Depositary
STATUS AS AT : 04-07-2025 09:15:32 EDT
CHAPTER XXVII
ENVIRONMENT
1. d Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or their Transboundary Fluxes
Geneva, 18 November 1991
Entry into force
:
29 September 1997, in accordance with article 16(1).
Registration :
2 February 1998, No. 34322
Status :
Signatories : 23. Parties : 24
Text : Certified true copy
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2001, p. 187.
Note :
The Protocol was drawn up within the framework of the Economic Commission for Europe and was adopted on 18 November 1991 by the Executive Body for the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution.  It was opened for signature at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 18 to 19 November 1991 and thereafter at the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York until 22 May 1992.
Participant
 Signature
 Ratification, Acceptance(A), Approval(AA), Accession(a)
Austria
 19 Nov 1991
23 Aug 1994
Belgium
 19 Nov 1991
 8 Nov 2000
Bulgaria
 19 Nov 1991
27 Feb 1998
Canada
 19 Nov 1991
 
Croatia
    3 Mar 2008 a
Czech Republic
    1 Jul 1997 a
Denmark 1
19 Nov 1991
21 May 1996 A
Estonia
    7 Mar 2000 a
European Union
  2 Apr 1992
 
Finland
 19 Nov 1991
11 Jan 1994 A
France
 19 Nov 1991
12 Jun 1997 AA
Germany
 19 Nov 1991
 8 Dec 1994
Greece
 19 Nov 1991
 
Hungary
 19 Nov 1991
10 Nov 1995
Italy
 19 Nov 1991
30 Jun 1995
Liechtenstein
 19 Nov 1991
24 Mar 1994
Lithuania
   22 May 2007 a
Luxembourg
 19 Nov 1991
11 Nov 1993
Monaco
   26 Jul 2001 a
Netherlands (Kingdom of the) 2
19 Nov 1991
29 Sep 1993 A
North Macedonia
   10 Mar 2010 a
Norway
 19 Nov 1991
 7 Jan 1993
Portugal
  2 Apr 1992
 
Slovakia
   15 Dec 1999 a
Spain
 19 Nov 1991
 1 Feb 1994
Sweden
 19 Nov 1991
 8 Jan 1993
Switzerland
 19 Nov 1991
21 Mar 1994
Ukraine
 19 Nov 1991
 
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 3
19 Nov 1991
14 Jun 1994
United States of America
 19 Nov 1991
 
Declarations made under article 2 (2)
(Unless otherwise indicated, the declarations were made
upon ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.)
Austria

Declaration made upon signature and confirmed upon ratification:

       "With regard to article 2 (basic obligations) Austria declares to be bound by the provisions of paragraph 2 ( a ).  Furthermore, Austria chooses the year 1988 as a base year with respect to paragraph 2 ( a )."
Belgium

Upon signature:

       Belgium undertakes to reduce its national annual emissions of VOCs by at least 30 per cent by the year 1999, using 1988 levels as a basis (article 2, paragraph 2 ( a )).
Bulgaria

Declaration made upon signature and confirmed upon ratification:

       "Bulgaria declares under article 2, paragraph 2, sub-paragraph (  c ) that it shall, as soon as possible and as a first step, take effective measures to ensure at least that at the latest by the year 1999 its national annual emissions of VOCs do not exceed the 1988 levels."
Canada

Upon signature:

       "Pursuant to article 2, paragraph 2 of the Protocol, Canada is pleased to inform other Parties to the present Protocol that it selects option ( b ) from among the three options available. Base year: 1988."
Czech Republic

Declaration :

       "[The Government of the Czech Republic] declares that it shall use the 1990 levels as the basis for its reduction of annual emissions of VOCs pursuant to article 2, paragraph 2( a ) of the Protocol."
Denmark

Upon signature:

       "Denmark hereby declares that it will reduce its national annual emissions of VOCs by at least 30% by the year 1999, using 1985 as a basis.
European Union

Upon signature:

       "The European Economic community, taking account in particular of the alternatives available to its Member States in application of Article 2 (2) of the Protocol, hereby declares that its obligations under the Protocol with regard to the objectives for reducing VOC emissions may not be greater than the sum of the obligations entered into by its Member States which have ratified the Protocol."
Finland

Upon signature:

       "Finland declares that it intends to reduce its annual national emissions of VOCs by at least 30%, using 1988 levels as a basis."
France

Declaration made upon signature and confirmed upon approval:

       The French Republic undertakes to reduce its national annual emissions of VOCs by at least 30 per cent by the year 1999, using 1988 levels as a basis (article 2, paragraph 2 ( a )).
Germany

Upon signature:

       "Germany specifies that it shall reduce its national annual emissions of VOCs by at least 30% by the year 1999 using 1988 levels as a basis according to article 2, paragraph 2 ( a )."
Greece

Upon signature:

       "Greece declares under article 2, paragraph 2, sub-paragraph c) that it shall, as soon as possible and as a first step, take effective measures to ensure at least that at the latest by the year 1999 its national annual emissions of VOCs do not exceed the 1988 levels."
Hungary

Upon signature:

       "The Republic of Hungary shall control and reduce its national annual emissions of VOCs or their transboundary fluxes in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2 ( c ) of article 2 of the Protocol."
Italy

Upon signature:

       "Italy declares its intention to meet the requirements of article 2.1 of the Protocol in the way specified at article 2, paragraph 2, letter ( a ) and its intention to indicate as reference year as a basis for reduction: 1990."
Liechtenstein

Upon signature:

       "As a basis to reduce its annual emissions of VOCs by at least 30% by the year 1999, Liechtenstein will use 1984 levels."
Luxembourg

Upon signature:

       Luxembourg undertakes to reduce its national annual emissions of VOCs by at least 30 per cent by the year 1999, using 1990 levels as a basis (article 2, paragraph 2 ( a )).
Monaco

Declaration :

       The Government of the Principality of Monaco shall reduce its emissions of VOCs by 30% during the year 2001, using 1990 levels as a basis.
Netherlands (Kingdom of the)

Declaration made upon signature and confirmed upon acceptance:

       "The Netherlands declares that it intends to reduce its annual national emissions of VOCs by at least 30% using 1988 levels as a basis."
Norway

Upon signature:

       "The Government of Norway intends to fulfil the obligations of the VOC Protocol as specified in article 2, paragraph 2 (b). Norway will use the year 1989 as the base year for reductions.

       Based on present prognosis of VOC emissions the total Norwegian reduction of VOC will be in the order of 20% by the year 1999.

       "Norway will apply equivalent measures based on the best available technologies which are economically feasible, outside the TOMA as inside.

       "The Government of Norway will fulfil its obligations in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Norway under the Protocol in conformity with international law."
Portugal

Upon signature:

       "Portugal declares under its article 2, paragraph 2, sub-paragraph  a ), that is shall control and reduce its national annual emissions of VOC's or their transboundary fluxes in accordance with the way specified at that article."
Slovakia

       “... the Slovak Republic specifies the year 1990 as the base year for purposes of the Protocol.”
Spain

Upon signature:

       The Government of the Kingdom of Spain declares that it accepts the commitment set forth in article 2 [(2)] ( a ) to reduce national annual emissions by at least 30 per cent by the year 1999, using 1988 levels as a basis.
Sweden

Upon signature:

       "Sweden declares that it intends to reduce its annual national emissions of VOCs by at least 30%, using 1988 levels as a basis."

Upon ratification:

       "Sweden declares that it intends to reduce its annual national emissions of VOCs by at least 30% by the year 1999, using 1988 levels as a basis."
Switzerland

Upon signature:

       "As a basis to reduce its annual emissions of VOCs by at least 30% by the year 1999, Switzerland will use 1984 levels."
Ukraine

Upon signature:

       [The Government of Ukraine] signs [the said Protocol] on the conditions set out in paragraph 2 ( b ) of article 2 of the Protocol.

       In so doing the Government of Ukraine stipulates that the following designated tropospheric ozone management areas (TOMAs) situated in Ukraine should be included in Annex I to the Protocol:

       TOMA No. 1:  the Poltavian, Dnepropetrovsk, Zaporozhian, Donetsk, Lugantsk, Nikolaivian, Khersonian regions (194.3 thousand square kilometres);

       TOMA No. 2:  Lvovian, Ternopol, Ivano-Frankovsk, Zakarpatian regions (62.3 thousand square kilometres).
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Declaration made upon signature and confirmed upon ratification:

       "The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland declares] that it intends to reduce its annual national emissions of VOCs by at least 30%, using 1988 levels as a basis."
United States of America

Upon signature:

       "In accordance with article 2, paragraph 2 of the Protocol, the Government of the United States of America specifies 1984 emission levels as the basis for its VOC reductions under this Protocol [article 2, paragraph 2 ( a )]".
End Note
1Upon signature, decision was reserved as concerns the application of the Protocol to the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Upon acceptance, the Government of Denmark declared that "This acceptance does not apply to the Faroe Islands and Greenland.".
2For the Kingdom in Europe.
3Application to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Isle of Man.
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