Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians.

The Convention applies to the Carpathian region to be defined by the Conference of the Parties. Each Party may extend the application of this Convention and its Protocols to additional parts of its national territory by making a declaration to that effect. The Parties shall pursue a comprehensive policy and cooperate for the protection and sustainable development of the Carpathians with a view to inter alia improving quality of life, strengthening local economies and communities, and conservation of natural values and cultural heritage. In order to achieve these objectives, the Parties shall take appropriate measures, in the areas covered by Articles 4 to 13 of this Convention by promoting: the precaution and prevention principles, the ‘polluter pays’ principle, public participation and stakeholder involvement, transboundary cooperation, integrated planning and management of land and water resources, a programmatic approach, and the ecosystem approach. Areas of intervention are defined as follows: Integrated approach to the land resources management (Art. 3), conservation and sustainable use of biological and landscape diversity (Art. 4), spatial planning (Art. 5), sustainable and integrated water/river basin management (Art. 6), sustainable agriculture and forestry (Art. 7), sustainable transport and infrastructure (Art. 8), sustainable tourism (Art. 9), industry and energy (Art. 10), cultural heritage and traditional knowledge (Art. 11), environmental assessment/information system, monitoring and early warning (Art. 12), awareness raising, education and public participation (Art. 13). A Conference of the Parties is established under Article 14 and a Secretariat of the Conference under Article 15. Article 20 concerns the settlement of disputes between the Parties.