The European Platform Against Windfarms (EPAW) has scored its first victory: the EU General Court declared admissible, on 19 June, the action brought by this group, which has 608 member organisations from 24 countries opposed to the real or potential impacts of windfarms. EPAW's action before the court argues that extension of the European Commission's renewable energy programme infringes a number of points of the Aarhus Convention and must be annulled. The Aarhus Convention was approved by Decision 2005/370/EC of the EU Council and is therefore enforceable in the EU, notes the EPAW. This convention guarantees access to information, public participation in decision making and access to justice on environmental matters. Given the considerable environmental impact of the construction of thousands of windfarms across Europe, the convention applies to any plan or programme, or its extension, that would entail such construction, adds the association.
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