Rozhodnutie Rady
z 11. júna 1981
o uzavretí Dohovoru o diaľkovom znečisťovaní ovzdušia prechádzajúcom hranicami štátov
(81/462/EHS)
RADA EURÓPSKYCH SPOLOČENSTIEV
so zreteľom na Zmluvu o založení Európskeho hospodárskeho spoločenstva a najmä na jej článok 235,
so zreteľom na návrh Komisie,
so zreteľom na stanovisko Zhromaždenia, [1]
so zreteľom na stanovisko Hospodárskeho a sociálneho výboru, [2]
keďže cieľ environmentálnej politiky spoločenstva, tak, ako je uvedený vo vyhlásení Rady Európskychh spoločenstiev a predstaviteľov členských štátov na stretnutí Rady 22. novembra 1973 o akčnom programe pre prírodné prostredie Európskeho spoločenstva, [3] zmenenom a doplnenom uznesením Rady Európskeho spoločenstva a predstaviteľov vlád členských štátov na stretnutí Rady 17. mája 1977 o pokračovaní a vykonávaní politiky Európskeho spoločenstva a akčného programu pre prírodné prostredie, [4] menovite zlepšenie kvality a prostredia života, okolia a životných podmienok ľudí spoločenstva, smeruje k čo najväčšiemu zníženiu a obmedzeniu znečistenia a narušenia ako aj k hľadaniu spoločných riešení problémov prírodného prostredia v štátoch mimo spoločenstva a zvlášť za pomoci medzinárodných organizácií;
keďže jedna zo zásad uvedenej environmentálnej politiky je tá, ktorá je v súlade s vyhlásením Konferencie Spojených národov o ľudskom prostredí zo Štokholmu 1972 a ktorá obracia svoju pozornosť na to, aby činnosti vykonávané v jednom štáte nemali zhoršujúci vplyv na prírodné prostredie iného štátu;
keďže sa spoločenstvo zúčastnilo rokovaní v rámci hospodárskej komisie pre Európu o dohovore a rezolúcii o rozsiahlom cezhraničnom znečisťovaní ovzdušia;
keďže 14. novembra 1979 Komisia podpísala Dohovor o diaľkovom znečisťovaní ovzdušia prechádzajúcom hranicami štátov a prijala uznesenie o diaľkovom znečisťovaní ovzdušia prechádzajúcom hranicami štátov, v ktorej sa signatári dohovoru rozhodli začať predbežné vykonávanie dohovoru v rámci hospodárskej komisie pre Európu na dočasnom základe a vykonať záväzky dohovoru v čo možno najširšom rozsahu do jeho nadobudnutia platnosti;
keďže účasť spoločenstva pri vykonávaní tohto dohovoru je nevyhnutná s cieľom dosiahnutia jedného z cieľov spoločenstva; keďže nevyhnutné právomoci sa nachádzajú len v rámci opatrení dohody, článok 235;
keďže spoločenstvo sa bude zúčastňovať na vykonávaní uvedeného dohovoru vykonávaním svojej právomoci, ktorá vyplýva z existujúcich spoločných pravidiel ako aj z tých, ktoré vyplynú z budúcich prijatých aktov Radou a používaním výsledkov činností spoločenstva (výskum, výmena informácií) príslušných oblastí;
keďže že je pre spoločenstvo nevyhnutné na tento účel zahrnúť uvedený dohovor,
ROZHODLA NASLEDOVNE:
Článok 1
Dohovor o diaľkovom znečisťovaní ovzdušia prechádzajúcom hranicami štátov týmto schvaľuje v mene Európskeho hospodárskeho spoločenstva.
Znenie uvedeného dohovoru a o uznesenie o diaľkovom znečisťovaní ovzdušia prechádzajúcom hranicami štátov je pripojené k tomuto rozhodnutiu.
Článok 2
Predseda Rady uloží listinu tak, ako je to stanovené v článku 15 dohovoru. [5]
Luxemburg 11. jún 1981.
Za Radu
predseda
L. Ginjaar
[1] Ú. v. ES C 59, 10. 3. 1980, s. 71.
[2] Ú. v. ES C 72, 24. 3. 1980, s. 25.
[3] Ú. v. ES C 112, 20. 12. 1973, s. 1.
[4] Ú. v. ES C 139, 13. 6. 1977, s. 1.
[5] Dátum nadobudnutia platnosti dohovoru bude uverejnený generálnym sekretariátom Rady v Úradnom vestníku Európskych spoločenstiev.
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Convention
on long-range transboundary air pollution
THE PARTIES TO THE PRESENT CONVENTION,
DETERMINED to promote relations and cooperation in the field of environmental protection,
AWARE of the significance of the activities of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in strengthening such relations and cooperation, particularly in the field of air pollution including long-range transport of air pollutants,
RECOGNIZING the contribution of the Economic Commission for Europe to the multilateral implementation of the pertinent provisions of the Final Act of the Conference on security and cooperation in Europe,
COGNIZANT of the references in the chapter on environment of the Final Act of the Conference on security and cooperation in Europe calling for cooperation to control air pollution and its effects, including long-range transport of air pollutants, and to the development through international cooperation of an extensive programme for the monitoring and evaluation of long-range transport of air pollutants, starting with sulphur dioxide and with possible extension to other pollutants,
CONSIDERING the pertinent provisions of the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the human environment, and in particular principle 21, which expresses the common conviction that States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental policies, and the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction,
RECOGNIZING the existence of possible adverse effects, in the short and long term, of air pollution including transboundary air pollution,
CONCERNED that a rise in the level of emissions of air pollutants within the region as forecast may increase such adverse effects,
RECOGNIZING the need to study the implications of the long-range transport of air pollutants and the need to seek solutions for the problems identified,
AFFIRMING their willingness to reinforce active international cooperation to develop appropriate national policies and by means of exchange of information, consultation, research and monitoring, to coordinate national action for combating air pollution including long-range transboundary air pollution,
HAVE AGREED as follows:
Definitions
Article 1
For the purposes of the present Convention:
(a) "air pollution" means the introduction by man, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into the air resulting in deleterious effects of such a nature as to endanger human health, harm living resources and ecosystems and material property and impair or interfere with amenities and other legitimate uses of the environment, and "air pollutants" shall be construed accordingly;
(b) "long-range transboundary air pollution" means air pollution whose physical origin is situated wholly or in part within the area under the national jurisdiction of one State and which has adverse effects in the area under the jurisdiction of another State at such a distance that it is not generally possible to distinguish the contribution of individual emission sources or groups of sources.
Fundamental principles
Article 2
The Contracting Parties, taking due account of the facts and problems involved, are determined to protect man and his environment against air pollution and shall endeavour to limit and, as far as possible, gradually reduce and prevent air pollution including long-range transboundary air pollution.
Article 3
The Contracting Parties, within the framework of the present Convention, shall, by means of exchanges of information, consultation, research and monitoring, develop without undue delay policies and strategies which shall serve as a means of combating the discharge of air pollutants, taking into account efforts already made at national and international level.
Article 4
The Contracting Parties shall exchange information on and review their policies, scientific activities and technical measures aimed at combating, as far as possible, the discharge of air pollutants which may have adverse effects, thereby contributing to the reduction of air pollution including long-range transboundary air pollution.
Article 5
Consultations shall be held, upon request, at an early stage between, on the one hand, Contracting Parties which are actually affected by or exposed to a significant risk of long-range transboundary air pollution and, on the other hand, Contracting Parties within which and subject to whose jurisdiction a significant contribution to long-range transboundary air pollution originates, or could originate, in connexion with activities carried on or contemplated therein.
Air-quality management
Article 6
Taking into account Articles 2 to 5, the on-going research, exchange of information and monitoring and the results thereof, the cost and effectiveness of local and other remedies and in order to combat air pollution, in particular that originating from new or rebuilt installations, each Contracting Party undertakes to develop the best policies and strategies including air-quality management systems and, as part of them, control measures compatible with balanced development, in particular by using the best available technology which is economically feasible and low- and non-waste technology.
Research and development
Article 7
The Contracting Parties, as appropriate to their needs, shall initiate and cooperate in the conduct of research into and/or development of:
(a) existing and proposed technologies for reducing emissions of sulphur compounds and other major air pollutants, including technical and economic feasibility, and environmental consequences;
(b) instrumentation and other techniques for monitoring and measuring emission rates and ambient concentrations of air pollutants;
(c) improved models for a better understanding of the transmission of long-range transboundary air pollutants;
(d) the effects of sulphur compounds and other major air pollutants on human health and the environment, including agriculture, forestry, materials, aquatic and other natural ecosystems and visibility, with a view to establishing a scientific basis for dose/effect relationships designed to protect the environment;
(e) the economic, social and environmental assessment of alternative measures for attaining environmental objectives, including the reduction of long-range transboundary air pollution;
(f) education and training programmes related to the environmental aspects of pollution by sulphur compounds and other major air pollutants.
Exchange of information
Article 8
The Contracting Parties, within the framework of the Executive Body referred to in Article 10 and bilaterally, shall, in their common interests, exchange available information on:
(a) data on emissions at periods of time to be agreed upon, of agreed air pollutants, starting with sulphur dioxide, coming from grid-units of agreed size, or on the fluxes of agreed air pollutants, starting with sulphur dioxide, across national borders, at distances and at periods of time to be agreed upon;
(b) major changes in national policies and in general industrial development, and their potential impact, which would be likely to cause significant changes in long-range transboundary air pollution;
(c) control technologies for reducing air pollution relevant to long-range transboundary air pollution;
(d) the projected cost of the emission control of sulphur compounds and other major air pollutants on a national scale;
(e) meteorological and physico-chemical data relating to the processes during transmission;
(f) physico-chemical and biological data relating to the effects of long-range transboundary air pollution and the extent of the damage [1] which these data indicate can be attributed to long-range transboundary air pollution;
(g) national, sub-regional and regional policies and strategies for the control of sulphur compounds and other major air pollutants.
Implementation and further development of the cooperative programme for the monitoring and evaluation of the long-range transmission of air pollutants in Europe
Article 9
The Contracting Parties stress the need for the implementation of the existing "cooperative programme for the monitoring and evaluation of the long-range transmission of air pollutants in Europe" (hereinafter referred to as "EMEP") and, with regard to the further development of this programme, agree to emphasize:
(a) the desirability of Contracting Parties joining in and fully implementing EMEP which, as a first step, is based on the monitoring of sulphur dioxide and related substances;
(b) the need to use comparable or standardized procedures for monitoring whenever possible;
(c) the desirability of basing the monitoring programme on the framework of both national and international programmes. The establishment of monitoring stations and the collection of data shall be carried out under the national jurisdiction of the country in which the monitoring stations are located;
(d) the desirability of establishing a framework for a cooperative environmental monitoring programme, based on and taking into account present and future national, sub-regional, regional and other international programmes;
(e) the need to exchange data on emissions at periods of time to be agreed upon, of agreed air pollutants, starting with sulphur dioxide, coming from grid-units of agreed size; or on the fluxes of agreed air pollutants, starting with sulphur dioxide, across national borders, at distances and at periods of time to be agreed upon. The method, including the model, used to determine the fluxes, as well as the method, including the model, used to determine the transmission of air pollutants based on the emissions per grid-unit, shall be made available and periodically reviewed, in order to improve the methods and the models;
(f) their willingness to continue the exchange and periodic updating of national data on total emissions of agreed air pollutants, starting with sulphur dioxide;
(g) the need to provide meteorological and physico-chemical data relating to processes during transmission;
(h) the need to monitor chemical components in other media such as water, soil and vegetation, as well as a similar monitoring programme to record effects on health and environment;
(i) the desirability of extending the national EMEP networks to make them operational for control and surveillance purposes.
Executive Body
Article 10
1. The representatives of the Contracting Parties shall, within the framework of the Senior Advisers to Economic Commission for Europe Governments on Environmental Problems, constitute the Executive Body of the present Convention, and shall meet at least annually in that capacity.
2. The Executive Body shall:
(a) review the implementation of the present Convention;
(b) establish, as appropriate, working groups to consider matters related to the implementation and development of the present Convention and to this end to prepare appropriate studies and other documentation and to submit recommendations to be considered by the Executive Body;
(c) fulfil such other functions as may be appropriate under the provisions of the present Convention.
3. The Executive Body shall utilize the Steering Body for the EMEP to play an integral part in the operation of the present Convention, in particular with regard to data collection and scientific cooperation.
4. The Executive Body, in discharging its functions, shall, when it deems appropriate, also make use of information from other relevant international organizations.
Secretariat
Article 11
The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe shall carry out, for the Executive Body, the following secretariat functions:
(a) to convene and prepare the meetings of the Executive Body;
(b) to transmit to the Contracting Parties reports and other information received in accordance with the provisions of the present Convention;
(c) to discharge the functions consigned by the Executive Body.
Amendments to the Convention
Article 12
1. Any Contracting Party may propose amendments to the present Convention.
2. The text of proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe, who shall communicate them to all Contracting Parties. The Executive Body shall discuss proposed amendments at its next annual meeting provided that such proposals have been circulated by the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe to the Contracting Parties at least 90 days in advance.
3. An amendment to the present Convention shall be adopted by consensus of the representatives of the Contracting Parties, and shall enter into force for the Contracting Parties which have accepted it on the 90th day after the date on which two-thirds of the Contracting Parties have deposited their instruments of acceptance with the depositary. Thereafter, the amendment shall enter into force for any other Contracting Party on the 90th day after the date on which that Contracting Party deposits its instrument of acceptance of the amendment.
Settlement of disputes
Article 13
If a dispute arises between two or more Contracting Parties to the present Convention as to the interpretation or application of the Convention, they shall seek a solution by negotiation or by any other method of dispute settlement acceptable to the Parties to the dispute.
Signature
Article 14
1. The present Convention shall be open for signature at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 13 to 16 November 1979