Alpine Convention

The Alpine Convention is an international territorial treaty for the sustainable development of the Alps. The objective of the treaty is to protect the natural environment of the Alps while promoting its development. This Framework Convention involves the European Union and eight States (Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia and Switzerland). Opened to signature in 1991 and consisting of a Framework Convention, various implementation protocols and declarations, it entered into force in 1995, contributing to reinforce the recognition of special qualities and specific characteristics of the Alps, going beyond national boundaries and seeking international action.

Contents 1 Geographic Area of the Alpine Convention 2 The Institutions of the Alpine Convention 2.1 The Alpine Conference 2.2 The Permanent Committee 2.3 The Compliance Committee 2.4 The Permanent Secretariat 2.5 Working Groups and Platforms 3 Signatures and ratifications of the Framework Convention and its Protocols 4 Protocols and Declarations linked to the Framework Convention 5 Publications of the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention[30] 6 Future and evolution of the Alpine Convention 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

Geographic Area of the Alpine Convention

The geographic area of the Alpine Convention covers a 190,959 km² or 73,730 sq mi encompassing 5867 municipalities (data from January 2008). The Alpine Range as defined by the Alpine Convention stretches across 1,200 km or 746 mi, through eight states, and its maximum width is 300 km or 186 mi, between Bavaria and Northern Italy. The entire territories of Monaco and Liechtenstein are included. Austria and Italy together represent more than 55% of the Convention area. With France, these three states cover the three-quarter of the total surface of the Alpine Convention territory. In 2007, the total population of this area was approaching 14 million inhabitants^[1].

The Institutions of the Alpine Convention

The Alpine Conference

The Alpine Conference is the body that takes the most important decisions regarding the Convention. The Presidency of the Conference rotates between the Contracting parties, each holding the Presidency for a two-year period. The Conference also welcomes the following observers: European association of elected representatives from mountain regions, Alpe Adria, Arge Alp, CIPRA International, Club Arc Alpin, COTRAO – The Working Community of the Western Alps, Euromontana, FIANET, the International Steering Committee of the Network of Protected areas, the IUCN, the Managing Authority of the European Cooperation Programme Alpine Space, Pro Mont Blanc, UNEP and ISCAR. The last Alpine Conference took place in Brdo pri Kranju, in Slovenia, in March 2011.

1. Alpine Conference: Berchtesgaden, Germany – 1989
2. Alpine Conference: Salzburg, Austria – 1991
3. Alpine Conference: Chambéry, France – 1994
4. Alpine Conference: Brdo, Slovenia – 1996
5. Alpine Conference: Bled, Slovenia – 1998
6. Alpine Conference: Lucerne, Switzerland – 2000
7. Alpine Conference: Merano/Meran, Italy – 2002
8. Alpine Conference: Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany – 2004
9. Alpine Conference: Alpbach, Austria – 2006
10. Alpine Conference: Evian, France – 2009
11. Alpine Conference: Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia – 2011

The Permanent Committee

The Permanent Committee is the executive body of the Alpine Conference. It is composed of all Member delegations and guarantees that the basis, the principles and the objectives of the Convention are implemented. It meets twice a year, the last meeting was in March 2011, just before the Alpine Conference of Brdo pri Kranju^[2].

The Compliance Committee

The Steering Committee is the body that oversees implementation of the commitments and obligations taken under the Alpine Convention. Each four years, Contracting Parties have to publish a report concerning the implementation of the Convention and its protocols. The first report was adopted at the Xth Alpine Conference (March 2009)^[3].

The Permanent Secretariat

This treaty dedicated to a specific territory is supported by a Permanent Secretariat, created in 2003, that has its main office in Innsbruck, Austria, and a branch office in Bolzano-Bozen, Italy. It also includes a Task Force dedicated to the protected natural areas, located in Chambéry, France. The role of this permanent secretariat is to support all the other bodies instituted by the Alpine Convention by providing professional, logistic and administrative support, and by helping the Contracting parties, especially in implementing projects. The Secretariat is headed by a Secretary General, currently M. Marco Onida, with a deputy, currently Mrs. Regula Imhof ^[4].

Working Groups and Platforms

The Permanent Committee can establish Working Groups on topics it considers relevant to support the sustainable development within the Alps. Eight Working Groups and Platforms are currently active:

• Working Group Transport ^[5]
• Working Group UNESCO World Heritage ^[6]
• Natural Hazards Platform ^[7]
• Ecological Network Platform ^[8]
• Expert Group -Report from the State of the Alps- ^[9]
• Water Management Platform in the Alpine space ^[10]
• Large Carnivores and Wild Ungulates Platform ^[11]
• Working Group "Demography and Employment" ^[12]

Signatures and ratifications of the Framework Convention and its Protocols

The first meeting of interested countries took place in Berchtesgaden in December 1989. On 7 the Framework Convention was signed by Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Slovenia signed on 29 and Monaco on 20. Ratification occurred between 1994 and 1999^[13]. Below is a brief overview about the signatures and the state of ratifications ^[14]:

• Austria: ratification on February 1994, entry into force on 6 March 1995
• Suisse: ratification on 16 December 1998, entry into force on 28 April 1999
• Germany: ratification on 29 September 1994, entry into force on 6 March 1995
• France: ratification on 30 November 1995, entry into force on 15 April 1996
• Liechtenstein: ratification on 21 March 1994, entry into force on 6 March 1995
• Italy: ratification on 14 October 1999, entry into force on 27 March 2000
• Monaco: ratification on 22 December 1998, entry into force on 22 March 1999
• Slovenia: ratification on 22 March 1995, entry into force on 22 August 1995
• European Community, since 1993 European Union: ratification on 26 February 1996, entry into force on 14 April 1998

To date, all Alpine states have signed all the protocols, except Monaco that didn't sign the Energy protocol. The European Union has not signed the protocols ‘Mountain Forests’ and ‘Settlement of disputes’. Regarding protocol ratification, Italy and Switzerland have not ratified any protocols. As Italy is a member of the European Union, the European law order nevertheless prevails (the EU has so far ratified ‘’Mountain farming’, ‘Tourism’, ‘Soil Conservation’ and Energy’)^[15].

Protocols and Declarations linked to the Framework Convention

Under the Convention, Member States should adopt specific measures in twelve thematic areas (Population and Culture, Spatial Planning, Air pollution, Soil Conservation, Water Management, Conservation of Nature and the Countryside, Mountain Farming, Mountain Forests, Tourism, Transport, Energy, and Waste Management)^[16]. Of these areas, eight are now protocols annexed to the Framework Convention^[17]:

• Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development^[18];
• Mountain Farming^[19] ;
• Conservation of Nature and Landscape Protection^[20];
• Mountain Forests^[21];
• Tourism^[22];
• Soil Conservation^[23];
• Energy^[24];
• Transports^[25].

Two new protocols, not related to a specific thematic area, have since been adopted:

• Settlement of disputes^[26];
• Adherence of the Principality of Monaco to the Alpine Convention^[27].

The Alpine Convention includes two Declarations that could not been turned into Protocols:

• Declaration on Population and Culture ^[28];
• Declaration on Climate Change ^[29].

Publications of the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention^[30]

• Alpine Signals 1. The Alpine Convention- Reference guide, 2010, second edition, available in German, French, Italian and Slovenian.
• Alpine Signals 2. The Alpine Convention is taking shape, 2004, available in German, French, Italian and Slovenian.
• Alpine Signals 3. Cross-border ecological network, 2004, available in German, French, Italian and Slovenian.
• Alpine Signals 4. Natural events documentation, 2006, available in German, French, Italian and Slovenian.
• Alpine Signals 5. Mitigation and adaptation to climate change in the Alpine Space, 2008^[31]
• Report on the State of the Alps #1. Transport and Mobility, 2007^[32]
• Establishing an Alpine Ecological Network, 2007^[33]
• Report on the State of the Alps #2. Water and water management issues, 2009^[34]
• The Alps-Eight countries, a single territory, 2009^[35]
• PER ALPES. Discovering the Alps in 20 circular walks, 2010^[36]
• THE ALPS. People and pressures in the mountains, the facts at a glance. Vademecum, 2010^[37]

Future and evolution of the Alpine Convention

The European Commission wants to define geographical areas that overcome national boundaries. Its main aim is to better adapt and distribute economic development aid to the targeted regions. This new policy gives a strong stimulus to debate and exchanges of views on the creation of an Alpine Strategy, following the example of the Baltic Initiative or the European Strategy for the Danube Region^[38]. In this context, the geographical area to be chosen constitutes a central element in defining such an Alpine region. Two different conceptions exist: the first, chosen by the Alpine Convention, limits the Alps to territory of a mountainous character; the second, chosen by the Alpine Space Programme extends the concept to non-Alpine regions and to bigger urban flatland areas around the Alps ^[39].

See also

• The Alps
• List of national parks of the Alps
• Alpine Space Programme, an EU co-funded programme to enhance the competitiveness and attractiveness of the alpine region

References

External links

• Alpine Convention
• CIPRA-International