Germany adopts Aarhus green openness treaty

Germany has announced full transposition of the Århus convention, a 1998 UN treaty aimed at broadening the rights of citizens with respect to environmental information and participation in decision-making. The environment ministry said three national laws that will enter force on Friday and Saturday will apply the treaty’s provisions. Separately, Germany’s upper house of parliament (the Bundesrat) has approved draft legislation providing tax breaks of €330 for diesel cars equipped with particulate filters (EED 01/12/06). The law will take effect on 1 April 2007. See German environment ministry press release.