Reporting requirements

Status of implementation
Preparation of reports for the third meeting of the Parties
Online reporting format (for National Focal Points)
Guidance on reporting requirements -  ENG FRE RUS
Implementation reports draft submitted 2007/08
Implementation reports 2008
Implementation reports submitted in 2005
Database of National Implementation Reports
Reports from international, regional and non-governmental organisations

Reporting requirements

Article 10, paragraph 2, of the Convention requires the Parties at their meetings to keep under continuous review the implementation of the Convention on the basis of regular reporting by the Parties.
The Meeting of the Parties, through decisions I/8 and II/10, elaborated on this requirement and agreed upon procedures for reporting and upon the reporting format itself.
Key features of the Aarhus reporting regime

• Each Party should prepare, for each ordinary meeting of the Parties, a report on:
  1. The necessary legislative, regulatory or other measures that it has taken to implement the provisions of the Convention; and
  2. Their practical implementation according to the format set out in the annex to decision I/8.
• For the first reporting cycle, Parties are rerquested to complete all of the questions contained in decision I/8. In complying with the reporting requirements for reporting cycles subsequent to a Party's first cycle, they are requested to submit to the secretariat new information and where available a consolidated national implementation report.
• In order to avoid duplication and extra cost, only such new information is to be translated by the secretariat in the three official languages;
• To facilitate the preparation of the synthesis report of the secretariat and the translation process, reports be submitted to the secretariat so as to arrive no later than 180 days before the meeting of the Parties for which they are submitted.
• Signatories and other States not Party to the Convention, pending their ratification or accession, may also submit reports on measures taken to apply the Convention.
• International, regional and non-governmental organizations engaged in programmes or activities providing support to Parties and/or other States in the implementation of the Convention may submit reports on their programmes or activities and lessons learned.
• Reports submitted by Parties, Signatories and other States should be prepared through a transparent and consultative process involving the public. The process of preparing reports should therefore start in time for drafts to be made available for public consultation.
• Implementation reports should be submitted to the secretariat electronically and on paper in one of the official languages of the Convention, as well as in the language(s) of the Party, so as to arrive no later than 180 days before the meeting of the Parties for which it is prepared.
• The secretariat will prepare a synthesis report for each meeting of the Parties summarizing the progress made and identifying significant trends, challenges and solutions.
• The secretariat will arrange for translation of reports submitted by Parties into the other official languages and will format and circulate these together with the synthesis report as part of the official meeting documentation for the Meeting of the Parties. The reports submitted by Signatories and other States, as well as those prepared by international, regional and non-governmental organizations, will also be circulated in advance of the meeting in the language in which they are received by the secretariat.

Preparation of reports for the third meeting of the Parties (Riga, June 2008)  
For the second reporting cycle, the deadline to submit the reports to the secretariat is 14 December 2007. The Working Group of the Parties agreed that in order to ensure sufficient time for public consultation, the deadline to prepare draft reports and make them available to the public is 14 September 2007.
For further guidance on the preparation of national implementation reports, see the Guidance on reporting requirements - ENG FRE RUS.
Implementation reports may be prepared and submitted online. Parties, Signatories and other States are encouraged to use this method of submitting reports.
The online reporting format has been developed by the secretariat as a tool to facilitate the submission of finalized national implementation reports in a standard format. It is based on the questionnaire attached to decision I/8 on reporting requirements under the Aarhus Convention. Each national focal point will be able to use this tool in order to submit the report to the secretariat.
Once submitted, national implementation reports will be posted on the web site, together with the national language version where applicable.
First time users: All national focal points that would like to submit their reports throught the online format are invited to contact the secretariat at [email protected]. You will receive your login and password which you can use to access this part of the Convention’s web site and enter responses to questions in the reporting format.
Once logged in, (1) select "National Implementation report 2007", (2) select "Create new answer" at the top of the page, (3) choose quention's number, (4) paste your answer in the window below, (5) click on "Submit". For the other questions repeat from step (3).
Please contact us if you have any questions or if you encountered any problems while using this tool.
To access the online reporting format, click here (for national focal points only; login and password required.