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Party Signature Ratification Status Party
26 Feb 1991 04 Oct 1991 Ratification 10 Sep 1997
21 Feb 1997 Accession 10 Sep 1997
26 Feb 1991 27 Jul 1994 Ratification 10 Sep 1997 Declarations
25 Mar 1999 Accession 23 Jun 1999
26 Feb 1991 10 Nov 2005 Acceptance 08 Feb 2006
26 Feb 1991 02 Jul 1999 Ratification 30 Sep 1999
14 Dec 2009 Accession 14 Mar 2010
26 Feb 1991 12 May 1995 Ratification 10 Sep 1997 Declarations
26 Feb 1991 13 May 1998 Ratification 11 Aug 1998
08 Jul 1996 Accession 10 Sep 1997
20 Jul 2000 Accession 18 Oct 2000
30 Sep 1993 26 Feb 2001 Ratification 27 May 2001 End notes
26 Feb 1991 14 Mar 1997 Approval 10 Sep 1997 End notes
25 Apr 2001 Accession 24 Jul 2001
26 Feb 1991 24 Jun 1997 Approval 10 Sep 1997 Declarations
26 Feb 1991 10 Aug 1995 Acceptance 10 Sep 1997
26 Feb 1991 15 Jun 2001 Approval 13 Sep 2001 Declarations
End notes
26 Feb 1991 08 Aug 2002 Ratification 06 Nov 2002
26 Feb 1991 24 Feb 1998 Ratification 25 May 1998
26 Feb 1991 11 Jul 1997 Ratification 10 Sep 1997
27 Feb 1991 25 Jul 2002 Ratification 23 Oct 2002
26 Feb 1991 19 Jan 1995 Ratification 10 Sep 1997
11 Jan 2001 Accession 11 Apr 2001
01 May 2001 Accession 30 Jul 2001
31 Aug 1998 Accession 29 Nov 1998
09 Jul 1998 Accession 07 Oct 1998 Declarations
11 Jan 2001 Accession 11 Apr 2001
26 Feb 1991 29 Aug 1995 Ratification 10 Sep 1997
20 Oct 2010 Accession 18 Jan 2011
09 Jul 2009 Accession 07 Oct 2009
25 Feb 1991 28 Feb 1995 Acceptance 10 Sep 1997 Declarations
End notes
25 Feb 1991 23 Jun 1993 Ratification 10 Sep 1997
26 Feb 1991 12 Jun 1997 Ratification 10 Sep 1997
26 Feb 1991 06 Apr 2000 Ratification 05 Jul 2000
04 Jan 1994 Accession 10 Sep 1997
26 Feb 1991 29 Mar 2001 Ratification 27 Jun 2001
18 Dec 2007 Accession 17 Mar 2008
28 May 1993 19 Nov 1999 Ratification 17 Feb 2000 End notes
05 Aug 1998 Accession 03 Nov 1998
26 Feb 1991 10 Sep 1992 Ratification 10 Sep 1997 Objections
26 Feb 1991 24 Jan 1992 Ratification 10 Sep 1997 Objections
16 Sep 1996 Accession 10 Sep 1997
31 Aug 1999 Accession 29 Nov 1999
26 Feb 1991 20 Jul 1999 Ratification 18 Oct 1999
26 Feb 1991 10 Oct 1997 Ratification 08 Jan 1998 End notes

Non-Parties

Party Signature Ratification Status Additional information
26 Feb 1991 Signatory
06 Jun 1991 Signatory
26 Feb 1991 Signatory

Declarations

Declaration:"The Republic of Austria declares in accordance with article 15 paragraph 2 of the Convention that it accepts both of the means of dispute settlement mentioned in this paragraph as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting an obligation concerning one or both of these means of dispute settlement."
Declaration:The Republic of Bulgaria declares that for a dispute not resolved in accordance with paragraph 1 of article 15, it accepts both of the following means of dispute settlement as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting the same obligation:a ) Submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice; b ) Arbitration in accordance with the procedure set out in Appendix VII.
Declarations made upon signature and confirmed upon approval:"It is understood, that the Community Member States, in their mutual relations, will apply the Convention in accordance with the Community's internal rules, including those of the EURATOM Treaty, and without prejudice to appropriate amendments being made to those rules."The European Community considers that, if the information of the public of the Party of origin takes place when the environmental impact assessment documentation is available, the information of the affected Party by the Party of origin must be implemented simultaneously at the latest."The Community considers that the Convention implies that each Party must assure, on its territory, that the public is provided with the environmental impact assessment documentation, that it is informed and that its observations are collected."Declaration made upon approval with respect to Article 17 (5) of the Convention:"In the field covered by the Espoo Convention, Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985, annexed to this Declaration, applies. It enables the Community to comply with most of the obligations under the Espoo Convention. Member States are responsible for the performance of those obligations resulting from the Espoo Convention not currently covered by Community law and more specifically by Directive 85/337/EEC. The Community underlines that Directive 85/337/EEC does not cover the application of the Espoo Convention between the Community on the one hand and non-Member States party to the Espoo Convention on the other hand. The Community will inform the depositary of any future amendment to Directive 85/337/EEC.From this, it follows that the Community, within the limits indicated above, is competent to enter into binding commitments on its own behalf with non-members countries which are Contracting Parties to the Espoo Convention."
Declarations:.... When approving the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context, signed at Espoo on 25 February 1991, the Government of the French Republic declares that it associates itself with the declarations made by the European Commission, both when signing this Convention and when depositing the Community's instrument of ratification, and stresses in particular that:– In its relations with the member States of the European Union, France will apply the Convention in accordance with the Union's internal rules, including those laid down in the Euratom treaty;– When the public in the Party of origin is provided with information through the public distribution of the environmental impact assessment documentation, the notification of the affected Party by the Party of origin must be given no later than when the documentation is distributed;– The Convention implies that it is the responsibility of each Party to ensure the public distribution within its territory of the environmental impact assessment documentation, inform the public and collect its comments, except where different bilateral arrangements apply.It specifies that, any projects for which a request for authorization or approval is required and has already been submitted to the competent authority at the time when the Convention enters into force in France shall not be subject to the Convention.Lastly, it specifies that the word ‘national' in article 2, paragraph 8, of the Convention shall be understood to refer to national laws, national regulations, national administrative provisions and commonly accepted national legal practices.
Declaration concerning article 15 (2):“The Principality of Liechtenstein declares in accordance with article 15, paragraph 2, of the Convention that it accepts both of the means of dispute settlement mentioned in this paragraph as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting an obligation concerning one or both of these means of dispute settlement.”
Declaration:"The Kingdom of the Netherlands declares, in accordance with paragraph 2 of article 15 of [the said Convention], that it accepts both means of dispute settlement referred to in that paragraph as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting one or both of these means of dispute settlement."

Objections

26 May 1999With regard to the reservation made by Canada upon ratification :The Government of the Kingdom of Spain notes that the said reservation is of a general nature, rendering compliance with the provisions of the Convention dependent on certain norms of Canada's internal legislation.The Government of the Kingdom of Spain believes that this general reservation gives rise to doubts concerning Canada's commitment to the object and purpose of the Convention and recalls that, according to article 19 (c) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, reservations that are incompatible with the object and purpose of a treaty are impermissible.It is in the common interest of States that treaties to which they have decided to become parties should be respected in their entirety by all parties, and that States should be prepared to adapt their internal legislation to comply with their obligations under those treaties. A general reservation such as that made by the Government of Canada, which does not clearly specify either the provisions of the Convention to which it applies or the scope of the derogation, undermines the foundations of international treaty law.The Government of the Kingdom of Spain therefore objects to the aforementioned general reservation made by the Government of Canada to the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context. This objection does not prevent the entry into force of the Convention between the Kingdom of Spain and Canada..
26 May 1999With regard to the reservation made by Canada upon ratification:"The Government of Sweden is of the view that the general reservation made by the Government of Canada does not clarify to which extent Canada considers itself bound by the Convention.It is in the common interest of States that treaties to which they have chosen to become parties are respected as to their object and purpose by all parties, and that States are prepared to undertake any legislative changes necessary to comply with their obligations under the treaties. Furthermore, according to the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 23 May 1969, and well established customary international law, a reservation contrary to the object and purpose of the treaty shall not be permitted.Sweden does not consider the reservation made by the Government of Canada as admissible unless the Government of Canada, by providing additional information or through subsequent practice, ensures that the reservation is compatible with the provisions essential for the implementation of the object and purpose of the Convention. The Government of Sweden therefore, pending clarification of the exact extent of the reservation, objects to the [...] general reservation made by the Government of Canada.

End Notes

Czechoslovakia had signed the Convention on 30 August 1991 (See, C.N.188.1991.TREATIES-5 (Depositary Notification). See also note 1 under “Czech Republic” and note 1 under “Slovakia” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.

Upon signature, the Government of Denmark made the following declaration (which was not confirmed upon approval):

Decision reserved as concerns the application of the Convention to the Faeroe Islands and Greenland.

On 12 December 2001, the Secretary-General received from the Government of Denmark a communication declaring that the Convention shall apply to the Faeroe Islands and Greeland as from 14 March 1997.”

Upon depositing its instrument of approval, the Government of France declared the following:

The Government of the French Republic declares that the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context, signed at Espoo on 25 February 1991, does not apply to the territory of French Polynesia.

Subsequently, on 16 January 2024, the Government of the French Republic notified the Secretary-General of its withdrawal of the territorial exclusion in respect of French Polynesia (see depositary notification C.N.45.2024.TREATIES-XXVII.4 of 22 January 2024).

For the Kingdom in Europe.

Czechoslovakia had signed the Convention on 30 August 1991 (See, C.N.188.1991.TREATIES-5 (Depositary Notification). See also note 1 under “Czech Republic” and note 1 under “Slovakia” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.

On behalf of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Bailiwick of Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar.