Access to justice regarding plans and programmes related to the environment – Polish law in the light of Article 9.3 of the Aarhus Convention

Abstract

Article 9.3 of the Aarhus Convention grants members of the public (meeting certain requirements, if a Party to the Convention so specifies) access to a review procedure (access to justice) to challenge acts or omissions by private persons or public authorities that contravene provisions of its national law relating to the environment. According to Article 2.4 of the Convention, non-governmental organisations should also be considered as "members of the public". According to the jurisprudence of the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee, the activities of public authorities covered by the requirements of Article 9.3 of the Convention include adoption of plans and programmes which may have an impact on the environment. In accordance with the Polish law (often following the requirements of EU law), administrative authorities adopt a whole range of plans and programmes relating to the environment or having an impact on the environment. These documents are developed either by regional or local authorities (self-governmental authorities or regional government administration) or at the central level. Polish law provides very limited opportunities to challenge plans or programmes. With respect to documents created at the central level, there are no such possibilities at all, and with respect to documents created at lower levels, certain, limited, rights in this respect are granted only to private entities whose legal interest has been violated. The possibility for NGOs to challenge plans or programmes is completely excluded. Such a situation should be considered non-compliant with the Aarhus Convention.