επιπλέον, η Σύμβαση προβλέπει επίσης μια ελαφρύτερη διαδικασία, που επιτρέπει έναν 
ορισμένο βαθμό συμμετοχής του κοινού όσον αφορά σχέδια, προγράμματα και πολιτικές 
που σχετίζονται με το περιβάλλον, καθώς και γλώσσα με χαρακτήρα σύσχασης για χην 
προπαρασκευή εκχελεσχικών κανονισμών και/ή νομικά δεσμευχικών κειμένων γενικής 
εφαρμογής. 
Τέλος, για χην πρόσβαση στη δικαιοσύνη, η σύμβαση περιέχει ορισμένες διατάξεις, με τις 
οποίες εξασφαλίζεχαι όχι, σχο πλαίσιο χου εθνικού δικαίου, χο κοινό δύναχαι να διαθέχει 
καχάλληλη πρόσβαση σχη δικαιοσύνη, σε εικαζόμενη παραβίαση χων δικαιωμάχων χου για 
πρόσβαση σχην πληροφόρηση. Ομοίως, χο ενδιαφερόμενο κοινό, σε περίπχωση εικαζόμενης 
παραβίασης της διαδικασίας συμμετοχής του κοινού, που προβλέπεται στη Σύμβαση, πρέπει 
να διαθέτει κατάλληλη πρόσβαση σχη δικαιοσύνη. Επιπλέον, και σύμφωνα με χους όρους 
που καθορίζονχαι σχο εθνικό δίκαιο, η Σύμβαση προβλέπει πρόσβαση σχη δικαιοσύνη για 
χην προσβολή πράξεων και παραλήψεων από πρόσωπα ιδιωχικού δικαίου και δημόσιες 
αρχές, οι οποίες συνισχούν παράβαση διαχάξεων χου εθνικού περιβαλλονχικού δικαίου. 
Πρέπει επίσης να μνημονευθεί ένα επιπρόσθεχο στοιχείο, χο οποίο συνηγορεί υπέρ της 
υπογραφής της Σύμβασης από την Κοινότηχα, εφόσον η Σύμβαση καλύπχει χα κοινοχικά 
θεσμικά όργανα, χα οποία περιλαμβάνονχαι σχον ορισμό χων "δημοσίων αρχών", μαζί με χις 
εθνικές, περιφερειακές και χοπικές δημόσιες αρχές. Αυτή, πράγμαχι, είναι η πρώχη φορά 
που εφαρμόζεχαι μια διεθνής σύμβαση σχα κοινοχικά θεσμικά όργανα, αυχά καθαυχά. Επ' 
αυχού, και προκειμένου να επισημανθεί η ανάγκη να εξεχάζονχαι και να λαμβάνονχαι υπόψη 
οι ιδιαιχερόχηχες χου κοινοχικού θεσμικού συσχήμαχος και της έννομης χάξης χου, ενόψει 
χης σύναψης χης Σύμβασης από χην Κοινότηχα, επισυνάπχεχαι σχην παρούσα πρόχαση 
υπογραφής σχέδιο δήλωσης της Κοινότητας κατά την υπογραφή. Επί του παρόντος, μεταξύ 
της υπογραφής και της σύναψης, η Επιτροπή, μαζί με άλλα ενδιαφερόμενα κοινοτικά 
θεσμικά όργανα, θα προβεί σε προσεκτική εκχίμηση χων χριών πυλώνων χης Σύμβασης που 
συνδέονχαι με χο κοινοχικά θεσμικό σύστημα και θα εξεχάσει, καχά συνέπεια, καχά πόσον 
θα χρειασχεί τυχόν επιφύλαξη ή ερμηνευτική δήλωση, καχά χην κύρωση χης Σύμβασης, για 
χον σκοπό χης εφαρμογής χης σχα κοινοχικά θεσμικά όργανα. 
Όπως συνάγεχαι από χα ανωχέρω, η Κοινότηχα πρέπει, επομένως, να υπογράψει χη 
Σύμβαση. 
Πρόταση απόφασης του Συμβουλίου για την υπογραφή από την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα της 
Σύμβασης της ΟΕΕ του ΟΗΕ σχετικά με την πρόσβαση στην πληροφόρηση, τη συμμετοχή του 
κοινού και την πρόσβαση στη δικαιοσύνη για περιβαλλοντικά θέματα 
ΤΟ ΣΥΜΒΟΥΛΙΟ ΤΗΣ ΕΥΡΩΠΑΪΚΗΣ ΕΝΩΣΗΣ 
Έχοντας υπόψη: 
τη συνθήκη για την ίδρυση της Ευρωπαϊκής Κοινότητας, 
χην πρόταση της Επιτροπής, 
εκτιμώνχας: 
όχι η Υπουργική Διάσκεψη χης Σόφιας χου 1995 "Περιβάλλον για χην Ευρώπη" ενέκρινε χους 
προσαναχολισμούς της Σόφιας σχετικά με την πρόσβαση στην περιβαλλοντική πληροφόρηση και χη 
συμμεχοχή χου κοινού στη λήψη αποφάσεων για το περιβάλλον και συμφώνησε να δρομολογήσει 
διαπραγματεύσεις, στο πλαίσιο της Οικονομικής Επιτροπής για την Ευρώπη του Οργανισμού 
Ηνωμένων Εθνών, για τη μετατροπή των προσανατολισμών αυτών σε νομικά δεσμευτικό μέσο, 
ότι η Επιτροπή, εξ ονόματος της Κοινότητας και σύμφωνα με τις διαπραγματευτικές οδηγίες που 
καθορίζονται στα συμπεράσματα του Συμβουλίου της 4ης Δεκεμβρίου 1997, συμμετέσχε στις εν 
λόγω διαπραγματεύσεις, 
ότι η πρόσβαση σε περιβαλλοντικές πληροφορίες και η συμμετοχή του κοινού στη λήψη 
αποφάσεων για το περιβάλλον έχουν ιδιαίτερη σημασία στην πολιτική περιβαλλοντικής προστασίας, 
όπως αναγνωρίζεται από το πέμπτο κοινοτικό πρόγραμμα δράσης για το περιβάλλον και ορισμένες 
οδηγίες της ΕΚ· ότι αποτελούν πράγματι ουσιώδη μέσα για να βελτιωθεί η ευαισθητοποίηση του 
κοινού και να εξασφαλιστεί η καλύτερη εφαρμογή της περιβαλλοντικής νομοθεσίας, 
ότι οι διαπραγματεύσεις ολοκληρώθηκαν τον Μάρτιο του 1998 και η Σύμβαση πρόκειται να είναι 
ανοικτή για υπογραφή τον Ιούνιο του 1998 στην Υπουργική Διάσκεψη "Περιβάλλον για την 
Ευρώπη" του Aarhus, 
ότι θα ήταν σκόπιμο να υπογράψει η Κοινότητα την παρούσα Σύμβαση, με την προοπτική 
μεταγενέστερης σύναψης της, 
ΑΠΟΦΑΣΙΖΕΙ 
ΑΡΘΡΟ ΜΟΝΟ 
Η Πρόεδρος του Συμβουλίου εξουσιοδοτείται να ορίσει το(τα) αρμόδιο(α) πρόσωπο(α) για να 
υπογράψει, εκ μέρους της Ευρωπαϊκής Κοινότητας, τη Σύμβαση σχετικά με την πρόσβαση σε 
πληροφορίες, τη συμμετοχή του κοινού και την πρόσβαση στη δικαιοσύνη για περιβαλλοντικά 
θέματα, επιφυλασσόμενο ως προς την έγκριση, και να του(τους) εκχωρήσει τις αναγκαίες εξουσίες 
για τον σκοπό αυτόν. Το κείμενο στης Σύμβασης επισυνάπτεται στην παρούσα απόφαση. 
Βρυξέλλες, 
Για το Συμβούλιο, 
Ο Πρόεδρος 
ΔΗΛΩΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΥΡΩΠΑΪΚΗΣ ΚΟΙΝΟΤΗΤΑΣ 
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΕΦΑΡΜΟΓΗ ΤΗΣ ΣΥΜΒΑΣΗΣ 
ΣΤΑ ΘΕΣΜΙΚΑ ΤΗΣ ΟΡΓΑΝΑ 
ΣΧΕΔΙΟ 
Η Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα επιθυμεί να εκφράσει τη μεγάλη ικανοποίηση της για την παρούσα 
Σύμβαση, η οποία αποτελεί ουσιαστικό βήμα προς τα εμπρός για την περαιτέρω ενθάρρυνση 
και υποστήριξη της περιβαλλοντικής ευαισθητοποίησης του κοινού και για την καλύτερη 
εφαρμογή της περιβαλλοντικής νομοθεσίας στην περιφέρεια της ΟΕΕ/ΟΗΕ, σύμφωνα με 
την αρχή της αειφόρου ανάπτυξης. 
Υποστηρίζοντας πλήρως τους στόχους που επιδιώκονται με τη Σύμβαση και θεωρώντας ότι 
η ίδια η Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα συμμετέχει ενεργά στην προσχασία χου περιβάλλονχος, 
μέσω ευρείας και εξελισσόμενης δέσμης νομοθεχικών διαχάξεων, θεωρήθηκε σημανχικό, 
όχι μόνον να υπογραφεί η Σύμβαση σε κοινοτικό επίπεδο, αλλά και να καλυφθούν και χα 
δικά χης θεσμικά όργανα, μαζί με χις εθνικές δημόσιες αρχές. 
Αν και αποδέχεχαι να καλύπχεχαι από χον ορισμό χων δημοσίων αρχών, η Κοινόχηχα 
δηλώνει όχι, λαμβανομένου υπόψη χου κοινοχικού θεσμικού συσχήμαχος και χης έννομης 
χάξης του θα εφαρμοστεί, όπως ενδείκνυται, η διάταξη της Σύμβασης που αφορά τα θεσμικά 
όργανα που ενεργούν υπό δικαστική ή νομοθετική ιδιότηχα. 
Ενχός χου ιδίου προαναφερόμενου θεσμικού και νομικού πλαισίου και λόγω επίσης χων 
υποχρεώσεων της συνθήκης του Άμσχερνχαμ όσον αφορά μελλονχική νομοθεσία για τη 
διαφάνεια, η Κοινότητα δηλώνει επίσης ότι χα κοινοχικά θεσμικά όργανα θα εφαρμόσουν χη 
Σύμβαση στο πλαίσιο των υφισταμένων και μελλονχικών κανόνων χους σχεχικά με χην 
πρόσβαση σε έγγραφα και άλλων σχεχικών κανόνων κοινοχικού δικαίου σχο πεδίο που 
καλύπτεται από τη Σύμβαση. 
ν/ι 
UNITED 
NATIONS Ε 
Economic and S ocial 
Council Distr. 
GENERAL·- ·• 
ECÉ/CEP/43 
21 April 1998 
ORIGINAL : ENGLISH 
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE 
COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY 
Fourth Ministerial Conference 
"Environment for Europe", 
Aarhus, Denmark, 23-25 June 1998 
CONVENTION ON ACCESS TO INFORMATION, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 
IN DECISION-MAKING AND ACCESS TO JUSTICE IN ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS */ 
The Parties to this Convention , 
Recalling principle 1 of the Stockholm Declaration on the Human 
Environment, 
Recalling also principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and 
Development, 
Recalling further General Assembly resolutions 37/7 of 28 October 1982 
on the World Charter for Nature and 45/94 of 14 December 1990 on the need to 
ensure a healthy environment for the well-being of individuals, 
Recalling the European Charter on Environment and Health adopted at 
the First European Conference on Environment and Health of the World Health 
Organization in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, on 8 December 1989, 
V Final text endorsed by the Committee on Environmental Policy at 
its special session on 16-18 March 1998 for adoption at the Ministerial 
Conference "Environment for Europe". 
GE.98-30998 
ECE/CEP/43 
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Affirming the need to protect, preserve and improve the state of the 
environment and to ensure sustainable and environmentally sound development, 
Recognizing that adequate protection of the environment is essential to 
human well-being and the enjoyment of basic human rights, including the right 
to life itself, 
Recognizing also that every person has the right to live in an 
environment adequate to his or her health and well-being, and the duty, both 
individually and in association with others, to protect and improve the 
environment for the benefit of present and future generations, 
Considering that, to be able to assert this right and observe this duty, 
citizens must have access to information, be entitled to participate in 
' decision-making and have access to justice in environmental matters, and 
acknowledging in this regard that citizens may need assistance in order to 
exercise their rights, 
Recognizing that, in the field of the environment, improved access to 
information and public participation in decision-making enhance the quality 
and the implementation of decisions, contribute to public awareness of 
environmental issues, give the public the opportunity to express its concerns 
and enable public authorities to take due account of such concerns, 
Aiming thereby to further the accountability of and transparency in 
decision-making and to strengthen public support for decisions on the 
environment, 
Recognizing the desirability of transparency in all branches of 
government and inviting legislative bodies to implement the principles of this 
Convention in their proceedings, 
Recognizing also that the public needs to be aware of the procedures for 
participation in environmental decision-making, have free access to them and 
know how to use them, 
Recognizing further the importance of the respective roles that 
individual citizens, non-governmental organizations and the private sector can 
play in environmental protection, 
Desiring to promote environmental education to further the understanding 
of the environment and sustainable development and to encourage widespread 
public awareness of, and participation in, decisions affecting the environment 
and sustainable development, 
Noting , in this context, the importance of making use of the media and 
of electronic or other, future forms of communication, 
Recognizing the importance of fully integrating environmental-
considerations in governmental decision-making and the consequent need for 
public authorities to be in possession of accurate, comprehensive and up-to-
date environmental information, 
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Acknowledging that public authorities hold environmental information in 
the public interest, 
Concerned that effective judicial mechanisms should be accessible to the 
public, including organizations, so that its legitimate interests are 
protected and the law is enforced, 
Noting the importance of adequate product information being provided to 
consumers to enable them to make informed environmental choices, 
Recognizing the concern of the public about the deliberate release of 
genetically modified organisms into the environment and the need for increased 
transparency and greater public participation in decision-making in this 
field, 
Convinced that the implementation of this Convention will contribute to 
strengthening democracy in the region of the United Nations Economic 
Commission for Europe (ECE), 
Conscious of the role played in this respect by ECE and recalling, inter 
alia , the ECE Guidelines on Access to Environmental Information and Public 
Participation in Environmental Decision-making endorsed in the Ministerial 
Declaration adopted at the Third Ministerial Conference "Environment for 
Europe" in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 25 October 1995, 
Bearing in mind the relevant provisions in the Convention on 
Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context, done at Espoo, 
Finland, on 25 February 1991, and the Convention on the Transboundary Effects 
of Industrial Accidents and the Convention on the Protection and Use of 
Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, both done at Helsinki on 
17 March 1992, and other regional conventions, 
Conscious that the adoption of this Convention will have contributed to 
the further strengthening of the "Environment for Europe" process and to the 
results of the Fourth Ministerial Conference in Aarhus, Denmark, in June 1998, 
Have agreed as follows: 
Article 1 
OBJECTIVE 
In order to contribute to the protection of the right of every person of 
present and future generations to live in an environment adéquate to his or 
her health and well-being, each Party shall guarantee the rights of access to 
information, public participation in decision-making, and access to justice in 
environmental matters in accordance with the provisions of this Convention. 
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Article 2 
DEFINITIONS 
For the purposes of this Convention, 
1. "Party" means, unless the text otherwise indicates, a Contracting Party 
to this Convention; 
2. "Public authority" means: 
(a) Government at national, regional and other level; 
(b) Natural or legal persons performing public administrative 
functions under national law, including specific duties, activities or 
services in relation to the environment; 
(c) Any other natural or legal persons having public responsibilities 
or functions, or providing public services, in relation to the environment, 
under the control of a body or person falling within subparagraphs (a) or (b) 
above; 
(d) The institutions of any regional economic integration 
organization referred to in article 17 which is a Party to this Convention. 
This definition does not include bodies or institutions acting in a 
judicial or legislative capacity; 
3. "Environmental information" means any information in written, visual, 
aural, electronic or any other material form on: 
(a) The state of elements of the environment, such as air and 
atmosphere, water, soil, land, landscape and natural sites, biological 
diversity and its components, including genetically modified organisms, and 
the interaction among these elements; 
(b) Factors, such as substances, energy, noise and radiation, and 
activities or measures, including administrative measures, environmental 
agreements, policies, legislation, plans and programmes, affecting or likely 
to affect the elements of the environment within the scope of subparagraph (a) 
above, and cost-benefit and other economic analyses and assumptions used in 
environmental decision-making; 
(c) The state of human health and safety, conditions of human life, 
cultural sites and built structures, inasmuch as they are or may be affected 
by the state of the elements of the environment or, through these elements,, by 
the factors, activities or measures referred to in subparagraph (b) above; 
4. "The public" means one or more natural or legal persons, and, -in 
accordance with national legislation or practice, their associations, 
organizations or groups; 
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5. "The public concerned" means the public affected or likely to be 
affected by, or having an interest in, the environmental decision-making; for 
the purposes of this definition, non-governmental organizations promoting 
environmental protection and meeting any requirements under national law shall 
be deemed to have an interest. 
Article 3 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
1. Each Party shall take the necessary legislative, regulatory and other 
measures, including measures to achieve compatibility between the provisions 
implementing the information, public participation and access-to-justice 
provisions in this Convention, as well as proper enforcement measures, to 
establish and maintain a clear, transparent and consistent framework to 
implement the provisions of this Convention. 
2. Each Party shall endeavour to ensure that officials and authorities 
assist and provide guidance to the public in seeking access to information, in 
facilitating participation in decision-making and in seeking access to justice 
in environmental matters. 
3. Each Party shall promote environmental education and environmental 
awareness among the public, especially on how to obtain access to information, 
to participate in decision-making and to obtain access to justice in 
environmental matters. 
4. Each Party shall provide for appropriate recognition of and support to 
associations, organizations or groups promoting environmental protection and 
ensure that its national legal system is consistent with this obligation. 
5. The provisions of this Convention shall not affect the right of a Party 
to maintain or introduce measures providing for broader access to information, 
more extensive public participation in decision-making and wider access to 
justice in environmental matters than required by this Convention. 
6. This Convention shall not require any derogation from existing rights of 
access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to 
justice in environmental matters. 
7. Each Party shall promote the application of the principles of this 
Convention in international environmental decision-making processes and within 
the framework of international organizations in matters relating to the 
environment. 
8. Each Party shall ensure that persons exercising their rights in 
conformity with the provisions of this Convention shall not be penalized, 
persecuted or harassed in any way for their involvement. This provision shall 
not affect the powers of national courts to award reasonable costs in judicial 
proceedings. 
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9. Within the scope of the relevant provisions of this Convention, the 
public shall have access to information, have the possibility to participate 
in decision-making and have access to justice in environmental matters without 
discrimination as to citizenship, nationality or domicile and, in the case of 
a legal person, without discrimination as to where it has its- registered seat 
or an effective centre of its activities. 
Article 4 
ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION 
1. Each Party shall ensure that, subject to the following paragraphs of 
this article, public authorities, in response to a request for environmental 
information, make such information available to the public , within the 
framework of national legislation, including, where requested and subject to 
subparagraph (b) below, copies of the actual documentation containing or 
comprising such information: 
(a) Without an interest having to be stated; 
(b) In the form requested unless: 
(i) It is reasonable for the public authority to make it 
available in another form, in which case reasons shall be 
given for making it available in that form; or 
(ii) The information is already publicly available in another 
form. 
2. The environmental information referred to in paragraph 1 above shall be 
made available as soon as possible and at the latest within one month after 
the request has been submitted, unless the volume and the complexity of the 
information justify an extension of this period up to two months after the 
request. The applicant shall be informed of any extension and of the reasons 
justifying it. 
3. A request for environmental information may be refused if: 
(a) The public authority to which the request is addressed does not 
hold the environmental information requested; 
(b) The request is manifestly unreasonable or formulated in too 
general a manner; or 
(c) The request concerns material in the course of completion or 
concerns internal communications of public authorities where such an exemption 
is provided for in national law or customary practice, taking into account the 
public interest served by disclosure. 
4. A request for environmental information may be refused if the disclosure 
would adversely affect: 
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(a) The confidentiality of the proceedings of public authorities, 
where such confidentiality is provided for under national law; 
(b) International relations, national defence or public security; 
(c) The course of justice, the ability of a person to receive a fair 
trial or the ability of a public authority to conduct an enquiry of a criminal 
or disciplinary nature; 
(d) The confidentiality of commercial and industrial information, 
where such confidentiality is protected by law in order to protect a 
legitimate economic interest. Within this framework, information on emissions 
which is relevant for the protection of the environment shall be disclosed; 
(e) Intellectual property rights; 
(f) The confidentiality of personal data and/or files relating to a 
natural person where that person has not consented to the disclosure of the 
information to the public, where such confidentiality is provided for in 
national law; 
(g) The interests of a third party which has supplied the information 
requested without that party being under or capable of being put under a legal 
obligation to do so, and where that party does not consent to the release of 
the material; or 
(h) The environment to which the information relates, such as the 
breeding sites of rare species. 
The aforementioned grounds for refusal shall be interpreted in a restrictive 
way, taking into account the public interest served by disclosure and taking 
into account whether the information requested relates to emissions into the 
environment . 
5. Where a public authority does not hold the environmental information 
requested, this public authority shall, as promptly as possible, inform the 
applicant of the public authority to which it believes it is possible to apply 
for the information requested or transfer the request to that authority and 
inform the applicant accordingly. 
6. Each Party shall ensure that, if information exempted from disclosure 
under paragraphs 3 (c) and 4 above can be" separated out without prejudice to 
the confidentiality of the information exempted, public authorities make 
available the remainder of the environmental information that has been 
requested. 
7. A refusal of a request shall be in writing if the request was in writing 
or the applicant so requests. A refusal shall state the reasons for the 
refusal and give information on access to the review procedure provided for in 
accordance with article 9. The refusal shall be made as soon as possible and 
at the latest within one month, unless the complexity of the information 
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justifies an extension of this period up to two months after the request. The 
applicant shall be informed of any extension and of the reasons justifying it 
8. Each Party may allow its public authorities to make a charge for 
supplying information, but such charge shall not exceed a reasonable amount. 
Public authorities intending to make such a charge for supplying information 
shall make available to applicants a schedule of charges which may be levied, 
indicating the circumstances in which they may be levied or waived and when 
the supply of information is conditional on the advance payment of such a 
charge. 
Article 5 
COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION 
1. Each Party shall ensure that: 
(a) Public authorities possess and update environmental information 
which is relevant to their functions; 
(b) Mandatory systems are established so that there is an adequate 
flow of information to public authorities about proposed and existing 
activities which may significantly affect the environment; 
(c) In the event of any imminent threat to human health or the 
environment, whether caused by human activities or due to natural causes, all 
information which could enable the public to take measures to prevent or 
mitigate harm arising from the threat and is held by a public authority is 
disseminated immediately and without delay to members of the public who may be 
affected. 
2. Each Party shall ensure that, within the framework of national 
legislation, the way in which public authorities make environmental 
information available to the public is transparent and that environmental 
information is effectively accessible, inter alia, by: 
(a) Providing sufficient information to the public about the type and 
scope of environmental information held by the relevant public authorities, 
the basic terms and conditions under which such information is made available 
and accessible, and the process by which it can be obtained; 
(b) Establishing and maintaining practical arrangements, such as: 
(i) Publicly accessible lists, registers or files; 
(ii) Requiring officials to support the public in seeking 
access to information under this Convention; and 
(iii) The identification of points of contact; and 
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(c) Providing access to the environmental information contained in 
lists, registers or files as referred to in subparagraph (b) (i) above free of 
charge. 
3. Each Party shall ensure that environmental information progressively 
becomes available in electronic databases which are easily accessible to the 
public through public telecommunications networks. Information accessible in 
this form should include: 
(a) Reports on the state of the environment, as referred to in 
paragraph 4 below; 
(b) Texts of legislation on or relating to the environment; 
(c) As appropriate, policies, plans and programmes on or relating to 
the environment, and environmental agreements; and 
(d) Other information, to the extent that the availability of such 
information in this form would facilitate the application of national law 
implementing this Convention, 
provided that such information is already available in electronic form. 
4. Each Party shall, at regular intervals not exceeding three or four 
years, publish and disseminate a national report on the state of the 
environment, including information on the quality of the environment and 
information on pressures on the environment. 
5. Each Party shall take measures within the framework of its legislation 
for the purpose of disseminating, inter alia : 
(a) Legislation and policy documents such as documents on strategies, 
policies, programmes and action plans relating to the environment, and 
progress reports on their implementation, prepared at various levels of 
government; 
(b) International treaties, conventions and agreements on 
environmental issues; and 
(c) Other significant international documents on environmental issues, 
as appropriate. 
6. Each Party shall encourage operators whose activities have a significant 
impact on the environment to inform the public regularly of the environmental 
impact of their activities and products, where appropriate within the 
framework of voluntary eco-labelling or eco-auditing schemes or by other 
means. 
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7. Each Party shall: 
(a) Publish the facts and analyses of facts which it considers 
relevant and important in framing major environmental policy proposals; 
(b) Publish, or otherwise make accessible, available explanatory 
material on it's dealings with the public in matters falling within the scope 
of this Convention; and 
(c) Provide in an appropriate form information on the performance of 
public functions- or the provision of public services relating to the 
environment by government at all levels. 
8. Each Party shall develop mechanisms with a view to ensuring that 
sufficient product information is made available to the public in a manner 
which enables consumers to make informed environmental choices. 
9. Each Party shall take steps to establish progressively, taking into 
account international processes where appropriate, a coherent, nationwide 
system of pollution inventories or registers on a structured, computerized and 
publicly accessible database compiled through standardized reporting. Such 
system may include inputs, releases and transfers of a specified range of 
substances and products, including water, energy and resource use, from a 
specified range of activities to environmental media and to on-site and off-
site treatment and disposal sites. 
10. Nothing in this article may prejudice the right of Parties to refuse to 
disclose certain environmental information in accordance with article 4, 
paragraphs 3 and 4. 
Article 6 
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN DECISIONS ON SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES 
1. Each Party: 
(a) Shall apply the provisions of this article with respect to 
decisions on whether to permit proposed activities listed in annex I; 
(b) Shall, in accordance with its national law, also apply the 
provisions of this article to decisions on proposed activities not listed in 
annex I which may have a significant effect on the environment. To this end, 
Parties shall determine whether such a proposed activity is subject to these 
provisions; and 
(c) May decide, on a case-by-case basis if so provided under national 
law, not to apply the provisions of this article to proposed activities 
serving national defence purposes, if that Party deems that such application 
would have an adverse effect on these purposes. 
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2. The public concerned shall be informed, either by public notice or 
individually as appropriate, early in an environmental decision-making 
procedure, and in an adequate, timely and effective manner, inter alia, of: 
(a) 
be taken; 
(b) 
(c) 
(d) 
can be provided: 
(i) 
(ii) 
(iii) 
(iv) The proposed activity and the application on which a decision will 
The nature of possible decisions or the draft decision; 
The public authority responsible for making the decision; 
The envisaged procedure, including, as and when this information 
(v) 
(vi) The commencement of the procedure; 
The opportunities for the public to participate; 
The time and venue of any envisaged public hearing; 
An indication of the public authority from which relevant 
information can be obtained and where the relevant 
information has been deposited for examination by the. 
public; 
An indication of the relevant public authority or any other 
official body to which comments or questions can be 
submitted and of the time schedule for transmittal of 
comments or questions; and 
An indication of what environmental information relevant to 
the proposed activity is available; and 
(e) The fact that the' activity is subject to a national or 
transboundary environmental impact assessment procedure. 
3. The public participation procedures shall include reasonable time-frames 
for the different phases, allowing sufficient time for informing the public in 
accordance with paragraph 2 above and for the public to prepare and 
participate effectively during the environmental decision-making. 
4. Each Party shall provide for early public participation, when all 
options are open and effective public participation can take place. 
5. Each Party should, where appropriate, encourage prospective applicants 
to identify the public concerned, to enter into discussions, and to provide 
information regarding the objectives of their application before applying for 
a permit. 
6. Each Party shall require the competent public authorities to give the 
public concerned access for examination, upon request where so required under 
national law , free of charge and as soon as it becomes available, to all 
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information relevant to the decision-making referred to in this article that 
is available at the time of the public participation procedure, without 
prejudice to the right of Parties to refuse to disclose certain information in 
accordance with article 4, paragraphs 3 and 4. The relevant information shall 
include at least, and without prejudice to the provisions of article 4: 
(a) A description of the site and the physical and technical 
Characteristics of the proposed activity, including an estimate of the 
expected residues and emissions; 
(b) A description of the significant effects of the proposed activity 
on the environment; 
(c) A description of the measures envisaged to prevent and/or reduce 
the effects, including emissions; 
(d) A non-technical summary of the above; 
(e) An outline of the main alternatives studied by the applicant ; and 
(f) In accordance with national legislation, the main reports and 
advice issued to the public authority at the time when the public concerned 
shall be informed in accordance with paragraph 2 above. 
7. Procedures for public participation shall allow the public to submit, in 
writing or, as appropriate, at a public hearing or inquiry with the applicant 
any comments, information, analyses or opinions that it considers relevant to 
the proposed activity. 
8. Each Party shall ensure that in the decision due account is taken of the 
outcome of the public participation. 
9. Each Party shall ensure that, when the decision has been taken by the 
public authority, the public is promptly informed of the decision in 
accordance with the appropriate procedures. Each Party shall make accessible 
to the public the text of the decision along with the reasons and 
considerations on which the decision is based. 
10. Each Party shall ensure that, when a public authority reconsiders or 
updates the operating conditions for an activity referred to in 
paragraph 1, the provisions of paragraphs 2 to 9 of this article are applied 
mutatis mutandis , and where appropriate. 
11. Each Party shall, within the framework of its national law, apply, to 
the extent feasible and appropriate, provisions of this article to decisions 
on whether to permit the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms 
into the environment. 
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Article 7 
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION CONCERNING PLANS, PROGRAMMES AND POLICIES 
RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT 
Each Party shall make appropriate practical and/or other provisions for 
the public to participate during the preparation of plans and programmes 
relating to the environment, within a transparent and fair framework, having 
provided the necessary information to the public. Within this framework, 
article 6, paragraphs 3, 4 and 8, shall be applied. The public which may 
participate shall be identified by the relevant public authority, taking into 
account the objectives of this Convention. To the extent appropriate, each 
Party shall endeavour to provide opportunities for public participation in the 
preparation of policies relating to the environment. 
Article 8 
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION DURING THE PREPARATION OF EXECUTIVE REGULATIONS AND/OR 
GENERALLY APPLICABLE LEGALLY BINDING NORMATIVE INSTRUMENTS 
Each Party shall strive to promote effective public participation at an 
appropriate stage, and while options are still open, during the preparation by 
public authorities of executive regulations and other generally applicable 
legally binding rules that may have a significant effect on the environment. 
To this end, the following steps should be taken: 
(a) Time-frames sufficient for effective participation should be 
fixed; 
(b) Draft rules should be published or otherwise made publicly 
available; and 
(c) The public should be given the opportunity to comment, directly or 
through representative consultative bodies. 
The result of the public participation shall be taken into account as far as 
possible. 
Article 9 
ACCESS TO JUSTICE 
1. Each Party shall, within the framework of its national legislation, 
ensure that any person who considers that his or her request for information 
under article 4 has been ignored, wrongfully refused, whether in part or in 
full, inadequately answered, or otherwise not dealt with in accordance with 
the provisions of that article, has access to a review procedure before a 
court of law or another independent and impartial body established by law. 
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In the circumstances where a Party provides for such a review by a court 
of law, it shall ensure that such a person also has access to an expeditious 
procedure established by law that is free of charge or inexpensive for 
reconsideration by a public authority or review by an independent and 
impartial body other than a court of law. 
Final decisions under this paragraph 1' shall be binding on the public 
authority holding the information. Reasons shall be stated in writing, at 
least where access to information is refused under this paragraph. 
2. Each Party shall, within the framework of its national legislation, 
ensure that members of the public concerned 
(a) Having a sufficient interest 
or, alternatively, 
(b) Maintaining impairment of a right, where the administrative 
procedural law of a Party requires this as a precondition, 
have access to a review procedure before a court of law and/or another 
independent and impartial body established by law, to challenge the 
substantive and procedural legality of any decision, act or omission subject 
to the provisions of article 6 and, where so provided for under national law 
and without prejudice to paragraph 3 below, of other relevant provisions of 
this Convention. 
What constitutes a sufficient interest and impairment of a right shall 
be determined in accordance v/ith the requirements of national law and 
consistently with the objective of giving the public concerned wide access to 
justice within the scope of this Convention. To this end, the interest of any 
non-governmental organization meeting the requirements referred to in 
article 2, paragraph 5, shall be deemed sufficient for the purpose of 
subparagraph (a) above. Such organizations shall also be deemed to have rights 
capable of being impaired for the purpose of subparagraph (b) above. 
The provisions of this paragraph 2 shall not exclude the possibility of 
a preliminary review procedure before an administrative authority and shall 
not affect the requirement of exhaustion of administrative review procedures 
prior to recourse to judicial review procedures, where such a requirement 
exists under national law. 
3. In addition and without prejudice to the review procedures referred to 
in paragraphs 1 and 2 above, each Party shall ensure that, where they meet the 
criteria, if any, laid down in its national law, members of the public have 
access to administrative or judicial procedures to challenge acts and 
omissions by private persons and public authorities which contravene 
provisions of its national law relating to the environment. 
4. In addition and without prejudice to paragraph 1 above, the procedures 
referred to in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 above shall provide adequate and 
effective remedies, including injunctive relief as appropriate, and be fair, 
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equitable, timely and not prohibitively expensive. Decisions under this 
article shall be given or recorded in writing. Decisions of courts, and 
whenever possible of other bodies, shall be publicly accessible. 
5. In order to further the effectiveness of the provisions' of this article, 
each Party shall ensure that information is provided to the public on access 
to administrative and judicial review procedures and shall consider the 
establishment of appropriate assistance mechanisms to remove or reduce 
financial and other barriers to access to justice. 
Article 10 
MEETING OF THE PARTIES 
1. The first meeting of the Parties shall be convened no later than one 
year after the date of the entry into force of this Convention. Thereafter, an 
ordinary meeting of the Parties shall be held at least once every two years, 
unless otherwise decided by the Parties, or at the written request of any 
Party, provided that, within six months of the request being communicated to 
all Parties by the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe, 
the said request is supported by at least one third of the Parties. 
2. At their meetings, the Parties shall keep under continuous review the 
implementation of this Convention on the basis of regular reporting by the 
Parties, and, with this purpose in mind, shall: · 
(a) Review the policies for and legal and methodological approaches to 
access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to 
justice in environmental matters, with a view to further improving them; 
(b) Exchange information regarding experience gained in concluding and 
implementing bilateral and multilateral agreements or other arrangements 
having relevance to the purposes of this Convention and to which one or more 
of the Parties are a party; 
(c) Seek, where appropriate, the services of relevant ECE bodies and 
other competent international bodies and specific committees in all aspects 
pertinent to the achievement of the purposes of this Convention; 
(d) Establish any subsidiary bodies as they deem necessary; 
(e) Prepare, where appropriate, protocols to this Convention; 
(f ) Consider and adopt proposals for amendments to this Convention 'in 
accordance with the provisions of article 14; 
(g) Consider and undertake any additional action that may be required 
for the achievement of the purposes of this Convention; 
(h) At their first meeting, consider and by consensus adopt rules of 
procedure for their meetings and the meetings of subsidiary bodies; 
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(i) At their first meeting, review their experience in implementing 
the provisions of article 5, paragraph 9, and consider what steps are 
necessary to develop further the system referred to in that paragraph, taking 
into account international processes and developments, including the 
elaboration of an appropriate instrument concerning pollution, release and 
transfer registers or inventories which could be annexed to this Convention. 
3. The Meeting of the Parties may, as necessary, consider establishing 
financial arrangements on a consensus basis. 
4. The United Nations, its specialized agencies and the International 
Atomic Energy Agency, as well as any State or regional economic integration 
organization entitled under article 17 to sign this Convention but which is 
not a Party to this Convention, and any intergovernmental organization 
• qualified in the fields to which this Convention relates, shall be entitled to 
participate as observers in the meetings of the Parties. 
5. Any non-governmental organization, qualified in the fields to which this 
Convention relates, which has informed the Executive Secretary of the Economic 
Commission for Europe of its wish to be represented at a meeting of the 
Parties shall be entitled to participate as an observer unless at least one 
third of the Parties present in the meeting raise objections. 
6. For the purposes of paragraphs 4 and 5 above, the rules of procedure 
referred to in paragraph 2 (h) above shall provide for practical arrangements 
for the admittance procedure and other relevant terms. 
Article 11 
RIGHT TO VOTE 
1. Except as provided for in paragraph 2 below, each Party to this 
Convention shall have one vote. 
2. Regional economic integration organizations, in matters within their 
competence, shall exercise their right to vote with a number of votes equal to 
the number of their member States which are Parties to this Convention. Such 
organizations shall not exercise their right to vote if their member States 
exercise theirs, and vice versa. 
Article 12 
SECRETARIAT 
The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe shall 
carry out the following secretariat functions: 
(a) The convening and preparing of meetings of the Parties; 
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page 17 
(b) The transmission to the Parties of reports and other information 
received in accordance with the provisions of this Convention; and 
(c) Such other functions as may be determined by the Parties. 
Article,13 
ANNEXES 
The annexes to this Convention shall constitute an integral part 
thereof. 
Article 14 
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONVENTION 
1. Any Party may propose amendments to this Convention. 
2. The text of any proposed amendment to this Convention shall be submitted 
in writing to the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe, 
who shall communicate it to all Parties at least ninety days before the 
meeting of the Parties at which it is proposed for adoption. 
3. The Parties shall make every effort to reach agreement on any proposed 
amendment to this Convention by consensus. If all efforts at consensus have 
been exhausted, and no agreement reached, the amendment shall as a last resort 
be adopted by a three-fourths majority vote of the Parties present and voting 
at the meeting. 
4. Amendments to this Convention adopted in accordance with paragraph 3 
above shall be communicated by the Depositary to all Parties for ratification, 
approval or acceptance. Amendments to this Convention other than those to an 
annex shall enter into force for Parties having ratified, approved or accepted 
them on the ninetieth day after the receipt by the Depositary of notification 
of their ratification, approval of acceptance by at least three fourths of 
these Parties. Thereafter they shall enter into force for any other Party on 
the ninetieth day after that Party deposits its instrument of ratification, 
approval or acceptance of the amendments. 
5. Any Party that is unable to approve an amendment to an annex to this 
Convention shall so notify the Depositary in writing within twelve months from 
the date of the communication of the adoption. The Depositary shall without 
delay notify all Parties of any such notification received. A Party may at any 
time substitute an acceptance for its previous notification and, upon deposit 
of an instrument of acceptance with the Depositary, the amendments to such an 
annex shall become effective for that Party. 
6. On the expiry of twelve months from the date of its communication by the 
Depositary as provided for in paragraph 4 above an amendment to an annex shall 
become effective for those Parties which have not submitted a notification to 
Pr 
y ECE/CEP/43 
page 18 
the Depositary in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 5 above, 
provided that not more than one third of the Parties have submitted such a 
notification. , 
7. For the purposes of this article, "Parties present and'voting" means 
Parties present and casting an affirmative or negative vote. 
Article 15 
REVIEW OF COMPLIANCE 
The Meeting of the Parties shall establish, on a consensus basis, 
optional arrangements of a non-confrontational, non-judicial and consultative 
nature for reviewing compliance with the provisions of this Convention. These 
arrangements shall allow for appropriate.public involvement and may include 
the option of considering communications from members of the public on matters 
related to this Convention. 
Article 16 
SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES 
1. If a dispute arises between two or more Parties about the interpretation 
or application of this Convention, they shall seek a solution by negotiation 
or by any other means of dispute settlement acceptable to the parties to the 
dispute. 
2. When signing, ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to this 
Convention, or at any time thereafter, a Party may declare in writing to the 
Depositary that, for a dispute not resolved in accordance with paragraph 1 
above, it accepts one or both of the following means of dispute settlement as 
compulsory in relation to any Party accepting the same obligation: 
(a) Submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice; 
(b) ' Arbitration in accordance with the procedure set out in annex II. 
3. If the parties to the dispute have accepted both means of dispute 
settlement referred to in paragraph 2 above, the dispute may be submitted only 
to the International Court of Justice, unless the parties agree otherwise. 
/s~ 
ECE/CEP/4 3 
page 19 
Article 17 
SIGNATURE 
This Convention shall be open for signature at Aarhus (Denmark) on 25 
June 1998, and thereafter at United Nations Headquarters in New York until 
21 December 1998, by States members of the Economic Commission for Europe as 
well as States having consultative status with the Economic Commission for 
Europe pursuant to paragraphs 8 and 11 of Economic and Social Council 
resolution 36 (IV) of 28 March 1947, and by regional economic integration 
organizations constituted by sovereign States members of the Economic 
Commission for Europe to which their member States have transferred competence 
over matters governed by this Convention, including the competence to enter 
into treaties in respect of these matters. 
Article 18 
DEPOSITARY 
The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall act as the Depositary 
of this Convention. 
Article 19 
RATIFICATION, ACCEPTANCE, APPROVAL AND ACCESSION 
1. This Convention shall be subject to ratification, acceptance or approval 
by signatory States and regional economic integration organizations. 
2. This Convention shall be open for accession as from 22 December 1998 by 
the States and regional economic integration organizations referred to in 
article 17. 
3. Any other State, not referred to in paragraph 2 above, that is a Member 
of the United Nations may accede to the Convention upon approval by the 
Meeting of the Parties. 
4. Any organization referred to in article 17 which becomes a Party to this 
Convention without any of its member States being a Party shall be bound by 
all the obligations under this Convention. If one or more of such an 
organization's member States is a Party to this Convention, the organization 
and its member States shall decide on their respective responsibilities for 
the performance of their obligations under this Convention. In such cases, the 
organization and the member States shall not be entitled to exercise rights 
under this Convention concurrently. 
5. In their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or'accession, 
the regional economic integration organizations referred to in article 17 
shall declare the extent of their competence with respect to the matters 
13 
ECE/CEP/43 
page 20 
governed by this Convention. These organizations shall also inform the 
Depositary of any substantial modi'fication to the extent of their competence, 
Article 20 -
ENTRY INTO FORCE 
1. This Convention shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after the 
date of deposit of the sixteenth instrument of ratification, acceptance, 
approval or accession. 
2. For the purposes of paragraph 1 above, any instrument deposited by a 
regional economic integration organization shall not be counted as additional 
to those deposited by States members of such an organization. 
3. For each State or organization referred to in article 17 which ratifies, 
accepts or approves this Convention or accedes thereto after the deposit of 
the sixteenth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, 
the Convention shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after the date of 
deposit by such State or organization of its instrument of ratification, 
acceptance, approval or accession. 
Article 21 
WITHDRAWAL 
At any time after three years from the date on which this Convention has 
come into force with respect to a Party, that Party may withdraw from the 
Convention by giving written notification to the Depositary. Any such 
withdrawal shall take effect on the ninetieth day after the date of its 
receipt by the Depositary. 
Article 22 
AUTHENTIC TEXTS 
The original of this Convention, of which the English, French and 
Russian texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited with the 
Secretary-General of the United Nations. 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto, have 
signed this Convention. 
DONE at Aarhus (Denmark), this twenty-fifth day of June, one thousand 
nine hundred and ninety-eight. 
^o 
ECE/CEP/4 3 
page 21 
Annex I 
Annex I 
LIST OF ACTIVITIES REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 6, PARAGRAPH 1 (a) 
1. Energy sector: 
Mineral oil and gas refineries; 
Installations for gasification and liquefaction; 
Thermal power stations and other combustion installations with a 
heat input of 50 megawatts (MW)or more; 
Coke ovens; 
Nuclear power stations and other nuclear reactors including the 
dismantling or decommissioning of such power stations or reactors 
1/ (except research installations for the production and 
conversion of fissionable and fertile materials whose maximum 
power does not exceed 1 kW continuous thermal load); 
Installations for the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel; 
Installations designed: 
For the production or enrichment of nuclear fuel; 
For the processing of irradiated nuclear fuel or high-level 
radioactive waste; 
For the final disposal of irradiated nuclear fuel; 
Solely for the final disposal of radioactive waste; 
Solely for the storage (planned for more than 10 years) of 
irradiated nuclear fuels or radioactive waste in a different 
site than the production site. 
2. Production and processing of metals: 
Metal ore (including sulphide ore) roasting or sintering 
installations; 
Installations for the production of pig-iron or steel (primary or 
secondary fusion) including continuous casting, with a capacity 
exceeding 2.5 tons per hour; 
Installations for the processing of ferrous metals: 
(i) Hot-rolling niills with a capacity exceeding 20 tons of crude 
steel per hour; 
(ii) Smitheries with hammers the energy of which exceeds 50 
kilojoules per hammer, where the calorific power used 
exceeds 20 MW; 
(iii) Application of protective fused metal coats with an input 
exceeding 2 tons of crude steel per hour; 
Ferrous metal foundries with a production capacity exceeding 20 
tons per day; 
^ 
ECE/CEP/43 
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Annex I 
Installations: 
(i) For the production of non-ferrous crude metals from ore, 
concentrates or secondary raw materials by. metallurgical, 
chemical or electrolytic processes; 
(ii) For the smelting, including the alloying, of non-ferrous 
metals, including recovered products (refining, foundry 
casting, etc.), with a melting capacity exceeding 4 tons per 
day for lead and cadmium or 20 tons per day for all other 
metals; 
Installations for surface treatment of metals and plastic 
materials using an electrolytic or chemical process where the 
volume of the treatment vats exceeds 30 m 3. 
3. Mineral industry: 
Installations for the production of cement clinker in rotary kilns 
with a production capacity exceeding 500 tons per day or lime in 
rotary kilns with a production capacity exceeding 50 tons per day 
or in other furnaces with a production capacity exceeding 50 tons 
per day; 
Installations for the production of asbestos and the manufacture 
of asbestos-based products; 
Installations for the manufacture of glass including glass fibre 
with a melting capacity exceeding 20 tons per day; 
Installations for melting mineral substances including the 
production of mineral fibres with a melting capacity exceeding 20 
tons per day; 
Installations for the manufacture of ceramic products by firing, 
in particular roofing tiles, bricks, refractory bricks, tiles, 
stoneware or porcelain, with a production capacity exceeding 75 
tons per day, and/or with a kiln capacity exceeding 4 m3 and with a 
setting density per kiln exceeding 300 kg/ m3. 
4. Chemical industry: Production within the meaning of the categories of 
activities contained in this paragraph means the production on an industrial 
scale by chemical processing of substances or groups of substances listed in 
subparagraphs (a) to (g) : 
(a) Chemical installations for the production of basic organic 
chemicals, such as: 
(i) Simple hydrocarbons (linear or cyclic, saturated or 
unsaturated, aliphatic or aromatic); 
(ii) Oxygen-containing hydrocarbons such as alcohols, 
aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, acetates, 
ethers, peroxides, epoxy resins; 
• (iii) Sulphurous hydrocarbons; 
(iv) Nitrogenous hydrocarbons such as amines, amides, nitrous 
compounds, nitro compounds or nitrate compounds, 
nitriles, cyanates, isocyanates; 
VL 
ECE/CEP/4 3 
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Annex I 
(v) Phosphorus-containing hydrocarbons; 
(vi) Halogenic hydrocarbons; 
(vii) Organometallic compounds; 
(viii) Basic plastic materials (polymers, synthetic fibres and 
cellulose-based fibres); 
(ix) Synthetic rubbers; / 
(x) Dyes and pigments; 
(xi) Surface-active agents and surfactants; 
(b) Chemical installations for the production of basic inorganic 
chemicals, such as: 
(i) Gases, such as ammonia, chlorine or hydrogen chloride, 
fluorine or hydrogen fluoride, carbon oxides, sulphur 
compounds, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen, sulphur dioxide, 
carbonyl chloride; 
(ii) Acids, such as chromic acid, hydrofluoric acid, phosphoric 
acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid, oleum, 
sulphurous acids; 
(iii) Bases, such as ammonium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, 
sodium hydroxide; 
(iv) Salts, such as ammonium chloride, potassium chlorate, 
potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, perborate, silver 
nitrate; 
(v) Non-metals, metal oxides or other inorganic compounds such 
as calcium carbide, silicon, silicon carbide; 
(c) Chemical installations for the production of phosphorous-, 
nitrogen- or potassium-based fertilizers (simple or compound fertilizers); 
(d) Chemical installations for the production of basic plant 
health products and of biocides; 
(e) Installations using a chemical or biological process for the 
production of basic pharmaceutical products; 
(f) Chemical installations for the production of explosives; 
(g) Chemical installations in which chemical or biological processing 
is used for the production of protein feed additives, ferments and other 
protein substances. 
5. Waste management: 
Installations for the incineration, recovery, chemical treatment 
or landfill of hazardous waste; 
Installations for the incineration of municipal waste with a 
capacity exceeding 3 tons per hour; 
Installations for the disposal of non-hazardous waste with a 
capacity exceeding 50 tons per day; 
11 
ECE/CEP/43 
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Annex I 
Landfills receiving more than 10 tons per day or with a total 
capacity exceeding 25 000 tons, excluding landfills of inert 
waste. 
6. Waste-water treatment plants with a capacity exceeding 150 000 
population equivalent. 
7. Industrial plants for the : 
(a) Production of pulp from timber or similar fibrous materials; 
(b) Production of paper and board with a production capacity exceeding 
20 tons per day. 
8. (a) Construction of lines for long-distance railway traffic and of 
airports 2/ with a basic runway length of 2 100 m or more; 
(b) Construction of motorways and express roads; 3/ 
(c) Construction of a new road of four or more lanes, or realignment 
and/or widening of an existing road of two lanes or less so as to provide four 
or more lanes, where such new road, or realigned and/or widened section of 
road, would be 10 km or more in a continuous length. 
9. (a) Inland waterways and ports for inland-waterway traffic which 
permit the passage of vessels of over 1 350 tons; 
(b) Trading ports, piers for loading and unloading connected to land 
and outside ports (excluding ferry piers) which can take vessels of over 1 350 
tons. 
10. Groundwater abstraction or artificial groundwater recharge schemes where 
the annual volume of water abstracted or recharged is equivalent to or exceeds 
10 million cubic metres. 
11. (a) Works for the transfer.of water resources between river basins 
where this transfer aims at preventing possible shortages of water and where 
the amount of water transferred exceeds 100 million cubic metres/year; 
(b) In all other cases, works for the transfer of water resources 
between river basins where the multiannual average flow of the basin of 
abstraction exceeds 2 000 million cubic metres/year and where the amount of 
water transferred exceeds 5% of this flow. 
In both cases transfers of piped drinking water are excluded. 
12. Extraction of petroleum and natural gas for commercial purposes where 
the amount extracted exceeds 500 tons/day in the case of petroleum and 500 000 
cubic metres/day in the case of gas. 
2Jl· 
ECE/CEP/4 3 
page 25 
Annex I 
13. Dams and other installations designed for the holding back or permanent 
storage of water, where a new or additional amount of water held back or 
stored exceeds 10 million cubic metres. 
14. Pipelines for the transport of gas, oil or chemicals with a diameter of 
more than 800 mm and a length of more than 40 km. 
15. Installations for the intensive r earing of poultry or pigs with more than: 
(a) 40 000- places for poultry; 
(b) 2 000 places for production pigs (over 30 kg); or 
(c) 750 places for sows. 
16. Quarries and opencast mining where the surface of the site exceeds 2 5 
hectares, or peat extraction, where the surface of the site exceeds 15 0 
hectares. 
17. Construction of overhead electrical power lines with a voltage of 220 k V 
or more and a length of more, than 15 km. 
18. Installations for the storage of petroleum, petrochemical, or chemica 1 
products with a capacity of 200 000 tons Or more. 
19. Other activities: 
Plants for the pretreatment (operations such as washing, 
bleaching, mercerization) or dyeing of fibres or textiles where 
the treatment capacity exceeds 10 tons per day; 
Plants for the tanning of hides and skins where the treatment 
capacity exceeds 12 tons of finished products per day; 
(a) Slaughterhouses with a carcass production capacity greater 
than 50 tons per day; 
(b) Treatment and processing intended for the production of food 
products from: 
(i) Animal raw materials (other than milk) with a finished 
product production capacity greater than 75 tons per 
day; 
(ii) Vegetable raw materials with a finished product 
production capacity greater than 300 tons per day 
(average value on a quarterly basis); 
(c) Treatment and processing of milk, the quantity of milk 
received being greater than 200 tons per day (average value 
on an annual basis); 
zs 
ECE/CEP/43 
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Annex I 
Installations for the disposal or recycling of animal carcasses 
and animal waste with a treatment capacity exceeding 10 tons per 
day; 
Installations for the surface treatment of substances, objects or 
products using organic solvents, in particular for "dressing, 
printing, coating, degreasing, waterproofing, sizing, painting, 
cleaning or impregnating, with a consumption capacity of more than 
150 kg per hour or more than 200 tons per year; 
- Installations for the production of carbon (hard-burnt coal) or 
electrographite by means, of incineration or graphitization. 
20. Any activity not covered by paragraphs 1-19 above where public 
participation is provided for under an environmental impact assessment 
procedure in accordance with national legislation. 
21. The provision of article 6, paragraph 1 (a) of this Convention, does not 
apply to any of the above projects undertaken exclusively or mainly for 
research, development and testing of new methods or products for less than two 
years unless they would be likely to cause a significant adverse effect on 
environment or health. 
22. Any change to or extension of activities, where such a change or 
extension in itself meets the criteria/thresholds set out in this annex, shall 
be subject to article 6, paragraph 1 (a) of this Convention. Any other change 
or extension of activities shall be subject to article 6, paragraph 1 (b) of 
this Convention. 
Notes 
1/ Nuclear power stations and other nuclear reactors cease to be such 
an installation when all nuclear fuel and other radioactively contaminated 
elements have been removed permanently from the installation site. 
2/ For the purposes of this Convention, "airport" means an airport which 
complies with the definition in the 1944 Chicago Convention setting up the 
International Civil Aviation Organization (Annex 14). 
3/ For the purposes of this Convention, "express road" means a road 
which complies with the definition in the European Agreement on Main 
International Traffic Arteries of 15 November 1975. 
24 
ECE/CEP/4 3 
page 27 
Annex II 
Annex II 
ARBITRATION 
1. In the event of a dispute being submitted for arbitration pursuant to 
article 16, paragraph 2, of this Convention, a party or parties shall notify 
the secretariat of the subject matter of arbitration and indicate, in 
particular, the articles of this Convention whose interpretation or 
application is at issue. The secretariat shall forward the information 
received to all Parties to this Convention. 
2. The arbitral tribunal shall consist of three members. Both the claimant 
party or parties and the other party or parties to the dispute shall appoint 
an arbitrator, and the two arbitrators so appointed shall designate by common 
agreement the third arbitrator, who shall be the president of the arbitral 
tribunal. The latter shall not be a national of one of the parties to the 
dispute, nor have his or her usual place of residence in the territory of one 
of these parties, nor be employed by any of them, nor have dealt with the case 
in any other capacity. 
3. If the president of the arbitral tribunal has not been designated within 
two months of the appointment of the second arbitrator, the Executive 
Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe shall, at the request of 
either party to the dispute, designate the president within a further 
two-month period. 
4. If one of the parties to the dispute does not appoint an arbitrator 
within two months of the receipt of the request, the other party may so inform 
the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe, who shall 
designate the president of the arbitral tribunal within a further two-month 
period. Upcn designation, the president of the arbitral tribunal shall 
request the party which has not appointed an arbitrator to do so within two 
months. If it fails to do so within that period, the president shall so 
inform the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe, who 
shall make this appointment within a further two-month period. 
5. The arbitral tribunal shall render its decision in accordance with 
international law and the provisions of this Convention. 
6. Any arbitral tribunal constituted under the provisions set out in this 
annex shall draw up its own rules of procedure. 
7. The decisions of the arbitral tribunal, both on procedure and on 
substance, shall be taken by majority vote of its members. 
8. The tribunal may take all appropriate measures to establish the facts. 
9. The parties to the dispute shall facilitate the work of the arbitral 
tribunal and, in particular, using all means at their disposal, shall: 
Vr 
ECE/CEP/43 
page 28 
Annex II 
(a) Provide it with all relevant documents, facilities and 
information; 
(b) Enable it, where necessary, to call witnesses or experts and 
receive their evidence. 
10. The parties and the arbitrators shall protect the. confidentiality of any 
information that they receive in confidence during the proceedings of the 
arbitral tribunal. 
11. The arbitral tribunal may, at the request of one of the parties, 
recommend interim measures of protection. 
12. If one of the parties to the dispute does not appear before the arbitral 
tribunal or fails to defend its case, the other party may request the tribunal 
to continue the proceedings and to render its final decision. Absence of a 
party or failure of. a party to defend its case shall not constitute a bar to 
the proceedings. 
13. The arbitral tribunal may hear and determine counter-claims arising 
directly out of the subject matter of the dispute. 
14. Unless the arbitral tribunal determines otherwise because of the 
particular circumstances of the case, the expenses of the tribunal, including 
the remuneration of its members, shall be borne by the parties to the dispute 
in equal shares. The tribunal shall keep a record of all its expenses, and 
shall furnish a final statement thereof to the parties. 
15. Any Party to this Convention which has an interest of a legal nature in 
the subject matter of the dispute, and which may be affected by a decision in 
the case, may intervene in the proceedings with the consent of the tribunal. 
16. The arbitral tribunal shall render its award within five months of the 
date on which it is established, unless it finds it necessary to extend the 
time limit for a period which should not exceed five months. 
17. The award of the arbitral tribunal shall be accompanied by a statement 
of reasons. It shall be final and binding upon all parties to the dispute. 
The award will be transmitted by the arbitral tribunal to the parties to the 
dispute and to the secretariat. The secretariat will forward the information 
received to all Parties to this Convention. 
18. Any dispute which may arise between the parties concerning the 
interpretation or execution of the award may be submitted by either party to 
the arbitral tribunal which made the award or, if the latter cannot.be seized 
thereof, to another tribunal constituted for this purpose in the same manner 
as the first. 
£« 
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