Public Participation
EPE invited ECE to review the implementation of the ECE Guidelines on
Access to Environmental Information and Public Participation in Environmental
Decision-making (English, Russian, Français) endorsed by the
Ministers at Sofia. Progress in the implementation of the ECE Guidelines
on public participation in environmental decision-making was reported
(English, Russian,
Français) to the Aarhus Conference.
The Ministers at Sofia called for a regional convention on public participation
to be drawn up with the involvement of NGOs. In January 1996, the Committee
on Environmental Policy established the Ad Hoc Working Group for the preparation
of a draft convention on access to environmental information and public
participation in environmental decision-making. The Convention
on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and
Access to Justice in Environmental Matters was signed at Aarhus by
35 member States and the European Community.