Agenda item 4(b) Compliance mechanism - Report on the Committee’s activities since the second session of the Meeting of the Parties This is a sample Title Slide with Picture ideal for including a dark picture with a brief title and subtitle. Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision- making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters 15 September 2017, Budva

Mandate In its first session, the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol provided the Compliance Committee with the mandate to “monitor assess and facilitate the implementation and to take measures to promote compliance and address cases of non-compliance”.

Meetings Third meeting took place in conjunction with last MOP in Maastricht. Since then a fourth and fifth meeting, and we will have had a sixth in Budva.

Submissions No submissions by Parties, referrals by the secretariat or communications from the public

Other presentations Synthesis report Overview on implementation of the strategic plan Proposed work on evaluation I’ve dealt with these issues in other presentations and do not propose to do so again

Draft guidance for reporting on implementation of the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers Facilitative: designed to assist Parties in fulfilling their reporting obligations - based on the contributions provided by CC members and comments made by Parties; draws upon the practical experience of multiple reporting cycles held under the Aarhus Convention.

Reporting Guidance Chapter II: describes key features of reporting under the Protocol Chapter III General issues and general good practice with respect to reporting Chapter IV: addresses specific challenges in the preparation of the reports

Reporting Guidance There are recommendations and examples of good practice. If Parties take the recommendations and examples on board the next reporting round will be even more productive than the first two.

Draft systemic issues concerning the implementation of the Protocol and recommendations on how to address them Purpose: to help Parties- to implement and comply with the Protocol to make better use of the potential of their PRTR systems.

Systemic issues: source Based on individual contributions provided by Committee members analysis of the information contained in the national implementation reports in the 2014 reporting cycle comments made by Parties.

Systemic issues: contents Chapter II: general systemic issues that have been identified and suggests ways to tackle them Chapter III: issues that arise with respect to particular provisions in the Protocol and suggests ways to tackle them Chapter IV introduces a list of selected good practices

Systemic issues: benefits Benefits gained if design goes beyond the minimum requirements - widening the scope of the pollutants and/or activities covered beyond those required - introducing a “single window” approach for making use of the PRTR across sectors - taking into account specific national needs.

Systemic issues: what for? We thought the systemic issues would – provide a freestanding resource for Parties and stakeholders contribute to the Committee’s efforts to provide advisory support to Parties and other States wishing to accede to the Protocol to strengthen expert capacities

Providing advisory support Parties and other States willing to accede to the Protocol could be able to seek advisory support from the Committee with regard to compliance with and implementation of the Protocol. This could include advice on legislative and other regulatory matters.

Strengthening expert capacities Members of the Committee could be invited to provide support to different events, such as workshops and training, aimed at strengthening the capacity of national experts.