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Aarhus Convention & Irish Environmental Law:
Key Points & Potential Impact
Áine Ryall Twitter: @EnvJusticeUCC
Dublin, 4 February 2014
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Aarhus Convention
Aarhus Convention
↓
EU environmental law
↓
Set of international & EU law standards
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Different sources of legal authority → complex intersections
AarhusConventio
n
National LawEU Law
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Intersections in enforcement context
Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee
(ACCC)
Public authorities & national courts
European Commission &Court of Justice
(CJEU)
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Irish environmental law pre-Aarhus
Significant rights of access to information
Extensive provision for public participation
Right of appeal to An Bord Pleanála
Judicial review & statutory enforcement provisions
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So what does Aarhus add?
Information → Dir 2003/4/EC
Participation→ Dir 2003/35/EC (PP Dir)
Access to justice → Dir 2011/92/EU (EIA Dir)
Dir 2010/75/EU (IED) (ex IPPC)
A new general EU legislative measure on access to environmental justice? Aarhus Art 9(3)
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Uncharted waters ...
Impact of Aarhus & EU related measures on national law
Significant uncertainty
Difficult to advise with confidence
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Aarhus Convention:Implementation Guide
2nd edition, 2013
http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=32764
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Aarhus - Role of the Courts
Courts in the spotlight - at EU & national level
Gradual evolution of basic principles & emerging trends in the case law
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Aarhus Convention & emerging principles in CJEU case law
An integral part of EU legal orderCase C-240/09 ‘LZ’ – ‘Slovak Brown Bear case’
Impact on interpretation of EU environmental directivesCase C-416/10 Križan
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Aarhus Convention & emerging principles in CJEU case law
Aarhus-inspired Directives interpreted in light of objectives and scheme of Aarhus Convention
Strong purposive approach – also pragmatic
Keen to ensure environmental rights are effective in practice – Case C-416/10 Križan
Public interest in environmental protection
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Aarhus Convention & emerging principles in CJEU case law
Aarhus Article 9(4) – an obligation of costs protection – a ‘ban’ on prohibitive costs
Public interest in protection of the environment
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Aarhus Convention & emerging principles in CJEU case law
Case C-260/11 Edwards, 11 April 2013
Case C-530/11 Commission v UK - Opinion of Advocate General Kokott, 12
September 2013- Judgment due 13 February 2014
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Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee (ACCC) - Geneva
- Not a “court”
- Operates in very transparent way
- Makes findings & recommendations
- Impact of its findings & recommendations?
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Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee (ACCC)
Public may bring “communications” (complaints) concerning Ireland to ACCC from 18 September 2013
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Ireland – Access to Justice - Costs
Planning and Development Act, section 50B
Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011, Part 2
Special costs rules
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Ireland – Access to Justice - Costs
Holly Hunter v Nurendale Ltd t/a Panda Waste [2013] IEHC 430 Hedigan J
Holly Hunter v EPA [2013] IEHC 591 Hedigan J
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Ireland – Access to Justice - Costs
Tesco Ireland Ltd v Cork County Council, Ireland and the Attorney General (No 2) [2013] IEHC 580 Peart J
PDA s50B(2A)
The successful applicant was awarded their costs – without any deduction or discount
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Challenges
Incredibly rapid pace of development →
Member States in constant state of “catch up”
Lack of legal certainty & predictability
National legal systems slow to respond to change
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Challenges
Economic context → resources to support Aarhus rights and enforcement activity are scarce
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Future Directions
Evolving case law from ACCC, CJEU and national courts will (hopefully) bring greater legal certainty & predictability
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Future Directions
Political will to deliver on environmental rights and provide the necessary resources to underpin Aarhus implementation?
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Future Directions
Aarhus rights must be championed at national level
Awareness raising & cultural change to integrate Aarhus successfully into the national system