Access to Justice update from ClientEarth and Justice and Environment

Our Analysis

161 Italian citizens won before the European Court of Human Rights
The applicants complained about the effects of toxic emissions from the Ilva steel plant in Taranto on the environment and their health, and about the ineffectiveness of domestic remedies. Read the full analysis by Malgorzata Kwiedacz-Palosz.

General Court considers availability of effective judicial remedies in national courts
The General Court dismissed an action brought by a Slovak chemicals company against an EU Regulation prohibiting the use of mercury and mercury compounds in certain manufacturing processes. Read the full analysis by Anne Friel.

CJEU: Coreper decisions are challengeable under Article 263 TFEU
This case concerned a challenge by the Commission of a Coreper decision approving the submission of a reflection paper to the annual meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) on behalf of the EU and its Member States. Read the full analysis by Anne Friel.

Project Updates

ÖKOBÜRO held first access to justice training in Vienna
During this seminar, the recent draft legislation affecting access to justice in Austria at the federal and state levels was discussed. Attendees acknowledged that the broad access to justice and generous rules of participation demanded by the Aarhus Convention would probably not be granted and that great legal uncertainty was inevitable. Read the full report.

ClientEarth organises a seminar on Access to Justice for the Polish Ombudsman’s lawyers
In this meeting, which initiated a series of eight training sessions on access to courts in matters related to environmental protection, Dr Jerzy Jendrośka, a member of the Aarhus Convention Committee said: “The issue of providing citizens with access to courts has been the most underrated part of the Aarhus Convention for years. Read the full report.

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The Project

Access to justice is a fundamental means through which citizens and NGOs can support the implementation and enforcement of laws and policies to protect the environment.

The goal of this ATOJ-EARL project is to achieve  "Access to justice for a greener Europe". It strives to enhance access to justice in environmental matters by providing information, training and support for the judiciary, public authorities and lawyers of eight European member states.

For more information, visit our website.

ClientEarth and Justice and Environment are implementing this project with the financial support of the European Commission's LIFE instrument.

Contact:
Anais Berthier, Senior Lawyer and Project Lead
Diane Vandesmet, Events and Communications officer
accesstojustice@clientearth.org