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. |