Jerzy Jendrośka Implementing the Aarhus Convention’s provisions in national legislation and practice: experience of countries of the UNECE region in the light of „0”draft LAC Agreement Perspectives for implementing the Principle X regional instrument in the LAC region Santiago, 5 May 2015 Jerzy Jendrośka1

Content Approaches to codifying Principle X Definition of the „ directly affected public” Non-discrimination principle Access to Information Public Participation Access to Justice Jerzy Jendrośka2

Approaches to codifying Principle X Transparency, participation and rule of law as values – approach of European governments Transparency, participation and rule of law as instruments for enhancing – Stability – Effective environmental protection Jerzy Jendrośka3

Directly affected public Definition of the public and its derivatives Draft text – “Directly affected public” means public affected or potentially affected by decisions with environmental impacts. Aarhus Convention – “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 Jerzy Jendrośka4

Directly affected public Problems with „directly” „Affected or likely to be affected”” – objective notion related to impact – From routine activity – In case of accidents „Interested” – approaches Practical consequences – effective notification Jerzy Jendrośka5

Access to information Obligation to posses information relevant to the functions Exemptions – „Relate to” vs „adversaly affect” in Aarhus – „affect” in art.6. 6 of the draft text - ? Time-frames – „30 business days” in art.6.12 of the draft text vs „one month” – Standard of „two weeks”in most general FOI acts in Europe Jerzy Jendrośka6

Public participation Approach to activities covered – concept of tiering and obligation for „early participation when all options are open” Stages of the participation procedure – Notification of the public – Making available all relevant information – Possibility to submit any comments – Taking due account of comments – Informing the public of the decision Jerzy Jendrośka7

Notification of the public Obligation that the public is infomed „in an adequate, timely and efective manner” – no equivalent in draft text! „Effective” – need to reach all potentially affected (Internat vs customary means) Notification vs information relevant to decision- making (art. 8.3 and 8.17 of teh draft text) – Active vs pasive obligation – Content Jerzy Jendrośka8

Access to justice Problems with standing – Traditional approach to grant standing only those with legal interests – Criteria for NGOs Scope of review Costs Jerzy Jendrośka9