Transcript Access to Justice in Environmental Matters - The Aarhus Convention 1998-2012 Presentation at Subregional Meeting in Almaty 2012-05-1 Professor Jan Darpö Faculty of Law/ Uppsala Universitet.

Access to Justice in
Environmental Matters
- The Aarhus Convention 1998-2012
Presentation at Subregional Meeting
in Almaty 2012-05-1
Professor Jan Darpö
Faculty of Law/
Uppsala Universitet
1. Information
Article 2.3 (definition)
Environmental information; any form…state of
elements of the environment…factors…state of
human health
Article 4 (passive)
Public authorities…info available upon request
from the public…without stating interest,
including copies (reasonable charges)…asap
(one/two months)…may be refused
if…interpreted in a restrictive way…in writing
Article 5 (active)
Collection and dissemination…PRTRs…
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
2. Public Participation (PP)
Article 6, Annex 1 (list, permit
procedure)
The public…informed early in a
environmental decision-making
procedure…adequate, timely and
effective manner
EIA procedure; Info about the activity,
decisions, PA, procedure, hearing,
opinions, info (EIA), permit/updating
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
2. Public Participation (PP)
Article 7
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION CONCERNING
PLANS, PROGRAMMES AND POLICIES
RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT…
Article 8
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION DURING THE
PREPARATION OF EXECUTIVE
REGULATIONS AND/OR GENERALLY
APPLICABLE LEGALLY BINDING
NORMATIVE INSTRUMENTS…
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
3. Access to justice (A2J)
Article 9.1-9.4
Access to a review procedure before a
court of law or another independent body
(ECHR)
…adequate and effective remedies,
including injunctive relief…
…and be fair, equitable, timely and not
prohibitively expensive…
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
What is to be reviewed..?

Article 9.1: Information: Article 4; “any
person”

Article 9.2: Permits - article 6; listed
activities, substantive and procedural
legality of any decision, act, omission

Article 9.3; 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.
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
Compliance Mechanism
Article 15 and Decision I/7 (2004);
Review of Compliance

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Compliance Committee (CC): independent
and impartial experts nominated by the Parties
and the Public (NGOs)
Public trigger, open sessions/ communications
Recommendations (“decisions”)
Report to MoP; advice & recommendations,
ask for strategy, declaration of non-compliance,
cautions, suspension…
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
“Cases” in Compliance Committee
http://www.unece.org/env/pp/pubcom.html
C/2004/01; Kazakhstan
C/2004/03; Ukraine
– “Permits”, pipe-line decisions, governmental
statements/funding, EIA procedure…
C/2005/11; Belgium – A2J and planning law, NGO
standing
C/2006/18; Denmark – Endangered species, (HD),
decisions on culling rooks, private person and
prosecution
C/2008/23, 27, 33; UK – costs
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
Task Force on Access to
Justice

Work shops in Kiev 2007, Tirana 2008,
Kazakhstan 2012
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Studies
http://www.unece.org/environmental-policy/treaties/public-participation/aarhusconvention/envpptfwg/envppatoj/analytical-studies.html
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EU+: Remedies
EU+: Costs
EU+: Recommendations on costs and remedies
EECCA: Costs and remedies
Standing for individuals (2012)
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
Different procedural system
Adm
court
General
court
Adm appealbody/tribunal
Authority/
Permit body
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
The AC does NOT demand…
Actio popularis
Abstract norm control
Direct action in court
= A2J for the PC, but neutral to the
ways….
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
Key issues: Standing
Sufficient interest/ Impairment of a
right


Individuals
NGOs
*******
Should trees have standing?
(Chris Stone, 1972)
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
Remedies
Article 9.4; adequate and effective
remedies, including injunctive relief as
appropriate…

Procedural
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Damages only for own interest or on
behalf of the environment?

Public or private prosecution?
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
Remedies

Suspensive effect
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Injunction on reasoned request or
when public interests are at stake
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Germany, Netherlands (injunction)
Estonia, Sweden
Administrative appeals made to
independent appeal bodies (with
technicians)

Austria, Denmark, Finland
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
“…not prohibitively
expensive”
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
Costs…

One way cost shifting
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Protective cost orders
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Slovakia, Estonia
UK (England & Wales)
Loser Pays Principle does not apply
or apply only in vexatious lawsuits

Austria, Netherlands
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
Legal aid schemes

Government funding of legal aid
organizations and/or NGOs
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Fee Waivers
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Austria, Sweden
Hungary
Law clinics
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Latvia, Czech Republic, Spain
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se
….and finally…
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING..!

[email protected]
www.jandarpo.se/ In English
Jan Darpö 2012-05-22
Faculty of Law/UU |
www.jur.uu.se / www.jandarpo.se