EU-AarKo

To strengthen the participation of civil society in environmental matters, the Aarhus Convention was adopted in 1998. It is the first international treaty on the environment to set international minimum standards for access to environmental information for all people, participation in environmental decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters. In addition to each European Member State, the European Union (EU) is itself a Party to the Convention. The Union must implement the Aarhus provisions into European Union law and must adapt rules of procedure for its own institutions and bodies. However, there are still various shortcomings in the legislative and practical implementation of the Aarhus Convention at EU level. In particular, access to European courts for environmentally concerned persons and environmental associations is not guaranteed. Digitisation also brings with it new challenges, for example in the implementation of information access claims. There is also an information deficit: many citizens and environmental associations know too little about their various opportunities to participate at EU level.

Therefore, the project focuses on the one hand on initiating civic dialogues and positioning processes regarding the implementation of the Aarhus Convention at the European level. On the other hand, it provides clear and tangible information and educational material in the areas of access to environmental information, public participation in environmental decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters at the European level.

From May 2020 onwards, UfU will conduct five (digital) rounds of discussions with members of the European civil society. The workshops provide an open space for the European civil society, experts and practitioners in environmental law to exchange their views and adopt a clear position on the lack of effective access to European courts, as attested by the Compliance Committee of the Aarhus Convention in case ACCC/C/2008/32. In a participatory manner, we are developing a conclusive concept of how effective access to justice for civil society could be provided at EU level in the future.

Information on the five workshops:

1. Aarhus Workshop
The presentation in German of the first Aarhus Workshop can be found here: Herausforderungen der Umsetzung der AK auf EU-Ebene (EU-AarKo) (PDF)

2. Aarhus Workshop
The presentation in German of the first Aarhus Workshop can be found here: Herausforderungen der Umsetzung der AK auf EU Ebene (EU AarKo) (PDF)

3. Aarhus Workshop
The presentation of the third Aarhus Workshop can be found here: European Implementation of the Aarhus Convention – Access to Justice (PDF).

A position paper was developed during the Aarhus Workshop. The “German Portuguese Slovenian Civil Society Declaration on Access to Justice for Citizens & NGOs at European Union Level” can be found here: Access to Justice for Citizens & NGOs at European Union Level (PDF)

4. Aarhus Workshop
The presentation of the fourth Aarhus Workshop can be found here: Access to justice and public participation at European Union level (PDF) 

5. Aarhus Workshop
The presentation of the fifth and final Aarhus Workshop can be found here: Human Rights, European & National Climate Laws and the Importance of the Aarhus Convention (PDF)

Press Release
The press release on the Fifth Aarhus Workshop can be found here:How the European Union violates international environmental law since two decades

 

Brochures, short films and website on the Aarhus Convention at EU level:

How is the Aarhus Convention implemented on the European level? Four new short films and three brochures which were developed in the project answer these questions.

Short films (German with English subtitles): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNDWkWezKhF9CGB8PW1ksr1sPrEBjmYEG

German Brochures:

1) „Informieren – Zugang zu Umweltinformationen der Europäischen Union, Die Europäische Union und die Aarhus-Konvention“

2) „Beteiligen – Beteiligungsrechte in der Europäischen Union zum Umweltschutz, Die Europäische Union und die Aarhus-Konvention“

3) „Rechte einklagen – Beschwerde- und Klagerechte in der Europäischen Union zum Umweltschutz, Die Europäische Union und die Aarhus-Konvention“

English Broshures:

1) “Information – Access to environmental information of the European Union, The European Union and the Aarhus Convention”

2) “Participation – Participation rights in the European Union on environmental protection, The European Union and the Aarhus Convention”

3) “Access to justice – Litigation rights in the European Union on environmental protection, The European Union and the Aarhus Convention”

Further information on the Aarhus Convention and its implementation at European level can be found here: www.aarhus-konvention.de

 

This project is funded by the German Environment Agency (UBA) and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety within the framework of the sponsorship of environmental associations.