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ACCC/C/2008/33 United Kingdom

Case status: Findings adopted on 24.09.2010 – Non-compliance found.
Follow-up: On-going; see Decision VII/8s, Decision VI/8k, Decision V/9n, Decision IV/9i.
Topics: Clear, transparent and consistent framework; Access to justice.
Articles alleged: 9 (2)–(5).
Articles considered by the Committee: 3 (1); 9 (2)–(5).
Articles, if any, found in non-compliance: 3 (1); 9 (4)–(5).
Summary: On 2 December 2008, ClientEarth, the Marine Conservation Society and Mr. Robert Latimer submitted a communication to the Compliance Committee, alleging non-compliance by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with its obligations under article 9 (2)–(5) of the Convention. The general allegations of non-compliance related to the lack of substantive review in procedures for judicial review, the prohibitively expensive costs of judicial review proceedings, the lack of rights of action against private individuals for breaches of environmental laws and the restrictive time limits for judicial review. The allegation of non-compliance in the specific case relates to the alleged failure of the Party concerned to provide access to justice to challenge a Government licence issued to the Port of Tyne that allows for the disposal and protective capping of highly contaminated port dredge materials at the marine disposal site “Souter Point”. 

Document Status Date received or posted by the secretariat
Datasheet ACCC/C/2008/33 (UK) Latest datasheet on the status of the communication 21.10.2010
Determination on admissibility At CC-22 19.12.2008
Communication Communication ACCC/C/2008/30 02.12.2008
Annex 1: Licence 31995/04/1: For a trial to assess the effectiveness of a methodology for capping contaminated dredged material from the Port of Tyne on the Souter Point disposal site , issued on behalf of the Marine Consents and Environment Unit for and on behalf of the Licensing Authority on 6.10 2004 Annex 1 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 2: Report 1740, Port of Tyne Sea Disposal Trials of Contaminated Tyne EstuarySediment , EnviroCentre, 06.2004 Annex 2 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 3: Report No. 1613 Work Plan for Sea Disposal Trials of Contaminated Tyne Estuary Sediment , Final Work Plan – Revision 3, EnviroCentre, Port of Tyne Authority, 08.2004 (attached to Licence) Annex 3 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 4: Report No. 3040, Port of Tyne – Sea Disposal Trials of Contaminated Estuary Sediment: Required Cap Thickness , EnviroCentre, 02.2007 Annex 4 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 5: Report No. 3308, Port of Tyne – Sea Disposal Trials of Contaminated Tyne Estuary Sediment: Post Placement Monitoring – Tier 1 Second Annual Monitoring, EnviroCentre, 06.2008 Annex 5 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 6: UK Report to the Meeting of the Working Group on the Environmental Impact of Human Activities of the OSPAR onvention: Capping of Contaminated Dredged Material Case Study Port of Tyne UK (the ‘ UK OSPAR Report’), undated Annex 6 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 7: FEPA Monitoring at Dredged Material Disposal Sites off the Tyne, 03.2003 Annex 7 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 8: The fate of TBT in spoil and feasibility of remediation to eliminate environmental impact , Defra Research and Development, Final Project Report CSG 15, 30.04.2002 Annex 8 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 9: Presentation by the University of Sussex, Contaminated Dredged Material , FEPA Topic Review, 23.06.2005 Annex 9 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 10: Memorandum from Dr C Vivian (CEFAS) to Mr G Boyes (Defra), dated 1.04.2003: Current Status of Tyne TBT Disposal Issues Annex 10 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 11: Memorandum from Dr C. Vivian (CEFAS) to Mr G Boyes (Defra): Port of Tyne Application DC 6742 , BLR 7570, DAS 31995/030222, DC 6742, dated 18.06.2003 Annex 11 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 12: Letter from Graham Boyes (Defra) to Mr Keith Wilson ( Port of Tyne Authority), ref DC 6742, dated 9.09.2003 Annex 12 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 13: Letter from John Maslin, Head of Marine Environment Branch 2, DEFRA to Thomas Bell, MCS, dated 3.02.2005 Annex 13 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 14: Minutes of the Meeting Held to Discuss the Trial Capping Project of Contaminated Dredged Material from the Port of Tyne Disposal held on 10.05.2006 Annex 14 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 15: Letter from Andy Dixon, MCEU to Robert Latimer, dated 30.08.2006 Annex 15 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 16: Letter from Alexis Tregenza of Defra to Robert Latimer, ref. 259370, dated 6.09.2006 Annex 16 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 17: Note on Review Meeting at EnviroCentre with Port of Tyne Regarding the Placement of Contaminated Dredge material Offshore , from Sylvia Blake, CEFAS addressed to Andy Dixon, MCEU, dated 14.09.2006 Annex 17 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 18: Memorandum from Chris Vivian and Sylvia Blake, CEFAS to Geoff Bowles, MEU, and others dated 26.01.2007. Annex 18 to the communication 02.12.2008
Annex 19: ‘Review of Sea Disposal Trial of Contaminated Tyne Estuary Sediment: Required Cap Thickness Feb 2007 rep no: 11548J, MCMS Licence 31995/04/ 1’, report by Sylvia Blake, CEFAS, Burnham Laboratory, 22. 02.2007 Annex 19 to the communication 02.12.2008
Letter to the Party informing about the communication Letter from the secretariat sent at the request of the Committee made at CC-22 24.12.2008
Letter to the communicant regarding preliminary admissibility of the communication Letter from the secretariat sent at the request of the Committee made at CC-22 24.12.2008
Letter to the Party concerned raising additional questions for clarification Letter from the secretariat sent at the request of the Committee 16.01.2009
Letter to the communicant raising additional questions for clarification Letter from the secretariat sent at the request of the Committee 16.01.2009
Letter to the Party concerned requesting timing of response and updating about possibility of discussion at twenty-fourth meeting Letter from the secretariat 12.05.2009
Letter from the Party concerned requesting delay in the discussion of the case in order to have three communications concerning the UK discussed during the same meeting Letter from the Party concerned 12.05.2009
Message from the secretariat requesting comments on discussion proposal after replies from the Party concerned and from the communicant of communication 23 Message from the secretariat to the communicant 15.05.2009
First letter from one party of the communicant requesting not to postpone the discussion Letter from one party of the communicant 19.05.2009
Second letter from the communicant accepting Committee's plan of discussion for this communication Letter from one party of the communicant on behalf of all communicants 21.05.2009
Amicus Brief document for communications 23, 27 and 33 received by CAJE Proposal by CAJE to the Secretariat 22.05.2009
Annex A - Rule 44.3, Civil Procedure Rules Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex B - Using the Law: Barriers and Opportunities for Environmental Justice (Capacity Global) Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex C - Environmental Justice (the Environmental Justice Project) Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex D - Civil Law Aspects of Environmental Justice (ELF) Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex E - Modernising Environmental Justice (UCL) Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex F - CAJE Briefing - Access to Justice: Making it Affordable Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex G - UKELA Position Statement on Costs Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex H - Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Professor Nicolas de Sadeleer) Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex I - Litigating the Public Interest (Liberty/Civil Liberties Trust) Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex J - Measures on Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Milieu Ltd Report, UK) Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex K - Judgment in R v. (Francis Morgan) v Hinton Organics (Wessex Ltd.) Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex L - CAJE letters to the Civil Procedure Rules Committee (Letter dated 10th June 2005 to CPRC) (Letter dated 23 July 2008 to CPRC, Enclosure to 23 July 2008 letter) Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex M - Table showing JRs embarked upon by selected CAJE members since 1990 Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex N - Ensuring Access to Justice in England and Wales (Sullivan Report) Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex O - Review of Civil Litigation Costs (Jackson Preliminary Report) Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex P - CAJE complaint to the European Commission Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex Q - Chambers Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Annex R - Judgment in Corner House Annex to the Amicus Brief 28.05.2009
Letter from the communicant requesting that discussion of other UK communications 23 and 27 consider some of the information included for communication 33 Letter from the communicant 27.05.2009
Letter to the parties concerned of communications 23, 27 and 33 with regard to decisions for discussion plans of these three communications Letter from the secretariat 27.05.2009
Letter from the communicant with answers to questions raised by the Committee to the communicant by letter on 16.01.2009 and to one question raised to the Party concerned by letter on 16.01.2009 and with a discussion of the results of the comprehensive review of civil litigation costs carried out by Lord Justice Jackson Letter from the communicant 09.06.2009
Attached file to the letter with the 72 annexes Annex to the letter 09.06.2009
European Court of Justice in Case C-427/07, Commission v Ireland (cover) (decision) From CAJE 27.07.2009
Letter from the Party concerned with issues on C23 and C33 (cover) Letter from the Party concerned 30.07.2009
Annex 1 - Observations on C33 Annex to the letter 30.07.2009
Annex 2 - Index to bundle of documents Annex to the letter 30.07.2009
Annex 3 - Correspondence list with one party of the communicant (Mr. Latimer) Annex to the letter 30.07.2009
List of relevant documents that may be useful Annex from the Party concerned 19.08.2009
Message to parties concerned and amicus convening hearing at CC-25 Letter from the secretariat 27.08.2009
Letter providing further comments for the discussion at CC-25 Letter from the communicant 16.09.2009
Draft statement concerning the allegation of a conflict of interest Prepared by the Compliance Committee 24.09.2009
Message containing reaction from the Party concerned with regard to the conflict of interest issue Letter from the Party concerned 25.09.2009
Statement concerning the allegation of a conflict of interest Prepared by the Compliance Committee 25.09.2009
Oral submissions Letter from the Party concerned 25.09.2009
Oral submissions (WWF) (CAJE) Letter from amicus 30.09.2009
Statement with regard to the conflict of interest issue Letter from CAJE 30.09.2009
Oral submissions of the communicant Letter from the communicant 05.10.2009
Statement with regard to the conflict of interest issue (statement) (annex) Letter from the communicant 06.10.2009
Message to all parties concerned (including the amicus) with regard to the outcome after CC-25 and the following steps concerning the case Letter from the secretariat 13.11.2009
Message updating the Compliance Committee on the publication of Lord Justice Jackson's Report on Civil Litigation Costs on 14th January 2010 Letter from CAJE 20.01.2010
Message commenting on the Jackson report: (cover) (comments) Message from the communicant 29.01.2010
Letter on the cost issue with regard to C23, C27 and C33 Message from CAJE 17.03.2010
Message from Environmental Law Foundation on the three UK cases Message from Environmental Law Foundation 20.05.2010
Annex - Report on the three UK cases Annex to the message from Environmental Law Foundation 20.05.2010
Letter from CAJE about the three UK cases (C23, C27, C33) Message from CAJE 26.05.2010
Annex 1 - Letter about the Pallikaropoulos case Annex to the message from CAJE 26.05.2010
Annex 2 - Final judgement of the Pallikaropoulos v SSEFRA case Annex to the message from CAJE 26.05.2010
Response by the communicant on the documents submitted by CAJE on 26 May 2010 Message from the communicant 02.06.2010
Letter to the Party concerned and letter to the communicant informing about the draft findings From the secretariat 25.08.2010
Response of the amicus (CAJE) to the draft findings (re C/27 and C/33) and update Sullivan Report (Annex N to the Amicus Brief) From Amicus (CAJE) 14.09.2010
Response of the Party concerned to the draft findings (re C/27 and C/33) From the Party concerned 22.09.2010
Response of the communicant to the draft findings From the communicant 22.09.2010
Additional comments to the draft findings (re C/27 and C/33) with annexes:
letters to the Ministry of Justice and to DEFRA
From the amicus (CAJE) 14.10.2010
Findings and letters to the Party concerned and to the communicant From the secretariat 18.10.2010
Follow-up on compliance From the secretariat 07.01.2011

Findings (En Fr Ru)

From the secretariat 08.02.2011
Response on follow-up From the Party concerned 15.02.2011
Response by CAJE to the UK response From CAJE 25.02.2011
Response by Lord Justice Sullivan's Working Group on Access to Environmental Justice to all three consultation papers of the Ministry of Justice From CAJE 25.02.2011
Response by CAJE to MoJ consultation papers From CAJE 25.02.2011
Response by CAJE MoJ on injunctions From CAJE 25.02.2011
Draft report from the Committee and cover letter From the secretariat 01.03.2011
Response from CAJE (email) From CAJE 14.03.2011
Response from ClientEarth
Annex 1
Annex 2
From the communicant 15.03.2011
Response from the Party From the Party concerned 15.03.2011
Report of the Committee From the secretariat 19.05.2011
Summary of events regarding the UK's progress in implementing the recommendations of the Committee From the communicant 20.06.2011
Extended summary of events regarding the UK's progress in implementing the recommendations of the Committee From the communicant 23.06.2011
CAJE letter sent to the Civil Procedure Rules Committee From CAJE 12.11.2014