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ENVIRONMENT FOR EUROPE:Pan-European Ministerial

Process

Mary Pat SilveiraMary Pat Silveira

Secretary of the Environment for Europe processSecretary of the Environment for Europe process

UN Economic Commission for EuropeUN Economic Commission for Europe

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CONTENTSCONTENTS

• HistoryHistory

• StructureStructure

• Preparatory processPreparatory process

• EfE and legal instrumentsEfE and legal instruments

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HISTORYHISTORY

• The process was initiated by The process was initiated by Mr. Josef Vavrousek, Mr. Josef Vavrousek, Environment Minister of Environment Minister of what was then what was then Czechoslovakia; Czechoslovakia;

• The first Ministerial The first Ministerial Conference took place near Conference took place near Prague, at Dobris Castle, on Prague, at Dobris Castle, on 21-23 June 1991. 21-23 June 1991.

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HISTORYHISTORY

TOTAL OF FIVE CONFERENCES TOTAL OF FIVE CONFERENCES HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED:HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED:

• Second in Lucerne (1993)Second in Lucerne (1993)• Third in Sofia (1995)Third in Sofia (1995)• Fourth in Aarhus (1998)Fourth in Aarhus (1998)• Fifth in Kiev (2003)Fifth in Kiev (2003)

Sixth Conference will take Sixth Conference will take place in Belgrade, in 2007place in Belgrade, in 2007

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EfE FOCUSEfE FOCUS• Harmonize environmental quality Harmonize environmental quality

and policies across all 55 UNECE and policies across all 55 UNECE member Statesmember States

• Use environmental cooperation to Use environmental cooperation to work toward peace and stability work toward peace and stability and sustainable development in the and sustainable development in the regionregion

• Support partnerships, with a Support partnerships, with a special focus on EECCA countries special focus on EECCA countries (Aarhus)(Aarhus)

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THE STRUCTURETHE STRUCTUREThe EfE process is a unique The EfE process is a unique

partnership of:partnership of:• the member States within the the member States within the

UNECE regionUNECE region• organizations of the UN system organizations of the UN system • other intergovernmental other intergovernmental

organizationsorganizations• regional environment centresregional environment centres• non-governmental organizations non-governmental organizations

and other major groups.and other major groups.

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THE STRUCTURE

The United Nations Economic The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Commission for Europe, which has been closely which has been closely associated with the associated with the “Environment for Europe” “Environment for Europe” process since the beginning, process since the beginning, serves as secretariat to the serves as secretariat to the process.process.

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THE STRUCTUREActive partners include,e.g.Active partners include,e.g.• European CommissionEuropean Commission• OECD OECD • The Council of Europe The Council of Europe • The EEAThe EEA• UNEP, UNDP and WHO UNEP, UNDP and WHO • World Bank and EBRDWorld Bank and EBRD• EcoForumEcoForum

  

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PREPARATORY PROCESS

• Open-ended EfE Preparatory Open-ended EfE Preparatory Group is established for 2 year Group is established for 2 year preparation of Conference: preparation of Conference: next meeting is Oct 2005next meeting is Oct 2005

• All member States and partners All member States and partners participate in Preparatory participate in Preparatory Group and both take initiatives Group and both take initiatives and assume responsibility for and assume responsibility for bringing items to the bringing items to the Conference agendaConference agenda

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PREPARATORY PROCESS

Open-ended EfE Preparatory Group is Open-ended EfE Preparatory Group is responsible, inter alia, for:responsible, inter alia, for:

• Deciding the agenda for the next Deciding the agenda for the next (Belgrade) Ministerial Conference(Belgrade) Ministerial Conference

• Accepting proposals for who will Accepting proposals for who will take the lead in preparing an item take the lead in preparing an item and monitoring the readiness of the and monitoring the readiness of the item for the Conferenceitem for the Conference

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PREPARATORY PROCESS

• Negotiating the draft Negotiating the draft Ministerial DeclarationMinisterial Declaration

• Undertaking all other Undertaking all other substantive preparationssubstantive preparations

• Working closely with the Working closely with the Host Country in its local Host Country in its local preparationspreparations

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EfE AND LEGAL INSTRUMENTS

The Ministerial Conferences The Ministerial Conferences have three functions re have three functions re regional environmental legal regional environmental legal instruments: instruments:

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LEGAL INSTRUMENTS

1.1. Introduce or support new areas Introduce or support new areas in which negotiations should in which negotiations should begin or are underway:begin or are underway:(e.g., work on Protocols to “Air (e.g., work on Protocols to “Air Convention” for sulphur dioxide and Convention” for sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions and on VOC nitrogen oxide emissions and on VOC emissions supported at Dobris emissions supported at Dobris Conference; completion of Conference; completion of negotiations on European Energy negotiations on European Energy Charter supported at Lucerne; Aarhus Charter supported at Lucerne; Aarhus Convention supported at Sofia Convention supported at Sofia Conference)Conference)

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LEGAL INSTRUMENTS

2. Include on the Conference 2. Include on the Conference Agenda adoption and signing Agenda adoption and signing by the Parties of a new legal by the Parties of a new legal instrumentinstrument

(e.g., Aarhus Convention in Aarhus; Carpathian (e.g., Aarhus Convention in Aarhus; Carpathian Convention and three new ECE Protocols Convention and three new ECE Protocols ((Strategic Environmental Assessment, Civil Strategic Environmental Assessment, Civil Liability and Damage Caused by the Liability and Damage Caused by the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents on Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents on Transboundary Waters and Pollutant Release and Transboundary Waters and Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers) Transfer Registers) in Kievin Kiev

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LEGAL INSTRUMENTS

3. Encourage member States to sign 3. Encourage member States to sign and ratify legal instrumentsand ratify legal instruments

Neither the Ministerial Conference nor Neither the Ministerial Conference nor its Preparatory Group themselves its Preparatory Group themselves negotiate new instruments. negotiate new instruments.

They may welcome and encourage such They may welcome and encourage such negotiations initiated by other fora.negotiations initiated by other fora.

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PREPARING FOR BELGRADE

• New issues for Belgrade should be New issues for Belgrade should be brought to the Open-ended EfE brought to the Open-ended EfE Preparatory Group, Oct 2005Preparatory Group, Oct 2005

• Preparatory Group could decide Preparatory Group could decide that issue may proceed to that issue may proceed to Belgrade if:Belgrade if:– All members of the Group agreeAll members of the Group agree– A State or organization volunteers to take A State or organization volunteers to take

the leadthe lead– A State/s or organization/s provides A State/s or organization/s provides

financing for the preparatory processfinancing for the preparatory process

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TARGET GROUP• Focus should be inclusive of all Focus should be inclusive of all

UNECE member StatesUNECE member States• EfE process is geared to EfE process is geared to

harmonization across all 55 States harmonization across all 55 States and cooperation among them.and cooperation among them.

• Example: EECCA Environment Example: EECCA Environment Strategy, adopted in Kiev, was Strategy, adopted in Kiev, was conceived as a partnership – it is conceived as a partnership – it is not limited to EECCA countriesnot limited to EECCA countries

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EECCA STRATEGY & GMOS

• Reference in Section 4.4: Reference in Section 4.4: AgricultureAgriculture

• Action stated as follows:Action stated as follows:– ““Control application of growth Control application of growth

promoters, antibiotics; apply cautious promoters, antibiotics; apply cautious approaches for decision-making on use approaches for decision-making on use of genetically modified organisms of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), based on the precautionary (GMOs), based on the precautionary principle.”principle.”

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Thank youThank you

Mary Pat SilveiraMary Pat Silveira

Secretary, EfESecretary, EfE

Mary.pat.silveiraMary.pat.silveira@unece.org@unece.org