elni Review 2008, Issue 2,  pp. 86-92. https://doi.org/10.46850/elni.2008.013

In 2007, the Plenipotentiaries on boundary waters of Moldova and Ukraine adopted a Regulation aimed at streamlining public participation in the activities of this joint body established under the bilateral boundary waters agreement of 1994. This is the first example of formalised rules and procedures for the dissemination of information and public participation in the activities of joint bodies in the countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA).
This article aims to review the current practice on and opportunities for public participation in the activities of joint bodies on transboundary water cooperation in the UNECE region, and to evaluate the mechanisms established by the Plenipotentiaries of Moldova and Ukraine. This article also examines the Almaty Guidelines on Promoting the Application of the Principles of the Aarhus Convention in International Forums.

Access full article

References

1. Regulation on Stakeholder Participation in Activities of the Plenipotentiaries, 19 December 2007.
2. Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the Government of Ukraine on Joint Use and Protection of Boundary Waters, Mold.-Ukr., 1994.
3. Almaty Guidelines on Promoting the Application of the Principles of the Aarhus Convention in International Forums, in Report of the Second Meeting of Parties, Decision II/4, 2005.
4. Convention on the Law of Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses, 21 May 1997, (1997) 36 I.L.M. 700.
5. Berlin Rules on Water Resources, in Report of the Seventy-First Conference (Berlin). ILA, London, UK, 2004.
6. Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, 17 Mar. 1992, (1992) 31 I.L.M. 1312.
7. Iulia Trombitcaia, background paper: River basin commissions and other institutions for transboundary water cooperation.
8. Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention), 25 February 1991, (1991) 30 I.L.M. 800.
9. Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention), 25 June 1998, (1999) 38 I.L.M. 255.
10. Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy, OJ 2000 L 327/1.
11. Water Management: Guidance on Public Participation and Compliance with Agreements. ECE/UNEP Network of Expert on Public Participation and Compliance, Geneva 2000.
12. Zasady udzielania statusu obserwatora (Rules for Granting the Observer Status) adopted by the International Commission for the Protection of the Oder against Pollution (2002).
13. Commission Internationale de l’Escaut: Règlement intérieur et financier (1995, modified in 2003).
14. Commission Internationale de la Meuse: Règlement intérieur et financier (2003).
15. Guidelines for Participants with Consultative Status and for Observers to the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (2005).
16. Rules of Procedure and Financial Regulations of the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine (2004).
17. Rules of Procedure of the International Sava River Basin Commission (2005).
18. Geschäftsordnung der Internationalen Kommission zum Schutz der Elbe (2003).
19. ICPDR Annual Report 2006.
20. The Estonian-Russian Joint Commission on Transboundary Waters. CTC, 2001.
21. ICPDR Principles for Cooperation and Relations with Business and Industry.
22. Memorandum of Understanding for a Partnership to Conserve and Protect the Danube River and the Danube River Basin (2005) between ICPDR and Coca-Cola European Union Group and Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company S.A.