For the purposes of this Convention,

(i)

The term "Parties" means, unless otherwise specified, Contracting Parties to this Convention;

(ii)

"Party of origin" means the Contracting Party (s) to this Convention under the jurisdiction of which (or which) a proposed activity should be carried out;

(iii)

"Affected Party" means the Contracting Party (s) to this Convention on which (or on which) the proposed activity is likely to have a transboundary impact;

(iv) ¹

The term "Parties concerned" means the Party of origin and the affected Party that carry out an environmental impact assessment under this Convention;

(v) ²

The term "proposed activity" means any activity or major modification of an activity, the execution of which must be the subject of a decision by a competent authority in accordance with any applicable national procedure;

(vi)

The term "environmental impact assessment" means a national procedure to assess the likely impact of a proposed activity on the environment;

(vii)

The term "impact" means any effect of a proposed activity on the environment, in particular on health and safety, flora, fauna, soil, air, water, climate, landscape and historical monuments or other constructions, or interaction Between these factors; it also refers to the effects on cultural heritage or socio-economic conditions resulting from changes in these factors;

(viii)

The term "transboundary impact" means any impact, not exclusively a global impact, that would be within the boundaries of an area within the jurisdiction of a Party a proposed activity would have the physical origin of All or part of the area within the jurisdiction of another Party;

(ix)

The term "competent authority" means the national authority (or authorities) designated by a Party to perform the tasks referred to in this Convention and/or the authority (or authorities) empowered by a Party to exercise Decision-making authority for a proposed activity;

X) ³

The term "public" means one or more natural or legal persons and, in accordance with national law or practice, associations, organizations or groups established by them.

1. ¹ The Parties shall, individually or jointly, take all appropriate and effective measures to prevent, reduce and control the significant adverse transboundary impact that proposed activities may have on the environment.

(2) Each Party shall take the necessary legal, administrative or other measures to implement the provisions of this Convention, including, in respect of the proposed activities listed in Appendix I Which are likely to have a significant adverse transboundary impact, the establishment of an environmental impact assessment procedure allowing for public participation and the establishment of the impact assessment dossier on The environment described in Appendix II.

The Party of origin shall ensure that, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, an environmental impact assessment is carried out before the decision to authorize or undertake a proposed activity is taken Listed in Appendix I, which is likely to have a significant adverse transboundary impact.

4. The Party of origin shall ensure, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, that any proposed activity listed in Appendix I, which is likely to have a significant adverse transboundary impact, is Notified to affected Parties.

5. The Parties concerned shall, at the initiative of any of them, discuss whether one or more proposed activities which are not listed in Appendix I are likely to have A significant adverse transboundary impact and must therefore be treated as if they were included on this list. If these Parties agree that this is the case, the activity or activities in question are treated as such. Appendix III contains general guidance on the criteria for determining whether a proposed activity is likely to have a significant adverse impact.

6. In accordance with the provisions of this Convention, the Party of origin shall offer to the public areas likely to be affected the opportunity to participate in the relevant environmental impact assessment procedures And shall ensure that the opportunity offered to the public of the affected Party is equivalent to that offered to its own public.

The environmental impact assessments prescribed by this Convention shall be carried out, at least at the project stage of the proposed activity. To the extent necessary, the Parties shall endeavour to apply the principles of environmental impact assessment to policies, plans and programmes.

8. The provisions of this Convention shall not affect the right of the Parties to apply, at the national level, the laws, regulations, administrative provisions or accepted legal practices designed to protect the information Disclosure would be injurious to industrial and commercial confidentiality or national security.

9. The provisions of this Convention shall not affect the right of each Party to apply, under a bilateral or multilateral agreement, where appropriate, more stringent measures than those provided for in this Convention.

The provisions of this Convention shall be without prejudice to the obligations that may be imposed on the Parties under international law in respect of activities that have or are likely to have a transboundary impact.

(1) If a proposed activity listed in Appendix I is likely to have a significant adverse transboundary impact, the Party of origin, with a view to carrying out sufficient and effective consultations as provided for in the Art. 5, shall give notice to any Party which it considers to be affected, as soon as possible and at the latest when informing its own public of that activity.

2. The notification contains, in particular:

(a)

Information on the proposed activity, including any available information on its potential transboundary impact;

(b)

Information on the nature of the decision that may be made;

(c)

The indication of a reasonable period of time for the communication of a reply under subs. 3 of this Article, taking into account the nature of the proposed activity.

The information referred to in subs may be included. 5 of this article.

The affected Party shall reply to the Party of origin within the time limit specified in the notification to acknowledge receipt thereof and indicate whether it intends to participate in the environmental impact assessment procedure.

4. ¹ If the affected Party indicates that it does not intend to participate in the environmental impact assessment procedure, or if it does not respond within the time specified in the notification, the provisions of s. 5 to 8 of this section and those of s. 4 to 7 do not apply. In such cases, it is not prejudicial to the right of the Party of origin to determine whether it should carry out an environmental impact assessment on the basis of its national legislation and practice.

5. Upon receipt of a response from the affected Party indicating its desire to participate in the environmental impact assessment procedure, the Party of origin shall notify the affected Party if it has not yet done so:

(a)

Relevant information on the environmental impact assessment procedure with a timetable for the communication of observations;

(b)

Relevant information on the proposed activity and on the significant adverse transboundary impact that it may have.

The affected Party shall communicate to the Party of origin, at the request of the Party of origin, any information that may reasonably be obtained concerning the environment within its jurisdiction which may be affected, if such information is Necessary to form the environmental impact assessment file. Information shall be communicated promptly and, as appropriate, through a common body if one exists.

7. ² Where a Party considers that a proposed activity on the list in Appendix I would have a significant adverse transboundary impact on it, and where notification has not been given under the provisions of s. 1 of this Article, the Parties concerned shall exchange, at the request of the affected Party, sufficient information for the purpose of initiating discussions on whether a significant adverse transboundary impact is likely. If these Parties agree that a significant adverse transboundary impact is likely, the provisions of this Convention shall apply. If such Parties are unable to agree on whether a significant adverse transboundary impact is likely, any such Party may refer the matter to a Board of Inquiry in accordance with the provisions of the Appendix IV to provide an opinion on the likelihood of a significant adverse transboundary impact, unless they agree to use another method to address this issue.

8. The Parties concerned shall ensure that the public of the affected Party, in areas likely to be affected, is informed of the proposed activity and has the opportunity to make observations or objections to the proposed activity and to Comments or objections shall be transmitted to the competent authority of the Party of origin, either directly or, where appropriate, through the Party of origin.

The environmental impact assessment dossier to be submitted to the competent authority of the Party of origin shall contain at least the information referred to in Appendix II.

2. ¹ The Party of origin shall communicate to the affected Party and, as appropriate, through a common body if there is one, the environmental impact assessment file. The Parties concerned shall make arrangements for the distribution of the case to the authorities and the public of the affected Party in areas likely to be affected and for the submission of comments to the authority Competent authority of the Party of origin, either directly or, where appropriate, through the Party of origin, within a reasonable period of time before a final decision is taken on the proposed activity.

Following the establishment of the environmental impact assessment dossier, the Party of origin shall, without undue delay, undertake consultations with the affected Party on, inter alia, the transboundary impact that the proposed activity may have and Measures to reduce or eliminate this impact. Consultations may include:

(a)

On possible alternatives, including the "zero" option, as well as measures that could be taken to mitigate any significant adverse transboundary impacts and the procedure that could be followed to monitor The effects of these measures at the expense of the Part-Gine;

(b)

On other possible forms of mutual assistance to reduce any significant adverse transboundary impact of the proposed activity;

(c)

On any other relevant matter relating to the proposed activity.

The Parties agree, at the beginning of the consultations, for a reasonable period of time for the duration of the consultation period. Such consultations may be carried out through an appropriate common body, if one exists.

The Parties shall ensure that, at the time of making a final decision on the proposed activity, the results of the environmental impact assessment, including the relevant file, and the comments received thereon In application of s. 8 of art. 3 and para. 2 of the art. 4 and the outcome of the consultations referred to in s. 5, be duly taken into account.

2. The Party of origin shall inform the affected Party of the final decision on the proposed activity and the reasons and considerations on which it is based.

3. If additional information on the significant cross-border impact of a proposed activity, which was not available at the time when a decision has been taken on this activity, which could have had a significant impact on that activity Decision, come to the knowledge of a Party concerned before the work foreseen under this activity starts, the Party in question shall immediately inform the other Party (or other) Party (s) concerned. If requested by one of the Parties concerned, consultations shall be held to determine whether the decision should be reviewed.

1. The Parties concerned shall determine, at the request of any one of them, whether a post hoc analysis is to be carried out and, if so, what the extent of the analysis should be, taking into account the significant adverse transboundary impact That the activity which has been the subject of an environmental impact assessment in accordance with this Convention is likely to have. Any ex post analysis shall include in particular the monitoring of the activity and the determination of any adverse transboundary impact. These tasks may be undertaken in order to achieve the objectives listed in Appendix V.

2. Where, following the post-post analysis, the Party of origin or the affected Party is justified in thinking that the proposed activity has a significant adverse transboundary impact or, at the end of that analysis, factors have been Discovered, which could lead to such an impact, it shall immediately inform the other Party. The Parties concerned then undertake consultations on the measures to be taken to reduce or eliminate this impact.

The Parties may continue to apply bilateral or multilateral agreements or other arrangements in force, or may conclude new arrangements for the fulfilment of their obligations under this Convention. Such agreements or other arrangements may include the elements listed in Appendix VI. ¹

The Parties shall consider in particular the establishment or intensification of specific research programmes aimed at:

(a)

Improve the qualitative and quantitative methods used to assess the impacts of proposed activities;

(b)

To provide a better understanding of the cause and effect relationships and their role in integrated environmental management;

(c)

Analyze and monitor the proper application of decisions made with respect to proposed activities to mitigate or prevent impacts;

(d)

Develop methods that stimulate read creativity in the search for alternatives and environmentally sound production and consumption patterns;

(e)

Develop methods for applying the principles of environmental impact assessment at the macro level.

The results of the programmes listed above shall be exchanged between the Parties.

The Appendices attached to this Convention shall form an integral part of the Convention.

1. ¹ The Parties shall meet as far as possible at the annual sessions of the Councillors of the Governments of the Economic Commission for Europe for the problems of the environment and water. The first meeting of the Parties shall be convened no later than one year after the date of entry into force of this Convention. Thereafter, the Parties shall meet at any other time if, at one of their meetings, they deem it necessary, or if one of them so requests in writing, provided that this request is supported by at least one third of the Parties Within six months of its communication to the said Parties by the secretariat.

2. The Parties shall monitor the implementation of this Convention on an ongoing basis and with this objective in mind:

(a)

Review their policies and methodological approaches in the field of environmental impact assessment with a view to further improving environmental impact assessment procedures in a transboundary context;

(b)

Share the lessons learned from the conclusion and implementation of bilateral and multilateral agreements or other arrangements related to environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context, to which one or Several of them are parties;

(c) ²

Seek, where appropriate, the services of relevant international bodies and scientific committees on methodological and technical issues relevant to the achievement of the objectives of this Convention;

(d)

At their first meeting, study and adopt by consensus the rules of procedure of their meetings;

(e)

Review and, where appropriate, adopt proposals for amendments to this Convention;

(f)

Consider and undertake any other action which may be necessary for the purposes of this Convention.

1. The Parties to this Convention shall each have one vote.

2. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 1 of this Article, regional economic integration organisations, in the fields of their competence, shall have, in order to exercise their right to vote, a number of votes equal to the number of their Member States which are Parties to the Present Convention. Such organisations shall not exercise their right to vote if their member states exercise theirs, and vice versa.

The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe shall serve as the following secretariat:

(a)

Convening and chairing meetings of the Parties;

(b)

It shall forward to the Parties reports and other information received pursuant to the provisions of this Convention; and

(c)

It shall perform such other functions as may be provided for in this Convention or may be assigned by the Parties.

1. Any Party may propose amendments to this Convention.

2. Proposals for amendments shall be submitted in writing to the secretariat, which shall communicate them to all Parties. They shall be considered by the Parties at their next meeting, provided that the secretariat has distributed them to the Parties at least ninety days in advance.

3. The Parties shall make every effort to reach agreement by consensus on any proposed amendments to this Convention. If all such efforts have remained in vain and no agreement has been reached, the amendment shall be adopted as a last resort by a majority vote of three-fourths of the Parties present and voting.

4. ¹ Amendments to this Convention adopted in accordance with paragraph 2. 3 of this Article shall be submitted by the Depositary to all Parties for the purpose of ratification, approval or acceptance. They shall enter into force in respect of the Parties which have ratified, approved or accepted them on the ninetieth day after the receipt by the Depositary of the notification of their ratification, approval or acceptance by three-fourths of the Less than those Parties. Thereafter, they shall enter into force in respect of any other Party on the ninetieth day following the deposit by that Party of its instrument of ratification, approval or acceptance of the amendments.

5. For the purposes of this Article, the expression "Parties present and voting" means the Parties present at the meeting that issued an affirmative or negative vote.

6. The voting procedure described in para. 3 of this article is not intended to be a precedent for the agreements to be negotiated in the future within the framework of the Economic Commission for Europe.

1. If a dispute arises between two or more Parties as to the interpretation or application of this Convention, those Parties shall seek a solution by negotiation or by any other method of dispute settlement Consider acceptable.

2. When signing, ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to this Convention, or at any time thereafter, a Party may serve in writing to the Depositary that, in respect of disputes that have not been resolved in accordance with s. 1 of this Article, it agrees to consider as compulsory one of the following two or two means of regulation in its relations with any Party accepting the same obligation:

(a)

Submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice;

(b)

Arbitration, in accordance with the procedure set out in Appendix VII.

3. If the parties to the dispute have accepted the two means of dispute resolution referred to in s. 2 of this Article, the dispute may be submitted only to the International Court of Justice, unless the parties otherwise agree.

This Convention shall be open for signature by the member States of the Economic Commission for Europe and by States with consultative status with the Economic Commission for Europe under s. 8 of Economic and Social Council resolution 36 (IV) of 28 March 1947 and regional economic integration organizations established by sovereign States members of the Economic Commission for Europe, who have transferred jurisdiction to them For matters dealt with in this Convention, including the competence to conclude treaties on such matters, in Espoo, Finland, from 25 February to 1 ^Er March 1991, and then at United Nations Headquarters in New York until 2 September 1991.

(1) This Convention shall be subject to ratification, acceptance or approval by States and signatory regional economic integration organizations.

(2) This Convention shall be open for accession by States and organizations referred to in Art. 16 as of September 3, 1991.

3. ¹ Any other State not covered by paragraph 1. 2 of this article which is a Member of the United Nations may accede to the Convention with the agreement of the Meeting of the Parties. The Meeting of the Parties shall not consider or approve an application for membership of such a State before the provisions of this paragraph have taken effect for all States and organizations that were Parties to the Convention on 27 February 2001.

4. ² Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall carry out the functions of Depositary.

5. ³ Any organization referred to in s. 16 which becomes a Party to this Convention without any of its member States being a Party shall be bound by all the obligations arising out of this Convention. Where one or more member States of such an organization are Parties to this Convention, that organization and its member States agree on their respective responsibilities in the performance of obligations under the Present Convention. In such a case, the organisation and the Member States shall not be entitled to exercise rights under this Convention concurrently.

6. ⁴ In their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, the regional economic integration organizations referred to in Art. 16 indicate the extent of their jurisdiction over the matters dealt with in this Convention. In addition, these organisations shall inform the Depositary of any relevant changes in the scope of their competence.

7. ⁵ Any State or organization that ratifies, accepts or approves this Convention shall be deemed to ratify, accept or approve simultaneously the amendment to the Convention set out in decision II/14 adopted at the second meeting of the Parties.

(1) This Convention shall enter 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 s. 1 of this Article, the instrument deposited by a regional economic integration organization shall not be added to those deposited by the Member States of that organisation.

(3) With respect to each State or organization referred to in Art. 16 which ratifies, accepts or approves this Convention or accedes thereto after the deposit of the sixteenth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, this Convention shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after the date The deposit by that State or organization of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

At any time after the expiration of a period of four years beginning on the date on which this Convention enters into force in respect of a Party, that Party may denounce this Convention by written notification addressed to the Depositary. The denunciation shall take effect on the ninetieth day after the date of its receipt by the Depositary. This information does not affect the application of s. 3 to 6 of this Convention to the proposed activities which have been the subject of a notification under s. 1 of the art. 3 or an application under s. 7 of Art. 3 before the denunciation took effect.

The original of this Convention, of which the English, French and Russian texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

In witness whereof The undersigned, duly authorized, have signed this Convention.

Done at Espoo, Finland, twenty-five thousand nine hundred and ninety-one.

(Suivent signatures)