Following the agreement with the European Parliament in the conciliation committee, the Council adopted a regulation concerning the application of the provisions of the Aarhus Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters to the EC institutions and bodies (PE-CONS 3614/1/06 and 10407/06 ADD1 REV1).<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
The Belgian delegation abstained.
The EU institutions or bodies will apply the requirements under the Aarhus Convention, in particular by:
• guaranteeing the right of public access to environmental information received or produced and held by them;
• ensuring that environmental information is progressively made available and disseminated to the public in order to achieve its widest possible systematic availability and dissemination;
• taking into account the outcome of public participation when deciding on a plan or programme relating to the environment and inform the public about it;
• granting access to justice in environmental matters at EU level under the conditions laid down by the regulation;
• including in databases or registers information on steps taken in proceedings for infringement of Community law.
Source: Council of the European Union 1560/06 (Press 17)
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/agricult/90590.pdf
and Addendum to “I/A” Item Note 10407/06 ADD 1 REV 1
