Access to justice in environmental matters

The present brochure reflects the main arguments presented at the conference on ‘The Aarhus Convention: how are its access to justice provisions being implemented?’ which was organised by the European Commission in Brussels on 2 June 2008. The basic aim of the conference was to identify the state of play and the way forward with respect to the implementation of Article 9 (3), (4) and (5) of the Aarhus Convention in the EU Member States. The Aarhus Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters was signed in Aarhus (Denmark) in 1998. The European Union became a Party to the Convention in May 2005. All Member States – except Ireland – are also Parties to the Aarhus Convention.