Information Service Transport Trade Sustainable Energy Sustainable Statistics Housing and Land Management Land and Housing Timber United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Environment Palais des Nations, office 356 CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Telephone: +41(0)22 917 44 44 Fax: +41(0)22 917 05 05 Compendium of Legal E-mail: [email protected] Instruments, Website: http://www.unece.org United Nations Norms and Standards Economic Commission for Europe 2011 Printed at United Nations, Geneva–GE.11-20980–March 2011–1,200–ECE/INF/2011/2 ECE/INF/2011/2 ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE COMPENDIUM OF LEGAL INSTRUMENTS, NORMS AND STANDARDS 2 0 1 1 UNITED NATIONS New York and Geneva, 2011 ECE/INF/2011/2 iii Table of contents Pages Foreword.............................................................................................. v Environment ....................................................................................... 1-2 Transport............................................................................................. 3-9 Statistics ............................................................................................... 10-11 Sustainable Energy............................................................................. 12-13 Trade ................................................................................................. 14-23 Trade Facilitation......................................................................... 14-19 Agricultural Quality Standards.................................................. 20 Regulatory Cooperation and Standardization Policies ........... 21-22 International Legal and Commercial Practice.......................... 23 Timber ................................................................................................. 24 Housing and Land Management ....................................................... 25 Annexes................................................................................................ 27-42 I. Vehicle Regulations...................................................................... 27-35 II. Agricultural Quality Standards.................................................. 36-39 III. General Conditions of Sale and Standard Clauses Drawn up Under the Auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe............................................................... 40-42 v Foreword Everybody stands to gain when countries adopt common international legal instruments and standards and harmonize their technical regulations. Consumers obtain guaranteed quality and security. Producers economize both at the production and sales levels and simplify their inventories when they no longer have to adapt their products to a multitude of different national rules. International trade is facilitated when sellers and buyers base contracts on common classifications, standard documentation and trade procedures. Shared assets which ignore borders, such as the environment, can be better protected through internationally agreed legal instruments. International cooperation as well as national legislative and regulatory work is simplified and accelerated when reference can be made to internationally agreed documents. Moreover, the multiplication of technical instruments shared by the countries of the region facilitates their economic relations, creates links and helps to overcome differences. Member countries of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) realized this from the outset. Their common efforts over the last sixty years have resulted in a wealth of conventions, harmonized technical regulations, norms and standards. Virtually all of the Commission’s subsidiary bodies have contributed in one way or another to their elaboration. Studies have shown that many of UNECE’s agreements on technical and/or procedural harmonization are being effectively implemented. The attached list of conventions, norms and standards, which have been negotiated under the auspices of the UNECE, has been compiled in order to facilitate wider access to this valuable body of information. Ján Kubiš Executive Secretary United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) vi Further information may be obtained from the: Information Service United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Palais des Nations, Office 356 CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Tel: +41 (0)22 917 44 44 Fax: +41 (0)22 917 05 05 E-mail: [email protected] or by consulting the UNECE home page on the following website: http://www.unece.org UNECE Legal Instruments, Norms and Standards 1 ENVIRONMENT Since 1979, fourteen international legally binding instruments, five conventions and nine protocols, have been developed in the UNECE on air pollution, environmental impact assessment, industrial accidents, transboundary waters and public participation. These treaties, which are important elements of a common European legal framework, are concrete and effective instruments to eliminate the former dividing line between east and west and to integrate countries with economies in transition into a pan-European legal and economic space. Environmental conventions and protocols 1. Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, done at Geneva, on 13 November 1979 There are eight Protocols to the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. • Protocol on Long-term Financing of the Cooperative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe (EMEP), done at Geneva, on 28 September 1984 • Protocol on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30 per cent, done at Helsinki, on 8 July 1985 • Protocol Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes, done at Sofia, on 31 October 1988 • Protocol Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes, done at Geneva, on 18 November 1991 • Protocol on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions, done at Oslo, on 14 June 1994 • Protocol on Heavy Metals, done at Aarhus (Denmark), on 24 June 1998 • Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants, done at Aarhus (Denmark), on 24 June 1998 • Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone, done at Gothenburg (Sweden), on 30 November 1999 2 UNECE Legal Instruments, Norms and Standards 2. Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context, done at Espoo (Finland), on 25 February 1991 • Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment, done at Kiev, on 21 May 2003 3. Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents, done at Helsinki, on 17 March 1992 • Protocol on Civil Liability and Compensation for Damage Caused by the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents on Transboundary Waters, done at Kiev, on 21 May 2003 (not yet in force) 4. Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, done at Helsinki, on 17 March 1992 • Protocol on Water and Health, done at London, on 17 June 1999 • Protocol on Civil Liability and Compensation for Damage Caused by the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents on Transboundary Waters, done at Kiev, on 21 May 2003 5. Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, done at Aarhus (Denmark), on 25 June 1998 (entered into force on 30 October 2001) • Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers, done at Kiev, on 21 May 2003 (entered into force on 8 October 2009) Website: http://www.unece.org/env/environment-conventions.html UNECE Legal Instruments, Norms and Standards 3 TRANSPORT The UNECE has established 57 transport agreements and conventions which are negotiated by government representatives and become legally binding for countries which ratify or accede to them. These agreements and conventions create international safety and environmental standards and regulations for transport and for motor vehicles and their trailers, harmonize national regulations, make border crossings less complicated, and provide for the development of coherent infrastructure networks for road, rail and inland waterway transport. Legal instruments by category Transport Infrastructures The development of infrastructures leading to an integrated European transport system is a major priority for the UNECE. The foundations have been laid in three international agreements negotiated in the UNECE and constantly kept under review. The European Agreement on Main International Traffic Arteries (AGR) defines the "E" road network of routes of strategic importance for international traffic flows and sets the standards to which they should conform. The European Agreement on Main International Railway Lines (AGC) identifies rail routes of international importance and their technical characteristics. The encouragement of transport using one type of equipment - container for example - but combining the advantages of road, rail, inland waterway or maritime modes of transport is another priority field of activity for the Committee. The European Agreement on Important International Combined Transport Lines and Related Installations (AGTC) creates a plan for the development of international combined transport infrastructure and services on the basis of an international network and generally accepted infrastructure and operational standards. The European Agreement on Main Inland Waterways of International Importance (AGN) of 1996 is due to complete the range of international