CHAPTER XXVII

ENVIRONMENT6Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial AccidentsHelsinki, 17 March 1992Entry into force19 April 2000, in accordance with article 30(1).Registration19 April 2000, No. 36605StatusSignatories27Parties411TextUnited Nations, <i>Treaty Series </i>, vol. 2105, p. 457. Document ECE/CP.TEIA/15/Add.1 (Amendements to Annex I of Convention) <superscript>2</superscript>The Convention was adopted by the Senior Advisers to the Economic Commission for Europe Governments on Environmental and Water Problems at their Resumed Fifth Session held at Helsinki from 17 to 18 March 1992. The Convention was opened for signature at Helsinki from 17 to 18 March 1992 and was open for signature at United Nations Headquarters in New York until 18 September 1992.

ParticipantSignatureRatification, Accession(a), Acceptance(A), Approval(AA)Albania18 Mar 1992 5 Jan 1994 Armenia21 Feb 1997 aAustria18 Mar 1992 4 Aug 1999 Azerbaijan16 Jun 2004 aBelarus25 Jun 2003 aBelgium18 Mar 1992 6 Apr 2006 Bosnia and Herzegovina20 Feb 2013 aBulgaria18 Mar 1992 12 May 1995 Canada18 Mar 1992 Croatia20 Jan 2000 aCyprus31 Aug 2005 aCzech Republic12 Jun 2000 aDenmark<superscript>3</superscript>18 Mar 1992 28 Mar 2001 AAEstonia18 Mar 1992 17 May 2000 European Union<superscript>1</superscript>18 Mar 1992 24 Apr 1998 AAFinland18 Mar 1992 13 Sep 1999 AFrance18 Mar 1992 3 Oct 2003 AAGermany18 Mar 1992 9 Sep 1998 Greece18 Mar 1992 24 Feb 1998 Hungary18 Mar 1992 2 Jun 1994 AAItaly18 Mar 1992 2 Jul 2002 Kazakhstan11 Jan 2001 aLatvia18 Mar 1992 29 Jun 2004 Lithuania18 Mar 1992 2 Nov 2000 Luxembourg20 May 1992 8 Aug 1994 Monaco28 Aug 2001 aMontenegro19 May 2009 aNetherlands<superscript>4</superscript>18 Mar 1992 6 Nov 2006 ANorway18 Sep 1992 1 Apr 1993 AAPoland18 Mar 1992 8 Sep 2003 Portugal 9 Jun 1992 2 Nov 2006 Republic of Moldova 4 Jan 1994 aRomania22 May 2003 aRussian Federation18 Mar 1992 1 Feb 1994 ASerbia31 Jul 2009 aSlovakia 9 Sep 2003 aSlovenia13 May 2002 aSpain18 Mar 1992 16 May 1997 Sweden18 Mar 1992 22 Sep 1999 Switzerland18 Mar 1992 21 May 1999 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 2 Mar 2010 aUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland18 Mar 1992 5 Aug 2002 United States of America18 Mar 1992 AustriaDeclaration:"The Republic of Austria declares in accordance with article 21 paragraph 2 of the Convention to accept both of the means of the settlement of disputes mentioned in this paragraph as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting one or both of these means of settlement of disputes as compulsory."AzerbaijanDeclarations:"1. The Republic of Azerbaijan declares that the term ‘military installations' appearing in article 2, paragraph 2 (b), of the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents is understood to refer to installations serving the interests of national defence and functioning on legal causes.2. With reference to article 3, paragraph 1, of the Convention, the Republic of Azerbaijan declares that, in relation to any Party, it will cooperate within the framework of the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents in accordance with the principles and norms of international law.3. In accordance with article 21, paragraph 2, of the Convention, the Republic of Azerbaijan declares that, for a dispute not resolved in accordance with paragraph 1 of article 21, it accepts the arbitration in accordance with the procedure set out in Annex XIII as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting one or both of the means of dispute settlement referred to in paragraph 2 of article 21."European Union<superscript>1</superscript>Reservations:On 27 April 2007, the European Community informed the Secretary-General of its decision to withdraw the reservation made upon approval to the Convention (see United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2105, p. 575 for the text of the reservation) and replace it with the following reservation:"The Member States of the European Community, in their mutual relations, will apply the Convention in accordance with the Community's internal rules. The Community therefore reserves the right as concerns the threshold quantities mentioned in Annex I, Part I, Nos. 4, 5, and 6 to the Convention, to apply threshold quantities of 100 tonnes for bromine (very toxic substance), 5000 tonnes for methanol (toxic substance) and 2000 tonnes for oxygen (oxidising substance)."Declaration:“In accordance with the EC Treaty, the objectives and principles of the Community’s environmental policy are, in particular, to preserve and protect the quality of the environment and human health through preventive action. In pursuit of those objectives, the Council adopted Council Directive 82/501/EEC of 24 June 1982 on the major-accident hazards of certain industrial activities which has been replaced by Council Directive 96/82/EC of 9 December 1996 on the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances. These instruments aim at the prevention of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances and the limitations of their consequences for man and the environment and cover matters which are the subject of [the said Convention]. The Community will inform the depositary of any amendment to this Directive and of any further relevant development in the field covered by the Convention.As regards the application of the Convention, the Community and its Member States are responsible, within their respective spheres of competence.”FranceDeclaration and reservation:1. Interpretative declaration:The French Government declares that the term "military installations" appearing in article 2, paragraph 2 (b), of the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents is understood to refer to installations serving the interests of national defence and to weapons systems and nuclear-powered vessels of the national navy.2. Reservation:At the time of adopting the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents, signed at Helsinki on 18 March 1992, the French Republic associates itself with the reservations expressed by the European Community at the time of the deposit of its instrument of ratification and states that it will apply the Convention in accordance with its obligations under Directive 96/82 of the Council of the European Union of 9 December 1996 on the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances.HungaryDeclaration:"The Government of the Republic of Hungary accepts both means of dispute settlement as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting the same obligation."NetherlandsDeclaration:"The Kingdom of the Netherlands accepts, for a dispute not resolved in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 21 of the Convention, both means of dispute settlement mentioned in this paragraph as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting the same obligation.”Reservation:“The Kingdom of the Netherlands reserves the right as concerns the threshold quantities mentioned in Annex I of the Convention, to apply the threshold quantities mentioned in European Council Directive 96/82/EC of 9 December 1996 on the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances.”SerbiaDeclaration:“The Republic of Serbia declares in accordance with article 21 paragaph 2 of the Convention that it accepts submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice, mentioned in paragraph 2 (a).”1For the purpose of entry into force of the [Convention/Protocol] , any instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession deposited by a regional economic integration organization shall not be counted as additional to those deposited by member States of that Organization.2The Amendments were adopted at the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, held in Rome from 15 to 17 November 2006 and entered into force for all Parties to the Convention on 19 March 2008.3With reservation of application to the Faroe Islands and Greenland.4For the Kingdom in Europe.