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Trotz gemeinsamer internationaler (Aarhus Convention) und supranationaler (EU-Richtlinien) Verpflichtungen unterscheidet sich die Öffentlichkeitsbeteiligung in Umweltangelegenheiten in der EU aufgrund von unterschiedlichen Rechtsvorschriften sowie Rechtstraditionen. Ziel ist es, einen rechtsvergleichenden Überblick über die Beteiligungsrechte für Bürger in Deutschland und Italien als Mitgliedstaaten der Europäischen Union zu geben, um zu einem harmonisierten Verständnis beizutragen.

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The book provides a comparative overview of the implementation of participatory rights in environmental decision making. The core idea was to explore the legal cultures of various EU member states, where the principles of the Aarhus Convention have been implemented in national law with a focus on German and Italian environmental law. Our project aims to contribute to the knowledge of whether European Union law is on the right way to establish such an approach.

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Eva Julia Lohse, Giulia Parola and Margherita Poto
Introductory Remarks on the Idea and the Purpose of a German-Italian Dialogue on Participation in Environmental Decision-Making

Part I: Perspectives on Participation - Rationales, Protected Interests, Democracy

Giulia Parola
Ecological Interest as a Leading Rationale for Participation: Ecological Duties of the Citizens and of the Authorities

Cristina Fraenkel-Haeberle
Participatory Democracy and the Global Approach in Environmental Legislation

Claudia Sartoretti
The Aarhus Convention Between Protection of Human Rights and Protection of the Environment

Paolo Turrini
Participatory Rights and the Notion of Interest in Environmental Decision-making: a Theoretical Sketch and Some International Legal Considerations

Federica Cittadino
Public Interest to Environmental Protection and Indigenous Peoples´ Rights: Procedural Rights to Participation and Substantive Guarantees

Part II: Participation in Administrative Decision-making: Prerequisites and Principles in National and Supranational Law

Margherita Poto
Strengths and Weaknesses of Environmental Participation Under the Aarhus Convention: What Lies Beyond Rhetorical Proceduralisation?

Viviana Molaschi
The Implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Italy: a Strong ´Vision´ and a Weak ´Voice´

Julian Zwicker and Franziska Sperfeld
Participation of Environmental Associations in the Context of Nature Conservation Law in Germany

Nicola Below
Participation Under REACH - Stakeholder Interests and Implementation of EU Secondary Law

Part III: Participation Through Access to Justice - Conditions and Concepts of Judiciary Participation

Eva Julia Lohse
Access to Justice - the Main Challenge for Implementing the Aarhus Convention

Angela Schwerdtfeger
Implementation and the Separation of Powers

Elena Fasoli
The German Criteria for Access to Justice Under the Scrutiny of the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee and of the Court of Justice of the European Union: Is There Room for Similar Proceedings Against Italy?

Bilun Müller
The Effect of the Aarhus Convention´s Right of Access to the Courts in Germany

Ulrike Giera
Attorneys for the Environment - an Effective Implementation of Art. 9 (3) Aarhus Convention?

Part IV: An Example for Best Practises in Environmental Participation

Stefano Duglio, Maria Beatrice Pairotti and Riccardo Beltramo
Environmental Management: the Environmentally Equipped Industrial Area Model

Eva Julia Lohse
Comparative Conclusions from a German-Italian Dialogue on Participation

List of Authors

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