ELECTED  DICTATORSHIPS
ELECTED DICTATORSHIP


 

Main Points

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New European Union laws to keep "elected dictatorships" in check?

If so, it's not before time (in my view).

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----- Original Message -----

From: William Finnerty
To: Green Party (Ireland) ; Tara / Skreen Group
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 5:11 PM
Subject: [Tara/Skreen] Fw: [nature-irl] Aarhus

----- Original Message -----

From: <<< Details withheld >>>
To: <
natureireland@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 3:05 PM
Subject: [nature-irl] Aarhus

29.10.2003 07:20
MainPoint
EU public wins right to access environmental information Aberdeen, Scotland:
All EU citizens should soon be enjoying legally guaranteed rights to access environmental information held by public authorities, to participate in environmental decision-making, and to take violations of environmental law to court.


This will come about as a result of aligning legislation at EU level and in EU Member States with the provisions of the 1998 Århus Convention.

The "Århus Convention" is an international agreement which lays down a set of basic rules to promote citizens' involvement in environmental matters and improve enforcement of environmental law. It grants the public access to environmental information, provides for participation in environmental decision-making, and allows the public to seek judicial redress when environmental law is infringed, including breaches of the two previous rights.

The European Commission has just adopted three legislative proposals towards full application of the Convention, launching the final step in implementing its provisions into EU law. These proposals should, in practice, act as the catalyst for important changes in the behaviour of public authorities at all levels by enabling citizens and associations to assume responsibility for the environment.

Margot Wallström, Commissioner for the Environment, said: "Empowering people to protect their environment is a cornerstone of effective policymaking. Citizens must be given the right to know how good or bad the state of the environment is and to participate in decision-making that will affect their health and quality of life. A well-informed and active public means more effective environmental legislation and better enforcement of environmental policies. Citizens will now be able to act as environmental watchdogs!"

The proposed Regulation will strengthen citizens' environmental rights at EU level by giving them access to environmental information such as on the state of the environment and the environmental media, including water, air, soil, land, and on policies, plans and  programmes related to the environment.

EU institutions and bodies will be obliged to make this information available on the Internet or via similar systems and respond to requests from citizens and environmental  organisations within one month (exceptionally two months).

With regard to public participation, all EU institutions and bodies will have to identify the public likely to be affected by future plans and programmes relating to the environment, and invite them, at an early stage, to participate in the decision-making process and submit their comments and views. The EU institutions and bodies will also have to inform the public of the final decision and the underlying reasons, in particular the outcome of the participation process and how the views expressed have been taken into account.

Lastly, on access to justice, the proposed Regulation enables European NGOs to require the review of decisions by EU institutions and bodies which they consider do not comply with environmental legislation. This review will first have to be done by the EU institution itself and, if the matter is not resolved, the European Court of Justice may be addressed.

News Desk, IntraFish:
http://www.intrafish.com/

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Further information on the Aarhus Convention can be found at:
http://www.finnachta.com/TheAarhusConvention.htm

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For further information regarding "elected dictatorships" please see:
http://www.finnachta.com/Confucius.htm#citizenship

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  EU Directive 97/11/EC:

 http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/eia/full-legal-text/9711.htm

Please Note: Point 3, in Annex IV seems particularly important:

  "A description of the aspects of the environment likely to be significantly affected by the proposed project, including, in particular, population, fauna, flora, soil, water, air, climatic factors, material assets, including the architectural and archaeological heritage, landscape and the inter-relationship between the above factors."

 
     
     
 

  Environmental Assessment 

"Environmental assessment is a procedure that ensures that the environmental implications of decisions are taken into account before the decisions are made."

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/eia/home.htm

 
     
     
 

  Information on petitioning the European Parliament 

 
     
 

Direct link to EU web site:
http://www.europarl.eu.int/petition/help_en.htm

  Procedure for submitting a petition to the European Parliament 

 
     
     
 

  Sample of petition sent to the European Parliament on September 22nd 2003

 
     
 

The petition at the address below concerns the plan to put the new N6 Galway/Dublin Upgrade Road right through the middle of the Celtic "Iron Age" oppidium centred around Turoe & Knocknadala: which is thought to be the first to date to be identified in Ireland, and possibly the largest (by far) of all the 40 or so Celtic oppida yet found outside Ireland - in places like England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, and Hungry.

http://www.finnachta.com/EuropeanParliamentPetition.htm

 
     
     
 

  The European Valetta Convention 

 
     
 

The Republic of Ireland ratified the European Valetta Convention  (European Treaty Series 143) on the Protection of Archaeological Heritage in 1997. Article 5, ii), b) seems particularly relevant to development projects such as roads: "the allocation of sufficient time and resources for an appropriate scientific study to be made of the site and for its findings to be published".

http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/publications/urbanarch/appe.html

 
     
     
 

  Agenda 21 (United Nations) 

 
     
 

General information:
http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/agenda21/index.htm


"Introducing the Aarhus Convention"
 (from the United Nations):

  •  
"It links environmental rights and human rights."
  •  
"It establishes that sustainable development can be achieved only through the involvement of all stakeholders."
 
  •  
"It links government accountability and environmental protection."
 
  •  
"It acknowledges that we owe an obligation to future generations."
 
  •  
"The subject of the Aarhus Convention goes to the heart of the relationship between people and governments."


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=United+Nations+Introducing+Aarhus+Convention+&btnG=Google+Search


 
     
Charter
     
 

  "Telling it like it is"  

 
     
 

This publication reviews progress in the Republic of Ireland during the first 10 years following the 1992 Rio Earth Summit Conference. Through the use of 34 stories it strongly suggests (on page 8) that: "In spite of millions of Euros in spending and international co-operation of a degree and depth never before seen, the agreements of Rio 92 have not translated into on-the-ground changes".

http://www.finnachta.com/TuroeKnocknadalaPetition/index.html#pdf

 
     

"Anyone can become angry - that is easy.  But, to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way: this is not easy."   Aristotle (384 - 322 B.C.).  Quote from: "Nicomachean Ethics".

Aristotle  |  Nicomachean Ethics (350 B.C.)  |

 

CHARTER OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION:

Extract from Preamble:

     
    "Conscious of its spiritual and moral heritage, the Union is founded on the indivisible, universal values of human dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity; it is based on the principles of democracy and the rule of law. It places the individual at the heart of its activities, by establishing the citizenship of the Union and by creating an area of freedom, security and justice."  
     

Full Text:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/unit/charte/index_en.html


CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS:

http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/en/Treaties/Html/005.htm


     
 

  "Confucius say (on world order) ... "

 
     
 
  • "To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order;
  •   To put the nation in order, we must put the family in order;
  •   To put the family in order, we must cultivate our personal life;
  •   And to cultivate our personal life, we must first set our hearts right."

   Confucius  
  
(551-479 B.C.)  

  Confucius on: 
 |  War  |  Politicians  |  Problem Solving  |  Good Citizenship  | 

http://www.google.com/search?q=Confucius&btnG=Google+Search

 
     
Translations:
 

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