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Sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention

11 - 13 September 2017
Budva Montenegro

The sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) took place in Budva (Becici), Montenegro, from 11 to 13 September 2017, at the kind invitation of the Government of Montenegro.

The event provided a platform for Parties, Signatories, other interested States, international organizations, civil society and other stakeholders to discuss achievements and challenges in promoting a wide range of topics, including access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters. At the session, the Parties agreed on a number of decisions to guide their implementation in the next intersessional period and discussed global promotion of the Convention.

The sixth session was held back to back with the third session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (Protocol on PRTRs) (15 September 2017).

The two sessions featured a joint High-level Segment on 14 September 2017 where delegations focussed on the role of the Aarhus Convention and its Protocol in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.

In the same meeting venue, the sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Convention were carried out in parallel with:

Fortieth meeting of the Convention Bureau (10 September 2017)
Fifty-eighth meeting of the Convention Compliance Committee (10-13 September 2017)  

Please click here for more information on the other meetings.

 

Meeting documents

All documents are available below. This includes documents and decisions adopted by the Meeting of the Parties, background documents prepared in advance of the meeting, relevant intersessional documents and statements made during the meeting.

Please note below categories of documents:

1. Post-session documents

2. In-session documents

    3. Documents prepared in advance for the session:

    • Category I (official documents for possible action)
    • Category II (official background documents, for instance on implementation and compliance and national implementation reports)


    4. Intersessional documents of relevance to the agenda (also Category II)

    5. Statements

    The Budva Declaration on Environmental Democracy for Our Sustainable Future, ENG FRE RUS (ECE/MP.PP/2017/16/Add. 1-ECE/MP.PRTR/2017/2/Add.1) along with all other relevant statements and documents can be accessed at the page of the Joint High-level Segment under the Meetings of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention and its Protocol on PRTRs (Budva, Montenegro, 14 September 2017). 

     

     

    Election of Bureau members

    Election of Bureau members

    The Meeting of the Parties elected the following members of its Bureau:

       
    Chairperson Ms. Maia Bitadze (Georgia) 

    Vice-Chairpersons

     

    Ms. Beate Berglund Ekeberg (Norway)

    Ms. Nicolette Bouman (Netherlands)

    Members

     

     

     

    Ms. Angelika Wiedner (European Union)

    Ms. Chiara Landini (Italy) 

    Ms. Maryna Shymkus (Ukraine)

    Ms. Malaj Enkelejda (Albania)

    In accordance with rule 22, paragraphs 2 and 4 of the rules of procedure, non-governmental organizations appointed Mr. Jeremy Wates (European ECO Forum and European Environmental Bureau) as the representative of NGOs to attend meetings of the Bureau as observer. 

    Election of Compliance Committee members

    Election of Compliance Committee members

    In accordance with the procedure set out in decision I/7 on the review of compliance (ENGFRERUS), in conjunction with decision I/1 on Rules of Procedure (ENGFRERUS), the Meeting of the Parties re-elected by consensus the following members of the Compliance Committee: Ms. Heghine HAKHVERDYAN (Armenia); and Mr. Jerzy JENDROSKA (Poland); and elected by consensus the following members of the Compliance Committee: Ms. Fruzsina BÖGÖS (Hungary); Mr. Marc CLÉMENT (France); Mr. Peter OLIVER (United Kingdom); Mr. Dmytro SKRYLNIKOV (Ukraine) as new members of the Compliance Committee.

    For more detailed information about the process to elect the members of the Compliance Committee please consult the note on the membership of the Compliance Committee for the twentieth meeting of the Working Group of the Parties (Geneva, 15-17 June 2016) (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2016/9, ENGFRERUS).

    The Meeting of the Parties elects the members of the Committee by consensus, or failing consensus, by secret ballot. The Committee elects its own Chair and Vice-Chair at the next Committee’s meeting after the sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties.

    Post-session docs

    Post-session documents

    Document title ENG FRE RUS
    Report of the sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties, (ECE/MP.PP/2017/2) PDF PDF PDF
    Decisions adopted by the Meeting of the Parties, (ECE/MP.PP/2017/2/Add.1) PDF PDF PDF

    In-session documents

    In-session unedited documents are subject to revision and adoption. The following documents have been adopted by the Meeting of the Parties at its sixth session.

    Document title ENG FRE RUS
    List of key outcomes and decisions of MOP-6, ECE/MP.PP/2017/CRP.9 PDF
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    Decision VI/1 on promoting effective access to information, ECE/MP.PP/2017/8 PDF
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    Decision VI/2 on promoting effective public participation in decision-making, ECE/MP.PP/2017/9 PDF
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    Decision VI/3 on promoting effective access to justice, ECE/MP.PP/2017/CRP.1 PDF
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    Decision VI/4 on promoting the application of the principles of the Convention in international forums, ECE/MP.PP/2017/11 PDF
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    Decision VI/5 on the work programme for 2018-2021, ECE/MP.PP/2017/12 PDF
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    Decision VI/6 on financial arrangements under the Convention ECE/MP.PP/2017/CRP.8 PDF
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    Decision VI/7 on reporting requirements, ECE/MP.PP/2017/CRP.2 PDF
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    Decision VI/8 on general issues of compliance, ECE/MP.PP/2017/CRP.7 PDF
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    Decision VI/8a concerning compliance by Armenia with its obligations under the Convention, ECE/MP.PP/2017/20 PDF
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    Decision VI/8b concerning compliance by Austria with its obligations under the Convention, ECE/MP.PP/2017/21 PDF
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    Decision VI/8c concerning compliance by Belarus with its obligations under the Convention, ECE/MP.PP/2017/22 PDF
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    Decision VI/8d concerning compliance by Bulgaria with its obligations under the Convention, ECE/MP.PP/2017/23 PDF
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    Decision VI/8e concerning compliance by Czechia with its obligations under the Convention, ECE/MP.PP/2017/24 PDF
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    Decision VI/8g concerning compliance by Kazakhstan with its obligations under the Convention, ECE/MP.PP/2017/26 PDF
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    Decision VI/8h concerning compliance by Romania with its obligations under the Convention,  ECE/MP.PP/2017/CRP.4 PDF
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    Decision VI/8i concerning compliance by Slovakia with its obligations under the Convention, ECE/MP.PP/2017/CRP.5 PDF
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    Decision VI/8j concerning compliance by Spain with its obligations under the Convention,  ECE/MP.PP/2017/29 PDF
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    Decision VI/8k concerning compliance by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with its obligations under the Convention,  ECE/MP.PP/2017/CRP.6 PDF
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    Intersessional Documents of Relevance to the Agenda (Category II)

    These documents are reports and related documents produced during the intersessional period (2015-2017), prepared by the secretariat or subsidiary bodies of the Convention. These documents have been translated and published where feasible by UNOG Conference Services in conjunction with the meetings for which they were produced.

    Document title ENG FRE RUS
    Working Group of the Parties
    Report of the twenty first meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention, (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2017/2) PDF PDF PDF
    Report of the twentieth meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention, (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2016/2) PDF PDF PDF
    Report of the nineteenth meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention, (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2015/2) PDF PDF PDF
    Bureau
    For the reports of the Bureau on its 35th to 39th meetings, see the following webpage
    Compliance Committee
    For the reports of the Compliance Committee on its 45th to 56th meetings, see the following webpage
    Membership of the Compliance Committee (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2016/9) PDF PDF PDF
    Meetings of the Task Forces, workshops, round table and capacity-building coordination
    Access to Information
    Report of the Task Force on Access to Information on its third meeting (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2015/3) PDF PDF PDF
    Report of the Task Force on Access to Information on its fourth meeting (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2016/3) PDF PDF PDF
    Report of the Task Force on Access to Information on its fifth meeting (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2017/4) PDF PDF PDF
    Accompanying document to the summary report on the assessment of the implementation of the recommendations of the Meeting of the Parties on Electronic Information Tools (AC/WGP-21/Inf.2) PDF    
    Public Participation in Decision-making
    Report of the Task Force on Public Participation in Decision-making on its fifth meeting (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2015/4) PDF PDF PDF
    Report of the Task Force on Public Participation in Decision-making on its sixth meeting (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2016/4) PDF PDF PDF
    Report of the Task Force on Public Participation in Decision-making on its seventh meeting (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2017/5) PDF PDF PDF
    Access to Justice
    Report of the Task Force on Access to Justice on its eighth meeting (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2016/11) PDF PDF PDF
    Report of the Task Force on Access to Justice on its ninth meeting (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2017/6) PDF PDF PDF
    Report of the Task Force on Access to Justice on its tenth meeting (ECE/MP.PP/2017/5) PDF PDF PDF
    Public Participation in International Forums
    For reports of the Thematic session on Public Participation in International Forums see respective section of the reports on the meetings of the Working Group of the Parties above      
    GMOs
    Report of the second joint round table on public awareness, access to information and public participation regarding living modified organisms/genetically modified organisms (ECE/MP.PP/WG.1/2017/8) PDF PDF PDF
    Capacity-building coordination
    Report on the ninth Aarhus Convention capacity-building coordination meeting (AC/WGP-19/Inf.1) PDF    
    Report on the tenth Aarhus Convention capacity-building coordination meeting (AC/MoP-6/Inf.3) PDF    

    Background reports and documents (Category II)

    Background reports and documents (Category II) ENG FRE RUS
    Information note on documents for the sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties PDF    
    Item 7 (a) Reporting Mechanism      
    Synthesis report on the status of implementation of the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/6) PDF PDF PDF
    Item 7 (b) Compliance Mechanism      
    Report of the Compliance Committee on procedural matters (ECE/MP.PP/2017/31) PDF PDF PDF
    Report of the Compliance Committee on general issues of compliance (ECE/MP.PP/2017/32) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by Armenia with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/33) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by Austria with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/34) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by Belarus with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/35) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by Bulgaria with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/36) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by Croatia with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/37) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by Czechia with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/38) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by European Union with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/39) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by Germany with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/40) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by Kazakhstan with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/41) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by Romania with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/42) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by Spain with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/43) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by Turkmenistan with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/44) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by Ukraine with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/45) PDF PDF PDF
    Compliance by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with its obligations under the Convention (ECE/MP.PP/2017/46) PDF PDF PDF
    Information note by the Chair of the Compliance Committee for Item 7 (b) of the provisional agenda: compliance mechanism (AC/MOP-6/Inf.5) PDF    
           
    Item 7 (c) Capacity-building      
    Report on capacity-building (ECE/MP.PP/2017/7) PDF PDF PDF
    Accompanying document to the Report on capacity-building activities (ECE/MP.PP/2017/7) - AC/MOP-6/Inf.2 PDF    
    Item 8 (a) Accession to the Convention by States from outside the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe region      
    Preliminary assessment of the institutional, policy and legal framework of Guinea-Bissau, (ECE/MP.PP/2017/47) PDF PDF PDF
    Item 9 (a) Implementation of the Work Programme for 2015-2017      
    Report on the implementation of the work programme for 2015–2017 (ECE/MP.PP/2017/3) PDF PDF PDF
    Report on contributions and expenditures in relation to the implementation of the Convention’s work programme for 2015–2017 (ECE/MP.PP/2017/4) PDF PDF PDF
    List of contributions and pledges for the implementation of the Convention's and Protocol's work programmes
    which are not included in the reports prepared for the Meeting of the Parties (AC/MOP-6/Inf.4-PRTR/MOPP-3/Inf.2)
    PDF    

    Statements and Comments

    Statements delivered by Parties and stakeholders at the sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties are uploaded in the table below, as being made available to the secretariat.

     


     

    Title ENG FRE RUS
    3: Finalization of documents      
    Statement by Ökobüro concerning compliance by Austria PDF    
    Statement by Ökobüro concerning compliance by Slovakia PDF    
    Statement by Instituto Internacional de Derecho y Medio Ambiente concerning compliance by Spain PDF    
    Statement by Ökobüro concerning compliance by United Kingdom PDF    
    Statement by EPAW concerning general issues of compliance PDF    
    6 (a): Access to information, including electronic information tools       
    Report by Mr. Alexandru Bostan, Chair of the Task Force on Access to Information (written submission) PDF    
    Statement by the European Union PDF    
    Statement by Norway PDF    
    Statement by the European Eco Forum PDF    
    6 (b): Public participation in decision-making      
    Report by Ms. Loredana Dall’Ora, Chair of the Task Force on Public Participation in Decision-making PDF    
    Statement by the European Union PDF    
    Statement by Norway PDF    
    Statement by Aarhus Centre Sarajevo PDF    
    Statement by the European Eco Forum PDF    
    Statement by Environmental Pillar, Ireland PDF    
    Statement by Friends of the Earth UK PDF    
    6 (c): Access to justice      
    Report by Mr. Jan Darpö, Chair of the Task Force on Access to Justice PDF    
    Keynote statement of the Slovak Supreme Court Judge Mr. Miroslav Gavalec PDF    
    Statement by the European Union PDF    
    Statement by Norway PDF    
    Statement by OSCE Mission to Serbia PDF    
    Statement by the European ECO Forum / Justice and Environment PDF    
    6 (d): Genetically modified organisms      
    Report of the Chair of the second joint round table on public awareness, access to information and public participation regarding LMOs/GMOs PDF    
    Statement by European Union PDF    
    Statement by the CBD secretariat  PDF    
    Statement by the European ECO Forum PDF    
    7 (a): Reporting mechanism      
    Statement by the European Union PDF    
    Statement by NGO Landvernd PDF    
    7 (b): Compliance mechanism      
    Report of the Chair of the Compliance Committee PDF    
    Statement by the European Union concerning general issues of compliance PDF    
    Statement by the European Union concerning its compliance PDF    
    Statement by Norway concerning compliance by the European Union (1) PDF    
    Statement by Norway concerning compliance by the European Union (2) PDF    
    Statement by Romania concerning compliance by Ukraine  PDF    
    Statement by NGO Ecological Right PDF    
    Statement by the European ECO Forum PDF    
    Letter by the Chair of the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee to the Chair of the Bureau of the Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention regarding legislative developments concerning Turkmenistan PDF    
    Council Decision (EU) 2017/1346 of 17 July 2017
    on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, at the sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention as regards compliance case ACCC/C/2008/32
    PDF    
    Open statement by the Committee regarding its findings on communication ACCC/C/2008/32 (part II) concerning the European Union PDF    
    7 (c): Capacity-building      
    Statement by the European Union PDF    
    Statement by OSCE Secretariat PDF    
    Statement by the Judicial Academy of the Republic of Serbia PDF    
    Statement by the European ECO Forum PDF    
    8 (a) Accession to the Convention by States from outside the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe region      
    Statement by the European ECO Forum PDF    
    8 (b): Promotion of the Convention’s principles      
    Report of the Chair of the thematic session on promoting the application of the principles of the Convention in international forums PDF    
    Keynote statement by Mr. Hakan Lucius, European Investment Bank (EIB) PDF    
    Statement by the European Union PDF    
    Statement by the European ECO Forum PDF    
    8 (c): Synergies between the Convention and other relevant multilateral environmental agreements and other partners      
    Statement by OSCE Secretariat PDF    
    Statement by the European ECO Forum PDF    
    8 (d): Global and regional developments on issues related to Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development       
    Statement by Mr. Joseluis Samaniego, ECLAC Director of the Sustainable Development Division (video message) PDF    
    8 (e): Update on United Nations Environment Programme initiatives on access to information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters      
    Statement by UNEP PDF    
    9 (a): Implementation of the work programme for 2015–2017      
    Statement by the European Union PDF    
    Statement by Aarhus Centre Banja Luka PDF    
    9 (b): Future work programme      
    Statement by the European Union PDF    
    Statement by the European ECO Forum PDF    
    9 (c): Financial arrangements      
    Statement by the European Union PDF    
    Statement by Norway PDF    
    13: Any other business      
    Statement by the European Union PDF    

    Action documents (Category I)

    These documents are presented for possible action by delegations (for signature, endorsement, approval or adoption). They were generally submitted through and approved by the Working Group of the Parties or the Bureau.

    These documents will be translated and reproduced by the Conference Services of United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) prior to the meeting.

    Document Title ENG FRE RUS
    Agenda      
    Provisional agenda for the sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties, ECE/MP.PP/2017/1 PDF PDF PDF
    Decisions      
    Draft decision VI/1 on promoting effective access to information, ECE/MP.PP/2017/8 PDF
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    Draft decision VI/2 on promoting effective public participation in decision-making, ECE/MP.PP/2017/9 PDF
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    Draft decision VI/3 on promoting effective access to justice, ECE/MP.PP/2017/10 PDF
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    Draft decision VI/4 on promoting the application of the principles of the Convention in international forums, ECE/MP.PP/2017/11 PDF
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    Draft decision VI/5 on the work programme for 2018-2021, ECE/MP.PP/2017/12 PDF
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    Draft decision VI/6 on financial arrangements under the Convention ECE/MP.PP/2017/13 PDF
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    Draft decision VI/7 on reporting requirements, ECE/MP.PP/2017/14
     
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    Draft decision VI/8 on general issues of compliance, ECE/MP.PP/2017/19

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    Draft decision VI/8a concerning compliance by Armenia with its obligations under the Convention, ECE/MP.PP/2017/20

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    Draft decision VI/8b concerning compliance by Austria with its obligations under the Convention, ECE/MP.PP/2017/21

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    Draft decision VI/8c concerning compliance by Belarus with its obligations under the Convention, ECE/MP.PP/2017/22

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    Draft decision VI/8d concerning compliance by Bulgaria with its obligations under the Convention, ECE/MP.PP/2017/23 PDF
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    Draft decision VI/8e concerning compliance by Czechia with its obligations under the Convention, ECE/MP.PP/2017/24

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