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Convention bodies

The Meeting of the Parties
Working Group of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention
Bureau of the Meeting of the Parties
Compliance Committee
Working Group on Genetically Modified Organisms
Working Group on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers
Task Force on Access to Justice
Task Force on Electronic Information Tools
Task Force on Financial Arrangements
Task Force on Public Participation in International Forums
Long Term Strategic Planning
Public Participation in Strategic Decision-making
 

Convention bodies


The governing body of the Aarhus Convention is the Meeting of the Parties, which meets every 2-3 years to review progress in the ratification and implementation of the Convention and decide on future work under its auspices through adopting a work programme. In the period between meetings of the Parties, the Working Group of the Parties oversees the implementation of the work programme. The Working Group meets at least once a year. The Bureau of the Meeting of the Parties serves also as the Bureau of the Working Group. A Compliance Committee has been established to address issues of alleged non-compliance with the Convention.
The first meeting of the Parties also established five other working groups or task forces to work on specific issues:
Working Group on Genetically Modified Organisms
 
Working Group on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers
 
Task Force on Access to Justice
 
Task Force on Electronic Information Tools
 
Task Force on Financial Arrangements

In November 2003, the Working Group of the Parties decided to establish an Expert Group on Public Participation in International Forums to consider the scope, format and content of possible guidelines on promoting the application of the principles of the Aarhus Convention in international environmental decision-making processes.
In May 2005, the second Meeting of the Parties established a Task Force on Public Participation in International Forums and new Task Force on Access to Justice, and extended the mandate of the Task Force on Electronic Information Tools.
All these bodies are serviced by the Secretariat of the Aarhus Convention.