13 MAI 2003. - Act to approve the Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, done in London on June 17, 1999 (1) (2)

ALBERT II, King of the Belgians,
To all, present and to come, Hi.
The Chambers adopted and We sanction the following:
Article 1^er. This Act regulates a matter referred to in Article 77 of the Constitution.
Art. 2. The Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, done in London on 17 June 1999, will be fully effective.
Promulgation of this law, let us order that it be clothed with the seal of the State and published by the Belgian Monitor.
Given in Brussels on 13 May 2003.
ALBERT
By the King:
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
L. MICHEL
The Minister of the Interior,
A. DUQUESNE
Minister of Consumer Protection, Public Health and the Environment,
J. TAVERNIER
State Secretary for Energy and Sustainable Development,
Deputy Minister of Finance,
A. ZENNER
Seen and sealed the state seal:
Minister of Justice,
Mr. VERWILGHEN
____
Notes
(1) Session 2002-2003.
Senate.
Documents. - Bill tabled on 26 February 2003, No. 2-1501/1. - Report, no. 2-1501/2.
Annales parliamentarians. - Discussion and voting. Session of March 27, 2003.
Room.
Documents. - Project transmitted by the Senate, No. 50-2419/1. - Text adopted in plenary and subject to Royal Assent, No. 50-2419/2.
Annales parliamentarians. - Discussion and voting. Session of April 4, 2003.
(2) Decree of the French Community of 8 May 2003 (Moniteur belge of 28 May 2003); Decree of the German-speaking Community of 13 October 2003 (Moniteur belge of 4 December 2003); Flemish Community Decree of 29 April 2004 (Belgian Monitor of ******) Decree of the Walloon Region of 27 November 2003 (Moniteur belge of 8 December 2003); Flemish Region Decree of 29 April 2004 (Belgian Monitor of ******) Bruxelle-Capital Region Order of 1^er April 2004 (Moniteur belge du 4 mai 2004); Order of the Joint Community Commission of the Brussels-Capital Region of 1^er April 2004 (Moniteur belge du 26 avril 2004).

Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
The Parties to this Protocol,
Knowing that water is essential to life and that the availability of water in quantity and quality sufficient to meet the basic needs of man is essential both for improving health and for sustainable development,
Acknowledging the benefits to human health and well-being that offer clean and clean water and a harmonious and functioning aquatic environment,
Conscious of the fact that surface water and groundwater are renewable resources with limited capacity to recover from the quantitative and qualitative adverse impacts of human activities and the fact that any non-compliance with these limits may have a negative impact, in the short and long term, on the health and well-being of people who depend on these resources and on their quality, and that, as a result, sustainable management of the water cycle
Recognizing also the impact on public health of water deficits in quantity and quality sufficient to meet the basic needs of man, and the serious effects of such deficits, in particular on vulnerable, disadvantaged or socially excluded persons,
Recognizing that preventing, combating and reducing water-related diseases are important and urgent tasks that can only be carried out through enhanced cooperation at all levels and across all sectors, both within and between the country,
Recognizing also that the monitoring of water-related diseases and the establishment of early warning and response systems are important aspects of the action to be taken to prevent, combat and reverse these diseases,
Based on the conclusions of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), in particular on the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and Agenda 21, as well as on the programme for the further implementation of Agenda 21 (New York, 1997) and on the decision on sustainable freshwater management, taken accordingly by the Commission on Sustainable Development (New York, 1998),
Drawing on the relevant provisions of the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, and underlining the need to both encourage wider application of these provisions and to supplement the Convention with other measures to strengthen the protection of public health,
Noting the 1991 Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context, the 1992 Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents, the 1997 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses and the 1998 Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in the Default Process and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters,
Noting further the relevant principles, purposes and recommendations of the 1989 European Charter of the Environment and Health, the 1994 Helsinki Declaration on Environment and Health, and ministerial declarations, recommendations and resolutions adopted in the framework of the "Environment for Europe" process,
Recognizing the merits and usefulness of other environmental initiatives, instruments and processes in Europe and noting also the development and implementation of national environmental and health action plans and national environmental action plans,
Noting with satisfaction the steps already taken by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the World Health Organization's Regional Office of Europe to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation to prevent, combat and reduce water-related diseases,
Encouraged by the many examples of positive results obtained by the States members of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and by the States members of the World Health Organization's Regional Committee of Europe in terms of mitigating pollution and maintaining or restoring aquatic environments in a manner that promotes human health and well-being,
agreed that:
Article 1
Subject
The purpose of this Protocol is to promote, at all appropriate levels, both nationally and in a transboundary and international context, the protection of human health and well-being, both individual and collectively, in the context of sustainable development, by improving water management, including the protection of aquatic ecosystems, and by working to prevent, combat and reduce water-related diseases.
Article 2
Definitions
For the purposes of this Protocol,
1. The term "water-related illness" means any significant adverse effect on human health (deceas, disability, disease or disorders) caused directly or indirectly by the state of the water or by a quantitative or qualitative change in the state of the water;
2. The term " potable water" means any water that is used or intended to be used by man for consumption, cooking and preparation of food, for hygiene or for similar purposes;
3. The term "underground water" means any water under the surface of the soil in the saturation area and in direct contact with the soil or basement;
4. The term "closed waters" means any mass of artificial water separated from surface freshwater or coastal waters, whether located inside or outside a building;
5. The term "transboundary waters" means all surface or groundwaters that mark the borders between two or more States, cross or are located on these borders; in the case of transboundary waters that flow into the sea without forming a estuary, the boundary of these waters is a straight line traced through their mouth between the limits of the low sea leash on the shores;
6. The term "transboundary effects of water-related diseases" means any significant adverse effect on human health (deceas, incapacity, disease or disorders) in an area within the jurisdiction of a Party, caused directly or indirectly by the state of the water in an area under the jurisdiction of another Party, or by a quantitative or qualitative change of the water, whether or not that effect constitutes a transboundary impact;
7. The term "transboundary impact" means any significant adverse effect that a change in the state of transboundary waters caused by a human activity whose physical origin is wholly or partly in an area within the jurisdiction of a Party produced on the environment of an area under the jurisdiction of another Party. This effect on the environment can take several forms: impairment of human health and safety, flora, fauna, soil, air, water, climate, landscape and historical monuments or other constructions, or interaction of several of these factors; may also be an impairment of cultural heritage or socio-economic conditions resulting from changes in these factors;
8. The term "remediation" refers to the collection, transport, processing and disposal or reuse of human excreta or household wastewater through collective systems or facilities serving a single home or enterprise;
9. The term "collective system" means:
a. Any drinking water system serving a number of homes or businesses
and/or
b. Any sanitation system serving a number of households or businesses and, if necessary, ensuring the collection, transport, processing and disposal or reuse of industrial wastewater, whether it is implemented by a public body, a private enterprise or a partnership between the two sectors;
10. The term "Water Management Plan" means any plan for the development, management, protection and/or use of water in a territorial area or an underground tablecloth, including the protection of the corresponding ecosystems;
11. The term "public" means one or more natural or legal persons and, in accordance with the laws or customs of the country, associations, organizations or groups constituted by such persons;
12. The term "public authority" means:
a. Public administration at the national or regional level or at another level;
b. natural or legal persons who exercise, under domestic law, public administrative functions, including specific tasks, activities or services related to the environment, public health, sanitation, water management or water supply;
c. Any other natural or legal person performing public responsibilities or functions, or providing public services, under the authority of an organ or person entering the categories referred to in subparagraphs (a) and (b) above;
d. Institutions of any regional economic integration organization referred to in Article 21 that is a Party to this Protocol;
This definition does not include organs or institutions acting in the exercise of judicial or legislative powers;
13. The term "local/locaux" means all relevant territorial levels below the state level;
14. The term "Convention" refers to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, signed in Helsinki on 17 March 1992;
15. The term "Meeting of the Parties to the Convention" means the body established by the Parties to the Convention in accordance with Article 17 of the Convention;
16. The term "Party" means, unless otherwise specified in the text, any State or regional economic integration organization referred to in Article 21 that has consented to be bound by this Protocol and in respect of which/to which this Protocol has entered into force;
17. The term "Meeting of Parties" means the body established by the Parties in accordance with Article 16.
Article 3
Scope
The provisions of this Protocol shall apply:
a. Superficial fresh waters;
b. Underground waters;
c. To the estuaries;
d. Coastal waters used for recreational purposes, or for aquaculture or conchyliculture;
e. Closed waters generally available for swimming;
f. Water during sampling, transportation, processing or supply operations;
g. Wastewater throughout the collection, transport, processing and release or reuse operations.
Article 4
General provisions
1. Parties shall take all appropriate measures to prevent, combat and reduce water-related diseases within the framework of integrated water management systems to ensure the sustainable use of water resources, water quality in the ambient environment that does not endanger human health and the protection of aquatic ecosystems.
2. In particular, Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure:
a. Adequate supply of safe drinking water and free of micro-organisms, parasites or substances that, because of their number or concentration, pose a potential danger to human health, including the protection of water resources used for drinking water supply, water treatment and the establishment, improvement and maintenance of collective systems;
b. Adequate sanitation of a quality that allows sufficient protection of human health and the environment, in particular through the establishment, improvement and maintenance of collective systems;
c. Effective protection of water resources used for drinking water supply and related aquatic ecosystems against pollution from other causes, including agriculture, industry and other releases and emissions of hazardous substances. This protection will effectively reduce and eliminate releases and emissions of substances deemed to be hazardous to human health and aquatic ecosystems;
d. Sufficient protection of human health from water-related diseases due to the use of water for recreational purposes, the use of water for aquaculture and conchyliculture, the use of wastewater for irrigation or the use of sewage sludge in agriculture or aquaculture;
e. Implementing effective systems to monitor situations that may lead to episodes or incidents of water-related illnesses and to respond to episodes and incidents, or the risk of episodes and incidents, such diseases.
3. Any subsequent reference in this Protocol to the terms " potable water" and "remediation" refers to drinking water and sanitation that are necessary to meet the requirements of paragraph 2 of this Article.
4. The Parties shall base all these measures on an assessment of each proposed measure with respect to all its implications, including its advantages, disadvantages and cost to:
a. Human health;
b. Water resources; and
c. Sustainable development, taking into account the new impacts, different from the environmental sectors, of the proposed measure.
5. Parties shall take all appropriate measures to establish stable and supportive legislative, administrative and economic frameworks, in which the public, private and associative sectors can each contribute to improving water management in order to prevent, combat and reduce water-related diseases.
6. Parties require public authorities that consider taking measures or approving the adoption by others of measures that may have a significant impact on the environment of any mass of water covered by this Protocol, that they take due account of any potential impact of these measures on public health.
7. Where a Party is also a Party to the Convention on the Assessment of Environmental Impact in a Transboundary Context, the obligation set out in paragraph 6 of this Article with respect to any proposed action shall be satisfied if the public authorities of that Party comply with the requirements of that Convention with respect to that measure.
8. The provisions of this Protocol shall not affect the rights of the Parties to maintain, adopt or implement more stringent measures than those set out in this Protocol.
9. The provisions of this Protocol shall not affect the rights or obligations of the Parties to this Protocol arising out of the Convention or another existing international agreement, except where the requirements under this Protocol are more stringent than the corresponding requirements under the Convention or that other existing international agreement.
Article 5
Principles and guidelines
In adopting measures under this Protocol, Parties shall be guided in particular by the following principles and guidelines:
a. The precautionary principle, by virtue of which they do not differ the implementation of measures to prevent, combat or reduce water-related diseases on the ground that scientific research has not fully demonstrated the existence of a causal link between the factor covered by these measures, on the one hand, and a possible contribution of this factor to the prevalence of water-related diseases and/or a transboundary impact, on the other hand;
b. The polluter-pay principle, under which the costs of pollution prevention, control and reduction measures are borne by the polluter;
c. In accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, States have the sovereign right to exploit their own resources according to their environmental and development policies, and they have the duty to ensure that activities carried out within or under their jurisdiction do not cause damage to the environment in other States or in areas not falling within any national jurisdiction;
d. Water resources are managed to meet the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs;
e. Preventive measures should be taken to avoid episodes and incidents of water-related diseases and to protect the water resources used for drinking water supply as these measures are more effective and can be more cost-effective than curative measures;
f. Water management measures should be taken at the lowest appropriate administrative level;
g. Water has a social value, economic value and environmental value and should therefore be managed in a way that combines the most sustainable and acceptable way of these different values;
h. Effective water use should be encouraged through economic instruments and awareness-raising activities;
i. Access to information and public participation in the water and health decision-making process are necessary, in particular to improve the quality of decisions and their application, raise public awareness of problems, give the public the opportunity to express their concerns and allow public authorities to take due account of these concerns. Such access and participation should be supplemented by appropriate access to judicial and administrative appeals against the decisions in question;
j. Water resources should be managed, to the extent possible, in an integrated manner at the watershed level, to link, on the one hand, social and economic development to the protection of natural ecosystems, and on the other hand, water resources management to regulatory measures in other environmental sectors. This integrated approach should apply to the entire watershed, whether transboundary or not, including the coastal waters concerned, to the entire groundwater or to the relevant parts of the watershed or the groundwater;
k. Special attention should be given to the protection of persons particularly vulnerable to water-related diseases;
l. Equitable access to water, both quantitative and qualitative, should be provided to all residents, including disadvantaged or socially excluded persons;
m. In return for water rights guaranteed by private law and public law, natural and legal persons and public and private sector organizations should contribute to the protection of the aquatic environment and the conservation of water resources;
n. As part of the application of this Protocol, due consideration should be given to local problems, needs and knowledge.
Article 6
Objective and target dates
1. For the purposes of this Protocol, the Parties shall pursue the following purposes:
a. Access to drinking water for all;
b. Sanitation for all within the framework of integrated water management systems to ensure the sustainable use of water resources, a quality of water in the environment that does not endanger human health and the protection of aquatic ecosystems.
2. To this end, each Party shall establish and publish national and/or local objectives concerning standards and levels of achievement to be achieved or maintained to ensure a high degree of protection against water-related diseases. These objectives are periodically revised. To do so, each Party shall make all appropriate practical and/or other arrangements to ensure public participation in a transparent and equitable framework and ensure that the results of such participation are duly taken into account. Unless the national or local situation makes them inoperative to prevent, combat and reverse water-related diseases, these objectives include:
a. The quality of drinking water provided, taking into account the Quality Guidelines for Drinking Water of the World Health Organization;
b. Reduction in the number and extent of water-related episodes and incidents;
c. The extent of the territory or the size or proportion of the populations that should be served by collective drinking water systems or for which the provision of drinking water provided by other means should be improved;
d. The extent of the territory or the size or proportion of the populations that should be served by collective sanitation systems or for which sanitation provided by other means should be improved;
e. The results levels that these collective systems and other means of water and sanitation should be achieved;
f. The application of recognized good practices in water supply and sanitation management, including the protection of water used for drinking water supply;
g. Possible releases:
i. Untreated wastewater; and
ii. Overflow of untreated storm water from wastewater systems in the waters covered by this Protocol;
h. The quality of wastewater released by wastewater treatment facilities in the waters covered by this Protocol;
i. The removal or reuse of sewage sludge from collective sanitation systems or other sanitation facilities, and the quality of wastewater used for irrigation, taking into account the Guide to the Safe Use of Wastewater and Excreta in Agriculture and Aquaculture of the World Health Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme;
j. The quality of the water that is used for drinking water supplies, which are generally used for swimming or are used for aquaculture or conchyliculture;
k. The application of recognized good practices in the management of closed waters generally available for swimming;
l. Identification and remediation of particularly contaminated lands that have, or are likely to have, adverse effects on the waters covered by this Protocol and which, therefore, threaten to cause water-related diseases;
m. The effectiveness of water resources management, development, protection and use systems, including the application of recognized good practices in the fight against pollution from any source;
n. The frequency of the publication of information on the quality of drinking water provided and other water to be taken into account in order to achieve the objectives mentioned in this paragraph, in the interval between two publications of the information required under paragraph 2 of Article 7.
3. Within two years after the date on which it becomes a Party to this Protocol, each Party shall set and publish objectives, as provided for in paragraph 2 of this article, as well as target dates for achieving them.
4. When a long implementation process is planned to achieve an objective, intermediate or phased objectives are established.
5. To facilitate the achievement of the objectives mentioned in paragraph 2 of this article, each Party shall:
a. Establish national or local coordination mechanisms between its competent authorities;
b. Develop water management plans in a transboundary context, in a national context and/or in a local context, preferably in watersheds or subterranean basins. To do so, each Party shall make appropriate practical and/or other arrangements to ensure the participation of the public in a transparent and equitable framework and ensure that the results of such participation are duly taken into account. These plans may be incorporated into other relevant plans, programs or documents for other purposes, provided that they allow the public to have a clear idea of proposals to achieve the objectives set out in this section and the corresponding target dates;
c. Establish and maintain a legislative and institutional framework to monitor and enforce drinking water quality standards;
d. Establish and maintain mechanisms, including, as appropriate, legal and institutional mechanisms, to monitor, promote and, where necessary, enforce other standards and levels of achievement for which the objectives mentioned in paragraph 2 of this article are set.
Article 7
Review and appraisal of progress
1. Each Party collects and assesses data on:
a. Progress towards the resilation of the objectives referred to in paragraph 2 of Article 6;
b. Indicators to show how these progress has helped to prevent, combat and reverse water-related diseases.
2. Each Party shall periodically publish the results of these data collection and evaluation activities. The frequency of these publications is set by the Meeting of the Parties.
3. Each Party shall ensure that the results of sampling of water and effluents to collect such data are made available to the public.
4. Based on data collection and evaluation activities, each Party shall periodically review progress towards the achievement of the objectives referred to in Article 6, paragraph 2, and publish an assessment of such progress. The frequency of these reviews is set by the Meeting of the Parties. Without prejudice to the possibility of conducting more frequent reviews under Article 6, paragraph 2, each Party shall, as part of the examinations conducted under this paragraph, review the objectives referred to in Article 6, paragraph 2, to improve them in the light of scientific and technical knowledge.
5. Each Party shall submit to the secretariat referred to in Article 17 to distribute it to the other Parties, a report summarizing the data collected and evaluated, and the assessment of the progress made. These reports are prepared in accordance with the guidance provided by the Meeting of the Parties. The Meeting of the Parties provides in these directions that Parties may use such reports containing relevant information prepared for other international forums.
6. The Meeting of the Parties assesses the progress made in the implementation of this Protocol on the basis of these summary reports.
Article 8
Response systems
1. Each Party shall ensure, as appropriate, that:
a. Comprehensive national and/or local surveillance and early warning systems are implemented to:
i. Identify episodes or incidents of water-related diseases or significant threats of such episodes or incidents, including those caused by water pollution or extreme weather events;
ii. Report promptly and clearly these episodes, incidents or threats to the public authorities concerned;
iii. In the event of an imminent threat to public health caused by a water-related disease, broadcast to members of the public who may be affected all information in the possession of a public authority that is likely to allow the public to prevent or limit any damage;
iv. To make recommendations to the public authorities concerned and, where appropriate, to the public on possible preventive and curative measures;
b. Comprehensive national and local emergency plans to address these episodes, incidents and risks are developed in a timely manner;
c. The public authorities concerned have the means to deal with these episodes, incidents or risks in accordance with the corresponding emergency plan.
2. Monitoring and early warning systems, emergency plans and means of intervention for water-related diseases can be combined with those for other problems.
3. Within three years after the date on which it becomes a Party to this Protocol, each Party shall establish the monitoring and early warning systems, contingency plans and means of intervention referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article.
Article 9
Public awareness, theoretical and practical training, research and development and information
1. Parties shall take measures to raise awareness among all sectors of public opinion:
a. The importance of water management and public health and their interaction;
b. The rights relating to water that private law and public law guarantee to natural and legal persons and to public and private sector organizations and their corresponding obligations, as well as the moral obligation of these individuals and organizations to contribute to the protection of the aquatic environment and the conservation of water resources.
2. Parties shall endeavour to ensure that:
a. The aspects of their public health action are better understood by water management, water supply and sanitation officials;
b. The basic principles of water management, water supply and sanitation are better understood by public health officials.
3. The Parties encourage the theoretical and practical training of the necessary frameworks and technical staff to ensure the management of water resources and the operation of water and sanitation systems, as well as the updating of their knowledge and skills and their further development. This theoretical and practical training includes relevant aspects of public health.
4. Parties shall encourage:
a. Research and development of cost-effective means and techniques to prevent, combat and reduce water-related diseases;
b. The development of integrated information systems to address information on long-term trends, current concerns, and the problems encountered in the past and the satisfactory solutions that have been made in the area of water and health, and the communication of this information to the relevant authorities.
Article 10
Public information
1. Regardless of the obligation of this Protocol to issue specific information or documents to the Parties, each Party shall take measures under its legislation to make available to the public information that is in the possession of public authorities and which may reasonably be expected to be necessary to inform the public debate on:
a. Setting targets and target dates to achieve them and developing water management plans in accordance with Article 6;
b. The establishment, improvement or maintenance of surveillance and early warning systems and emergency plans in accordance with section 8;
c. Measures to promote public awareness, theoretical and practical training, research and development and information in accordance with Article 9.
2. Each Party shall ensure that public authorities, within the framework of national legislation, make available to the public, within a reasonable period of time, other information relating to the application of this Protocol requested to them.
3. Parties shall ensure that the public has access to the information referred to in paragraph 4 of Article 7 and paragraph 1 of this Article at any reasonable time and may have access to it free of charge, and shall make available to members of the public sufficient means to obtain copies of this information against payment of reasonable costs.
4. Nothing in this Protocol requires a public authority to publish information or to make information available to the public if:
a. The public authority in question is not in possession of the requested information;
b. The request for information is manifestly abusive or too general; or
c. The information relates to documents that are being developed or are related to internal communications from public authorities provided that this exception is provided for in domestic law or custom, given the interest that the disclosure of the requested information would be of interest to the public.
5. Nothing in this Protocol requires a public authority to publish information where to make information available to the public in the event that the disclosure of this information would adversely affect:
a. The secrecy of public authorities ' deliberations, when this secret is provided by domestic law;
b. International relations, national defence or public security;
c. The proper conduct of justice, the possibility for everyone to be judged fairly or the ability of a public authority to conduct a criminal or disciplinary investigation;
d. Commercial or industrial secrecy when this secret is protected by law in order to defend a legitimate economic interest. In this context, information on emissions and releases that are relevant to environmental protection must be disclosed;
e. Intellectual property rights;
f. Confidentiality of personal data and/or records relating to a natural person if such person has not consented to the disclosure of such information to the public, where the confidential nature of such information is provided by domestic law;
g. The interests of a third party who provided the requested information without being compelled by law or without the law being compelled to do so and who does not consent to the disclosure of that information; or
h. The environment on which information is carried, such as rare species breeding sites.
These reasons for non-disclosure of information should be interpreted in a restrictive manner in view of the public interest in the disclosure of the requested information and whether or not this information relates to emissions and releases to the environment.
Article 11
International cooperation
The Parties shall cooperate and, as appropriate, assist each other:
a. To conduct international actions in support of the purposes of this Protocol;
b. Upon request, to implement national and local plans for the purposes of this Protocol.
Article 12
Joint and coordinated international action
Pursuant to Article 11, paragraph (a), Parties shall promote international cooperation with respect to:
a. The definition of agreed objectives for the issues referred to in paragraph 2 of Article 6;
b. The development of indicators for paragraph 1 (b) of Article 7 to demonstrate to what extent the action taken to prevent, combat and reduce water-related diseases has been effective;
c. The establishment of a common or coordinated monitoring and early warning system, emergency plans and means of intervention within or in addition to national systems maintained in accordance with section 8 to deal with incidents and incidents of water-related illnesses and significant threats of such episodes and incidents, including those caused by water pollution or extreme weather events;
d. Mutual assistance to cope with episodes and incidents of water-related illnesses and significant threats of such episodes and incidents, including those caused by water pollution or extreme weather events;
e. The development of integrated information systems and databases, the exchange of information and the sharing of technical and legal knowledge and experience;
f. The prompt and clear notification by the competent authorities of a Party to the competent authorities of other Parties that may be affected:
i. episodes and incidents of water-related diseases and
ii. Significant threats to such incidents and incidents that have been identified;
g. Exchange of information on effective means of disseminating information on water-related diseases to the public.
Article 13
Cooperation on transboundary waters
1. Where Parties are bordering the same transboundary waters, regardless of their other obligations under Articles 11 and 12, they cooperate and, as appropriate, help each other to prevent, combat and mitigate transboundary effects of water-related diseases.
In particular:
a. They exchange information and share knowledge on transboundary waters and their problems and risks with other Parties bordering the same waters;
b. They shall endeavour, together with other Parties bordering the same transboundary waters, to establish common or coordinated water management plans in accordance with Article 6, paragraph 5 (b), as well as monitoring and early warning systems and contingency plans in accordance with Article 8, paragraph 1, to deal with incidents and incidents of water-related diseases and significant threats to such events and incidents
c. They adapt, on an equal and reciprocal basis, their agreements and other arrangements concerning their transboundary waters in order to eliminate any contradiction with the fundamental principles of this Protocol and to define their mutual relations and conduct with regard to the purposes of this Protocol;
d. They consult, at the request of any of them, on the importance of any detrimental effect on human health that may constitute a water-related disease.
2. Where the Parties concerned are also Parties to the Convention, cooperation and assistance with respect to the transboundary effects of water-related diseases that constitute a transboundary impact are ensured in accordance with the provisions of the Convention.
Article 14
International support for national action
When cooperating and mutually assisting in the implementation of national and local plans pursuant to Article 11, paragraph (b), Parties, in particular, consider how they can best contribute to promoting:
a. Developing water management plans in a transboundary context, in a national and/or local context, and programmes to improve water supply and sanitation;
b. Better formulation of projects, including infrastructure projects, in accordance with these plans and programs, to facilitate access to funding sources;
c. Effective execution of these projects;
d. The establishment of monitoring and early warning systems, emergency plans and means of response for water-related diseases;
e. The development of legislation necessary to support the implementation of this Protocol;
f. The theoretical and practical training of the necessary frameworks and technical staff;
g. Research and development of cost-effective means and techniques to prevent, combat and reduce water-related diseases;
h. The operation of effective networks to monitor and evaluate the delivery of water services and their quality, and the development of integrated information systems and databases;
i. Providing quality assurance for monitoring activities, including inter-laboratory comparability.
Article 15
Review of compliance
Parties shall consider whether the provisions of this Protocol are complied with by Parties on the basis of the reviews and evaluations referred to in Article 7. To that end, they adopt at their first meeting non-conflict, non-judicial and consultative multilateral arrangements. These arrangements allow appropriate public participation.
Article 16
Meeting of the Parties
1. The first meeting of the Parties shall be convened no later than eighteen months after the date of entry into force of this Protocol. Regular meetings thereafter shall be held at regular intervals established by the Parties, but at least every three years, except to the extent that other arrangements are necessary for the purposes of paragraph 2 of this Article. Parties shall hold a special meeting if they so decide at an ordinary meeting, or if any of them so requests in writing, provided that such request is supported by at least one third of the Parties within six months of its submission to all Parties.
2. Where possible, ordinary meetings of the Parties shall be held at meetings of the Parties to the Convention.
3. At their meetings, Parties shall follow the implementation of this Protocol and, having this objective in mind:
a. Consider the policies and methodological approaches used to prevent, combat and reduce water-related diseases, promote convergence and strengthen cross-border and international cooperation in accordance with articles 11, 12, 13 and 14;
b. Assess progress made in the implementation of this Protocol on the basis of information provided by Parties in accordance with the guidance provided by the Meeting of the Parties. These guidelines should avoid redundancy with respect to the reports to be prepared;
c. Are kept informed of the progress made in the implementation of the Convention;
d. Exchange information with the Meeting of the Parties to the Convention and explore possibilities for joint action;
e. Provide, where appropriate, the services of the competent bodies of the Economic Commission for Europe or the Regional Committee of Europe of the World Health Organization;
f. Establish modalities for the participation of other relevant international governmental and non-governmental organizations in all relevant meetings and other activities for the purposes of this Protocol;
g. Consider whether there is a need to adopt other provisions concerning access to information, public participation in decision-making and public access to judicial and administrative appeals against decisions under this Protocol in the light of experience in this matter in other international forums;
h. Establish a programme of work, including projects to be implemented jointly under this Protocol and the Convention, and establish bodies that may be necessary to carry out this programme of work;
i. Consider and adopt guidance and recommendations to promote the implementation of the provisions of this Protocol;
j. At their first meeting, study the rules of procedure of their meetings and adopt it by consensus. These rules of procedure contain provisions to promote harmonious cooperation with the Meeting of the Parties to the Convention;
k. Consider and adopt proposals for amendments to this Protocol;
l. Consider and undertake any other action that may be necessary for the purposes of this Protocol.
Article 17
Secretariat
1. The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe and the Regional Director of the Regional Office of Europe of the Global Health Orientation carry out the following functions for this Protocol:
a. They convene and prepare meetings of the Parties;
b. They shall transmit to the Parties the reports and other information received under the provisions of this Protocol;
c. They perform other functions that the Meeting of the Parties may assign to them based on available resources.
2. The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe and the Regional Director of the Regional Office of Europe of the World Health Organization:
a. Determine, in a memorandum of understanding, the modalities for the division of labour and inform the Meeting of the Parties accordingly;
b. Report to Parties on the elements and modalities for the implementation of the work programme referred to in Article 16, paragraph 3.
Article 18
Amendments to the Protocol
1. Any Party may propose amendments to this Protocol.
2. Proposals for amendments to this Protocol are considered at a meeting of the Parties.
3. The text of any proposed amendments to this Protocol shall be submitted in writing to the secretariat, which shall communicate it to all Parties at least ninety days before the meeting at which the amendment is proposed for adoption.
4. Any amendment to this Protocol shall be adopted by consensus by the representatives of the Parties present at the meeting. The amendment adopted is communicated by the secretariat to the Depositary, which distributes it to all Parties for acceptance. The amendment shall enter into force with respect to the Parties that have accepted it on the ninetieth day after the date on which two thirds of them deposited their instruments of acceptance of the amendment with the Depositary. The amendment shall enter into force with respect to any other Party on the ninetieth day after the date on which that Party deposited its instrument of acceptance of the amendment.
Article 19
Voting rights
1. Subject to paragraph 2 of this article, each Party shall have a vote.
2. Regional economic integration organizations, in areas falling within their competence, shall have, in order to exercise their right to vote, a number of votes equal to the number of their member States that are Parties to this Protocol. These organizations do not exercise their right to vote if their member states exercise their own, and vice versa.
Rule 20
Settlement of disputes
1. If a dispute arises between two or more Parties with respect to the interpretation or application of this Protocol, these Parties shall seek a solution by negotiation or by any other method of dispute resolution that they consider acceptable.
2. When signing, ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to this Protocol, or at any other time thereafter, a Party may serve in writing to the Depositary that, for disputes that have not been settled in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article, it agrees to consider as obligatory(s), in its relations with any other Party accepting the same obligation, one of the following means of dispute resolution:
a. Where Parties are also Parties to the Convention and have agreed to consider as obligatory(s) in their mutual relations one of the two or two means of dispute settlement provided for in the Convention, the settlement of the dispute in accordance with the provisions of the Convention concerning the settlement of disputes arising under the Convention;
b. In any other case, the submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice, unless the Parties agree to use arbitration or other dispute resolution.
Article 21
Signature
This Protocol shall be open for signature by the States members of the Economic Commission for Europe, the States members of the Regional Committee of Europe of the World Health Organization, the States with consultative status with the Economic Commission for Europe under paragraph 8 of resolution 36 (IV) of the Economic and Social Council of 28 March 1947, and regional economic integration organizations constituted by sovereign States, members of the Economic Commission for Europe
Article 22
Ratification, acceptance, approval and accession
1. This Protocol is subject to ratification, acceptance or approval by signatory States and regional economic integration organizations.
2. This Protocol is open to the accession of the States and organizations referred to in Article 21.
3. Any organization referred to in Article 21 that becomes a Party to this Protocol without any of its member States being a Party shall be bound by all obligations arising from the Protocol. Where one or more member States of such an organization are Parties to this Protocol, that organization and its member States agree on their respective responsibilities in the fulfilment of obligations under this Protocol. In such cases, the organization and the Member States are not entitled to exercise the rights arising from this Protocol concurrently.
4. In their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, the regional economic integration organizations referred to in Article 21 shall indicate the extent of their competence with respect to the substances covered by this Protocol. In addition, these organizations inform the Depositary of any significant changes in the scope of their jurisdiction.
5. Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Article 23
Entry into force
1. This Protocol comes into force on the ninetieth day after the date of deposit of the sixteenth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.
2. For the purposes of paragraph 1 of this article, the instrument deposited by a regional economic integration organization does not add to those deposited by the member States of that organization.
3. With respect to each State or organization referred to in Article 21 ratifying, accepting or approving this Protocol or acceding to it after the deposit of the sixteenth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, the Protocol shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after the date of deposit by that State or organization of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.
Article 24
Denunciation
At any time after the expiration of a three-year period beginning on the date on which this Protocol entered into force with respect to a Party, that Party may denounce the Protocol by written notification addressed to the Depositary. This denunciation shall take effect on the ninetieth day after the date of receipt of its notification by the Depositary.
Rule 25
Depositary
The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall serve as Depositary of this Protocol.
Rule 26
Authentic texts
The original of this Protocol, of which the German, English, French and Russian texts are equally authentic, is deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
In the belief that the undersigned, to this duly authorized, have signed this Protocol.
Done in London on June 17th nine hundred and ninety-nine.

Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, done in London on 17 June 1999
For the consultation of the table, see image