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Selected problems of implementation of the Espoo Convention in Ukraine (based on the example of Bystroe Canal Case)

Victoria Rachynska

elni Review 2014, Issue 1, pp. 20-26. https://doi.org/10.46850/elni.2014.003

The Espoo Convention provides an indispensable framework for international cooperation in assessing environmental impact, particularly in a transboundary context. This Convention facilitates the realization of the several principles stipulated by the Rio Declaration.
Ukraine ratified the Espoo Convention by adopting the Law of Ukraine “On ratification of the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context” No 534-XIV of 19.03.1999. However, Ukraine fails to undertake the necessary legislative, regulatory and other measures to establish and maintain a clear, transparent and consistent framework to implement the provisions of the Espoo Convention, as it is required under art. 2 para. 2 of the Convention.
Different general issues related to the compliance mechanism of the Espoo Convention and (less so) the Aarhus Convention are explored in specialized literature (including the analysis of distinct aspects of the Bystroe Canal Case). The problems of Ukraine’s implementation of the Espoo Convention have been explored in some research papers. However, the issues of Ukraine’s non-compliance with the Espoo Convention with, in particular, the aim of revealing the reasons for it, have not been the subject of any recent in-depth research. Therefore, this article aims to analyze the approach of the Ukrainian government toward the compliance process under the Espoo Convention and problems of the implementation of the Espoo Convention in Ukraine using the example of the Bystroe Canal Case as well as the possible preconditions of these problems.

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