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I ljuset av Århuskonventionen – miljöorganisationers klagorätt ur ett rättsutvecklingsperspektiv

Forsman, Alise LU (2021) LAGF03 20212
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Sedan miljöbalken (1998:808) trädde i kraft 1999 har miljöorganisationer haft en lagstadgad klagorätt i svensk rätt. Det är unikt att enskilda kan företräda allmänhetens intressen så som miljöskyddsintressen, en uppgift som vanligtvis sköts av staten, kommunen eller andra myndigheter. Uppsatsens syfte är att undersöka hur miljöorganisationers klagorätt i Sverige har förändrats sedan miljöbalken infördes, med ett särskilt fokus på hur Sveriges internationella åtaganden har påverkat rättsläget.
Uppsatsen ämnar rekonstruera såväl som analysera rätten med utgångspunkt i rättsdogmatisk metod och EU-rättslig metod. Materialet utgörs av UNECE:s konvention om tillgång till information, allmänhetens deltagande i beslutsprocesser och tillgång till... (More)
Sedan miljöbalken (1998:808) trädde i kraft 1999 har miljöorganisationer haft en lagstadgad klagorätt i svensk rätt. Det är unikt att enskilda kan företräda allmänhetens intressen så som miljöskyddsintressen, en uppgift som vanligtvis sköts av staten, kommunen eller andra myndigheter. Uppsatsens syfte är att undersöka hur miljöorganisationers klagorätt i Sverige har förändrats sedan miljöbalken infördes, med ett särskilt fokus på hur Sveriges internationella åtaganden har påverkat rättsläget.
Uppsatsen ämnar rekonstruera såväl som analysera rätten med utgångspunkt i rättsdogmatisk metod och EU-rättslig metod. Materialet utgörs av UNECE:s konvention om tillgång till information, allmänhetens deltagande i beslutsprocesser och tillgång till rättslig prövning i miljöfrågor (Århuskonventionen) som både Sverige och EU tillträdde 2005, EU-domstolens förhandsavgöranden och svensk lag, praxis och förarbeten, huvudsakligen utifrån miljöbalken men även annan miljörättslig lagstiftning.
I analysen redogörs inledningsvis för de krav som en miljöorganisation ska svara mot för att medges klagorätt och hur dessa har förändrats över tid. Härefter undersöks vad som kan överklagas av miljöorganisationer. Analysen visar att den från början snäva avgränsningen av vilka beslut och domar som omfattades idag har utvidgats så till den grad att det är svårt att ange en exakt definition av klagorättens omfattning. I praxis har miljöorganisationer getts rätt att överklaga även när detta står i direkt strid med lagens ordalydelse.
Sammanfattningsvis har Århuskonventionen haft betydande inverkan på rättsläget och stora förändringar i gynnande riktning för miljöorganisationer har skett de senaste 20 åren. Det finns även tecken på att rättsläget kommer att fortsätta utvecklas i denna riktning eftersom svensk lagstiftning och Århuskonventionen, trots många anpassningar, fortfarande inte stämmer helt överens. Århuskonventionen har främst fått verkningar i svensk rätt via EU-rätten. Slutsatsen blir därför att det är effektivt för internationella konventioners genomslag att även EU är part till och införlivar dessa i sin sekundärrätt. (Less)
Abstract
Since the Swedish Environmental Code (1998:808) entered in to force in 1999, environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) have had a statutory right of appeal in environmental matters. It is unique that individuals and their organizations can represent public interests such as environmental protectionary interests, a task usually handled by the state, municipality, or other authorities. This thesis aims to examine how the right of appeal for ENGOs has developed over the past 20 years, with a particular focus on the effect of Sweden's international obligations.
The methods used are traditional Swedish legal dogmatic method and EU legal method, through which the thesis aims to reconstruct and analyze regarding law. The central... (More)
Since the Swedish Environmental Code (1998:808) entered in to force in 1999, environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) have had a statutory right of appeal in environmental matters. It is unique that individuals and their organizations can represent public interests such as environmental protectionary interests, a task usually handled by the state, municipality, or other authorities. This thesis aims to examine how the right of appeal for ENGOs has developed over the past 20 years, with a particular focus on the effect of Sweden's international obligations.
The methods used are traditional Swedish legal dogmatic method and EU legal method, through which the thesis aims to reconstruct and analyze regarding law. The central material for the investigation is the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making, and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the Aarhus Convention) to which both Sweden and the EU are parties as of 2005. Further materials analyzed are some of the most impactful rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union in addition to Swedish law, practice, and preparatory work, mostly based on the Swedish Environmental Code but also other environmental legislation.
Firstly, the analysis describes the requirements that an ENGO must meet to win the right of appeal and looks at how these requirements have been altered in accordance with the principles of the Aarhus Convention. Secondly, the analysis investigates which decisions and rulings can be appealed by ENGOs. The thesis finds that the originally narrow definition has grown into an almost inconspicuos situation where the Swedish courts, more than once, have granted ENGOs the right to appeal even though such standings directly contradict the Swedish law.
The thesis concludes that the Aarhus Convention has had great impact on Swedish legislation in favorable direction for ENGOs over the past 20 years. The findings suggest that the legal situation will continue to develop in accordance with this pattern since Swedish legislation and the Aarhus Convention are still not fully merged. The convention has mainly been impactful via the EUs implementations of it into its secondary law. The thesis therefore suggests that international conventions are more effectful in practice in the member states when also adopted and implemented by the EU itself. (Less)
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author
Forsman, Alise LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20212
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
miljörätt, förvaltningsprocess, EU-rätt, Århuskonventionen environmental law, administrative procedure, EU law, the Aarhus convention
language
Swedish
id
9069921
date added to LUP
2022-02-15 11:34:48
date last changed
2022-02-15 11:34:48
@misc{9069921,
  abstract     = {{Since the Swedish Environmental Code (1998:808) entered in to force in 1999, environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) have had a statutory right of appeal in environmental matters. It is unique that individuals and their organizations can represent public interests such as environmental protectionary interests, a task usually handled by the state, municipality, or other authorities. This thesis aims to examine how the right of appeal for ENGOs has developed over the past 20 years, with a particular focus on the effect of Sweden's international obligations. 
The methods used are traditional Swedish legal dogmatic method and EU legal method, through which the thesis aims to reconstruct and analyze regarding law. The central material for the investigation is the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making, and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the Aarhus Convention) to which both Sweden and the EU are parties as of 2005. Further materials analyzed are some of the most impactful rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union in addition to Swedish law, practice, and preparatory work, mostly based on the Swedish Environmental Code but also other environmental legislation. 
Firstly, the analysis describes the requirements that an ENGO must meet to win the right of appeal and looks at how these requirements have been altered in accordance with the principles of the Aarhus Convention. Secondly, the analysis investigates which decisions and rulings can be appealed by ENGOs. The thesis finds that the originally narrow definition has grown into an almost inconspicuos situation where the Swedish courts, more than once, have granted ENGOs the right to appeal even though such standings directly contradict the Swedish law. 
The thesis concludes that the Aarhus Convention has had great impact on Swedish legislation in favorable direction for ENGOs over the past 20 years. The findings suggest that the legal situation will continue to develop in accordance with this pattern since Swedish legislation and the Aarhus Convention are still not fully merged. The convention has mainly been impactful via the EUs implementations of it into its secondary law. The thesis therefore suggests that international conventions are more effectful in practice in the member states when also adopted and implemented by the EU itself.}},
  author       = {{Forsman, Alise}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{I ljuset av Århuskonventionen – miljöorganisationers klagorätt ur ett rättsutvecklingsperspektiv}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}