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ACCC/C/2011/58 Bulgaria

Case status: Findings adopted on 28.09.2012 – Non-compliance found.
Follow-up: On-going; see Decision VII/8d, Decision VI/8d, Decision V/9d.
Topics: Public participation; Access to justice.
Articles alleged: 9 (2), 9 (3).
Articles considered by the Committee: 6 (7); 9 (2)–(4).
Articles, if any, found in non-compliance: 9 (2)–(4).
Summary: On 9 February 2011, the Balkani Wildlife Society, submitted a communication to the Compliance Committee alleging that Bulgaria had failed to comply with its obligations under article 9 (2) and (3) of the Convention, with respect to access to review procedures to challenge acts that contravene national environmental legislation. The communicant alleged that it is not possible to appeal the outcomes of the strategic environmental assessment issued under the Environmental Protection Act, and that members of the public do not have access to review procedures to challenge orders for the adoption of spatial plans or construction permits and exploitation permits issued under the Spatial Development Act.

  Document Status Date received or posted by the secretariat
  Datasheet ACCC/C/2011/58 (Bulgaria) Latest datasheet on the status of the communication 04.02.2013
  Determination on admissibility At CC-31 01.04.2011
  Communication Communication ACCC/C/2011/58 01.04.2011
  Annex 1   01.04.2011
  Annex 2   01.04.2011
  Annex 3   01.04.2011
  Annex 4   01.04.2011
  Annex 5   01.04.2011
  Annex 6   01.04.2011
  Annex 7   01.04.2011
  Annex 8   01.04.2011
  Annex 9   01.04.2011
  Annex 10   01.04.2011
  Annex 11   01.04.2011
  Letter to the Party concerned forwarding the communication From the secretariat 01.04.2011
  Letter to the communicant From the secretariat 01.04.2011
  Response from the Party concerned From the Party concerned 18.08.2011
  Response from the communicant From the communicant 28.09.2011
  Invitation to the Party and to the communicant for the discussion of the communication at CC-35: list of questions to guide the discussion From the secretariat 10.11.2011
  Response by the Party concerned to Committee's questions From the Party concerned 09.12.2011
  Handout responding to the Committee's questions of 10.11.2011 during the discussion at CC-35 From the communicant 13.12.2011
  Letter to the Party From the secretariat 02.02.2012
  Letter to the communicant From the secretariat 02.02.2012
  Communicant's written response to Compliance Committee's questions to guide discussion at CC35 Letter from the communicant 10.01.2012
 

Annex 1

Environmental Protection Act (unofficial English translation)

   
 

Annex 2

Spatial Development Act (unofficial English translation)

   
 

Annex 3

SEA Decision No. BA-5/2011 of the Varna RIEW

   
 

Annex 4

SEA Decision No. БC-6-1/2011 of the Burgas RIEW

   
 

Annex 5

SEA Decision No. БC-11-2/2011 of the Burgas RIEW

   
 

Annex 6

Comprehensive list of the village projects authorized by SEA decision only

   
  Information after CC-35 From the Party concerned 29.02.2012
 

Answers to the questions

Supporting documents (archive)

From the communicant 06.03.2012
  Draft findings and letters to the Party concerned and to the communicant From the secretariat 24.08.2012
  Comments on draft findings, Annex 1 and Annex 2    From the communicant 21.09.2012
  Findings and letter to the parties From the secretariat 04.10.2012
  Findings (En Fr Rus) From the secretariat 11.01.2013
  Letter on follow-up with the recommendations From the secretariat 15.07.2013
  Update From the Party concerned 16.09.2013
 

Progress report

 

From the Party concerned 19.09.2013
 

Comments on Party's progress and annex

Annex 1  NGO proposals for amendment to SDA

Annex 2  Supreme Administrative Court Ruling 6851/2013

Annex 3  Supreme Administrative Court Ruling 11242/2013

Annex 4  Supreme Administrative Court Ruling 9482/2013

From the communicant 19.09.2013
  Draft report by the Compliance Committee to the Meeting of the Parties
on the implementation of the findings and recommendations in ACCC/C/2011/58
 and letters to the Party concerned and communicant 
From the secretariat 18.11.2013
  Report by the Compliance Committee to the Meeting of the Parties
on the implementation of the findings and recommendations in ACCC/C/2011/58 (ECE/MP.PP/2014/13)
From the Committee 20.12.2013