Access to Justice in Germany - presentations made during the UFU seminar

On June 3rd, German NGO UfU organised a training on access to justice in the House of Democracy and Human rights in Berlin.

The workshop started with a discussion on the German Environmental Rights Act, amended in 2017, which extended the collective action rights of recognized environmental associations while still partially failing to comply with EU law and requirements of the Aarhus Convention.

The presentations therefore focused on Aarhus implementation and current case law on access to justice. The recognition requirements for environmental associations in Germany were highlighted and discussed against the backdrop of the pending proceedings before the Compliance Committee of the Aarhus Convention on the Recognition of WWF .

Another presentation focused on whether the cost risk for NGO plaintiffs represents a barrier to accessing courts within the meaning of the Aarhus Convention. Finally, participants discussed trends and challenges of using legal remedies in environmental matters.