European ECO-Forum News Digest

1. FIRST MEETING OF THE TASK FORCE ON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL FORUMS

The Task Force on Public Participation in International Forums (PPIF) held its first meeting on 24-25 November 2005 in Geneva. The second Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention (Almaty, May 2005) welcomed the work done by the Expert Group on PPIF and adopted the Guidelines and accompanying decision II/4 www.unece.org/env/documents/2005/pp/ece.mp.pp.2005.2.add.5.e.pdf

The MOP established a Task Force on PPIF, led by France, to enter into consultations regarding the Guidelines with the relevant international forums within the scope of these Guidelines.

European ECO-Forum Public Participation Campaign (PPC) delegation took part in the TF meeting. The delegation consisted of 10 NGO representatives from EU and EECCA countries. It was led by John Hontelez, EEB Secretary General and Chair of the PPC.

Participants discussed Preliminary Draft Plan of Consultation, prepared by the Chairman with the assistance of a consultant. The document provides a background of the PPIF Guidelines. It also formulates objectives of the proposed Plan of consultation, including the following

(a) To widely inform relevant international forums about the Guidelines and the consultation process;

(b) To gather information on selected international forums' existing experiences regarding access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters, and the particular characteristics of each forum, in order to support Parties in their implementation of Article 3(7) of the Convention, and to assist the Working Group of the Parties in reviewing the Guidelines prior to the third Meeting of the Parties (Decision II/4, paragraph 8);

(c) To facilitate the exchange of experiences between selected international    forums   on access   to   information,    public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters;

(d) To enter into dialogue with selected international forums on questions of access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters and, where requested, to provide support to those forums interested to carry out further work in this area.

Furthermore,   it   formulates   criteria   for    selection   of international forums to be consulted. "Given the large number of forums encompassed by the definition, it is not feasible for the Task    Force to undertake detailed consultation with every relevant forum in the timeframe of the consultation process. A solution could be for the Task Force to use various criteria to select a number of these forums with which to enter into consultation", - states the document. Criteria could include: breadth of forum, participation of Aarhus Convention Parties in the forum, proportion of forum's decisions and actions that affect the environment, potential environmental significance of forum's decisions and actions, expressed civil society need. Several modalities of consultation are also discussed.

A provisional time schedule for the consultation process includes    other relevant dates from the Aarhus Convention calendar. The consultation process should commence in April 2006,   following   the approval of the proposed   plan   of consultation by the Working Group of the Parties. Consultations shall be brought to a close in July 2007, in order to allow the Task Force sufficient time to report to the meetings of the Bureau and the Working Group of the Parties in late 2007 and early 2008 respectively. This would give the Task Force fifteen months between April 2006 and July 2007 to undertake the consultation process.

Detailed time schedule is available in the document.

The TF also discussed a proposed list of International Forums to be consulted (available at the website mentioned below).

The ECO-Forum delegation supported the plan, and successfully advocated the inclusion of a number of international forums into the lists for more intensive consultation, such as the International Monetary Fund, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, and a range of regional banks. It was helped with two written submissions from organisations, in particular from CEEBankwatch and the Brenner Declaration (on IMF).

The consultations on the list will continue in the next two months, via e-mail.

Documents of the first meeting of the Task Force (English only) are available at http://www.unece.org/env/pp/ppif.htm

For further information contact Aarhus Convention Secretariat at public.participation@unece.org

or John Hontelez, European ECO-Forum Public Participation Campaign Chair at Hontelez@eeb.org

2. FINANCING WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION IN EECCA CONFERENCE OF EECCA MINISTERS OF ECONOMY/FINANCE, ENVIRONMENT AND WATER AND THEIR PARTNERS FROM THE OECD

On 17-18 November 2005 a conference of Ministers of Economy/Finance, Environment and Water from EECCA region and their partners from the OECD took place in Yerevan, Armenia. The meeting was hosted by the Government of Armenia. The secretariat to the process was provided by the OECD/ EAP Task Force Secretariat. Ministers met in Yerevan to discuss how to address the critical situation of the water sector in EECCA countries, particularly how to finance much-needed improvements. The meeting examined progress in light of a set of guiding
principles they had adopted at an earlier meeting in Almaty in 2000 (therefore the Yerevan event is also referred as Almaty+5). Documentation prepared for the meeting suggested that while there had been some progress, overall the situation remained critical and that on present trends the water-related MDGs would not be met. Discussions focused on key financing options and how to implement change at the local level. Other issues were also addressed: how far can user charges be increased without running into affordability problems? Public money will be essential, but what can be done to ensure that it is used effectively? How can local authorities and water utilities function more efficiently?
Is there a role for the private sector? What is the role of NGOs? And others.

European ECO-Forum Issue Group on EAP has organised a preparatory process for Almaty+5 Ministrerial meeting. This preparation started in summer 2005 and included electronic consultation on positions and views of EECCA NGOs on water sector reforms as well as on the role of NGOs in the reforms process. Preparatory workshop of EECCA NGOs was organised by ECO- Accord in Moscow in September 2005 to discuss official Yerevan documents, as well as to finalize 2 NGO documents, prepared for this meeting: NGOs position paper on the progress in WSS sector reform in EECCA and NGO role in the reform (available at http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/41/44/35653585.pdf)

NGO position was also presented in keynote presentation by Olga Ponizova, ECO-Accord, ECO-Forum ESP Issue Group Coordinator
(http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/49/32/35766607.pdf)

On 16 November ECO-Forum organised side event "Reforms for people or reforms for reforms?", where NGO position papers were also presented and discussed as well as experience of different NGOs from EECCA region working on WSS issues.

Position papers and examples of good practices of NGO activities on WSS in EECCA are published in a brochure "Reforms for People.
Water for Life" (both in Russian and English) and on a CD-ROM. Should you like to receive these publications, contact Natalia Gutsko, ECO-Accord at natagut@mail.ru

Two events that were preceding the Ministerial conference: Third Joint Meeting of the EAP Task Force and the Project Preparation Committee
http://www.oecd.org/document/36/0,2340,en_2649_34343_35482788_1_1_1_1,00.html

and

Roundtable on Public-Private Partnerships in the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector of EECCA
http://www.oecd.org/document/52/0,2340,en_2649_34343_35336180_1_1_1_1,00.html

For further information on Yerevan Ministerial meeting visit
www.oecd.org/env/water

or contact Olga Ponizova, ECO-Forum ESP Issue Group coordinator at ponizova@leadnet.ru

3. FOURTH MEETING OF THE AARHUS CONVENTION TASK FORCE ON ELECTRONIC INFORMATION TOOLS

Task Force on Electronic Information Tools (TF EIT) under the Aarhus Convention had its' Fourth meeting in Geneva, 7-8 November 2005.

The Second Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention (MOP-2) which took place on May 25-27th, 2005 in Almaty) with its' Decision II/3 on Electronic Information Tools and the Clearing- house Mechanism adopted the Recommendations on the more effective use of electronic information tools to provide public access to environmental information
http://www.unece.org/env/documents/2005/pp/ece/ece.mp.pp.2005.2.add.4.e.pdf,
invited Parties, Signatories and other interested States to develop a national node of the clearing-house mechanism and decided to extend the mandate of the Task Force on Electronic Information Tools with the following programme of work:

a. identification of capacity-building needs, barriers and solutions, to contribute to the implementation of capacity- building measures;

b. facilitation of shared approaches and standards to public access information systems in order to meet user requirements for information at different geographical and political levels;

c. facilitation of the sharing of examples of good practices and further documentation of case studies by monitoring the implementation of the recommendations annexed to this decision;

d. maintenance and further development of the clearing-house mechanism, including development for the national nodes of the clearing-house while avoiding duplication of work.

UK has taken up the leadership of this Task Force and Chris Jarvis was elected as a Chairman of the Task Force at its 4th Meeting in November 7-8th, 2005.

The Task Force reviewed of relevant developments in global, regional and national developments and processes, including:

+   Aarhus Convention contribution to a side event on capacity building for e-tools and the environment at WSIS-II (November 14th, 2005 in Tunis) [ http://www.itu.int/wsis];
+   expansion of the Access Initiative (TAI) in the UNECE region serving to monitor and promote national implementation of Principle 10 etc.;
+   further development of the Aarhus Convention webpage by Russian Federal Environmental Information Agency (REFIA)
+   launch of an electronic public consultation web tool by Environmental Agency of England and Wales;
+   Neighbourhood Project by the European Environmental Agency aimed at delivering community level environmental information
through Internet (pilot phase is focusing on ozone level air quality data);
+   Development of an electronic platform to elect NGO representatives to official public commissions and working groups by Bluelink/Bulgaria; and
+   Presentation of the national web site of the Ministry of Environment Protection of Ukraine

Main purpose of the meeting was to review draft guidance for national nodes of the Clearing-house Mechanism and discuss a programme of workshops to build capacity in accordance with Decision II/3. In relation to the draft guidance document experts from States as well as European ECO Forum and other organisations had a possibility to comment this document. Comments on the draft guidance document focused on clarifying its intended audience (national mode administrators) and intended purpose, namely building capacity for the exchange of
legislation and practice through the central node but also on building national capacity to communicate effectively with different stakeholders and public.

It was agreed that tha Secretariat, taking into account comments received, will prepare a new draft guidance document which after being circulated among the experts will be submitted to the meeting of the Working Group of the Parties in April 2006.

Draft guidance for national nodes of the Aarhus Clearing-house Mechanism is available at
http://www.unece.org/env/pp/electronictools/CH%20draft%20guidance%2012.10.05.doc

Delegates from 17 countries as well as representatives from International Bodies and institutions took part in this meeting. European ECO-Forum/NGOs were well represented by Mara Silina (EEB/ECO-Forum PPC Co-ordinator), Lidiya Guluzada/Azerbaijan, Milena Georgieva/Bulgaria, Manana Juruli and Maia Kapanadze/both Georgia, Lydia Astanina/Kazakhstan, Katea Melnicenco/Moldova, Emilian Burdusel/Romania, Alexander Karpov/Russia, Khatam Murtazaev/Tajikistan, Serhiy Vykhryst/Ukraine and Yusup Kamalov/Uzbekistan.

European ECO Forum has actively participated in the discussions about the draft guidance document by, on one hand, expressing our support to this document but also pointing out that the quality of information is important and called the delegates to elaborate the mechanism to address this issue through the structure of the website (s). European ECO Forum also suggested that the guidance document should focus more on the interface between providers of information and national nodes and that the mechanism should be developed to make existing initiatives and national practices compatible with new national nodes.

For information on European ECO-Forum input and participation contact
Mara Silina, EEB, ECO-Forum PPC Coordinator at
mara.silina@eeb.org

4. PERSPECTIVES OF PRTR DEVELOPMENT IN THE EECCA REGION

Moscow, November, 16-17, 2006: European Eco-Forum organised a workshop "Perspectives of PRTR development in the EECCA". It was
attended by NGO representatives from Azerbaijian, Armenia, Moldova, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan.

Existing situations on PRTR development in the EECCA countries were discussed. Seminar participants emphasized difficulties in obtaining information about toxic emissions and transfer, problems of cooperation between NGOs and public authorities in environmental decision making, inadequate partnership between NGO and business in the field of reducing toxic contamination of the environment.

Elena Vasilieva, Volgograd-Ecopress, talked about the experience of her organization in developing local PRTR in cooperation with Volgograd chemical enterprises. Natalia Voronovich, expert of Federal agency on technical regulating and metrology, presented Russian system of state environmental control. Olga Speranskaya, Eco-Accord, talked about international environmental agreements and processes where PRTR provisions are incorporated, as well as about 10 pilot projects on PRTR development in Russia.

Michael.Stanley-Jones, UN ECE, talked about key principles and elements of PRTR Protocol towards the Aarhus Convention and stressed the unique features of this international regulatory instrument which allows government, business and civil society organisations work in partnership on PRTR development.

For further information, please, contact Elena Vasilieva,
Volgograd-Ecopress, at: valyon@online.ru

5. HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF TOXIC CHEMICALS: CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT POLICIES OF RUSSIA AND EU COUNTRIES

On the eve of European Parliament's decision concerning REACH -Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals, which is designed to make companies prove that substances used in their products are safe - Eco-Accord in cooperation and with financial support from Chemsec (Sweden), The International POPs Elimination Project (IPEP) and the European Eco-Forum held a workshop HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF TOXIC CHEMICALS: CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT POLICIES OF RUSSIA AND EU COUNTRIES". The
workshop was held in Moscow on November, 14-15, 2005. It was the first multisectoral and multistakeholder seminar in the Eastern
Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia region (EECCA) focused on detailed discussion of opportunities to harmonise national chemical management legislations of the EECCA countries with REACH.

Moscow seminar was attended by NGOs from the EECCA region, representatives from governmental institutions, business and
academia. Presentations were made by EECCA experts, representatives of Chemsec, IPEP and Eco-Forum working on issues of chemicals management, chemical safety, classification and labeling of chemicals, risk assessment, chemicals impact on human health and the environment, public involvement into decision making on toxic substances. Specifically for the workshop a survey sought to assess Russian chemical management legislation (including both the already existing and draft laws and regulations), to review the national policy in the sphere of regulation of chemical substances, including inter alia issues of chemical safety, control and enforcement was prepared. The survey also incorporates good practices of sustainable chemical management, both at the governmental level and at the level of NGOs. Besides that, the survey provides specific recommendations for improvement of the Russian legislation in the sphere of regulation of chemical substances. In particular, these recommendations call Russian authorities to ensure integration of chemical safety issues into governmental development
strategies, programs and plans; to ratify international environmental treaties on chemical safety and ensure efficient public participation in their implementation; to guarantee transparency of finance flows from IFIs and donor countries for elimination of toxic chemicals and search for safer
alternatives.

The second day of the workshop was focused on the role of NGOs in addressing problems of toxic impact on human health and the environment. Outcomes of the most successful IPEP projects were presented. Workshop participants discussed perspectives of NGO
involvement into activities on chemical safety and international events on chemicals management. Ways and obstacles of making local NGOs more active in addressing issues of chemical safety were discussed.

It was decided to form an EECCA NGO network of experts working on chemical safety and related issues. Designated NGO
representatives will have to fill in a questionnaire that will facilitate the evaluation process.

Workshop main outcomes will soon be placed on Eco-Accord website: http://www.ecoaccord.org

For further information, please contact Olga Speranskaya, head of Eco-Accord Program on Chemical Safety, coordinator of IPEP
project in the EECCA at: speransk2004@mail.ru

6. EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY LAUNCHES "THE EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENT - STATE AND OUTLOOK 2005"

The European Environment Agency (EEA) released the report - The European Environment - State and Outlook 2005, featuring the
Ecological Footprint, which shows that it takes 2.1 times the biological capacity of Europe to support Europe.

"In formulating policy today, Europe ...has an obligation to look beyond ... its own borders," states Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director, European Environment Agency. "Europe cannot continue down the path of achieving its short-term objectives by impacting disproportionately on the rest of the world's environment through its Ecological Footprint."

EEA commissioned Global Footprint Network and its partners, Stockholm Environment Institute, New Economics Foundation and WWF International to prepare a special subreport on Europe's interaction with the global environment, which in turn informed the State and Outlook 2005 report.

To download the State and Outlook 2005 report, go to
http://www.eea.eu.int/main_html