Manual on Compliance with and Enforcement of Multilateral ...

Most regional guidelines relating to compliance and enforcement have a close relationship
to the 2002 UNEP Guidelines. Some guidelines were adopted prior to 2002 and influenced
the development of the UNEP Guidelines, while others drew their inspiriation from
the UNEP Guidelines. These various guidelines include, for example:
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n 1999 Caribbean Guidelines for MEA Implementation http://www.pnuma.org/
foroalc/esp/bbexb07i-MEAsImplementationintheCaribbean.pdf
n 2002 Guiding Principles for Reform of Environmental Enforcement Authorities
in Transition Economies of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA),
developed by EECCA Member States and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD)
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/36/51/26756552.pdf
n 2003 Guidelines for Strengthening Compliance with and Implementation
of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in the ECE (UN Economic
Commission for Europe) Region http://www.unece.org/env/documents/2003/
ece/cep/ece.cep.107.e.pdf
In addition, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been developing
mechanisms to promote compliance and enforcement of MEAs in the region. The North
American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (NACEC) also has promoted compliance
and enforcement through its North American Working Group on Environmental
Enforcement and Compliance Cooperation. For example, in 2000, it produced Guidance
Document on “Improving Environmental Performance and Compliance: 10 Elements
of Effective Environmental Management Systems” http://www.epa.gov/compliance/
resources/policies/incentives/ems/cecguidedoc.pdf
nature and scope of the UneP Guidelines and manual
The <strong>Manual</strong> elaborates upon the Guidelines, and profiles
national and international experiences on compliance and
enforcement in the context of implementing MEAs and
national laws. The Guidelines and the <strong>Manual</strong> are non-
binding and advisory in nature. There is no specific requirement to apply Guidelines or
the <strong>Manual</strong>. Instead, the Guidelines and the <strong>Manual</strong> seek to facilitate the implementation
of MEA commitments, which often are binding.
The Guidelines may be viewed as a “toolbox” of approaches for promoting implementation
of MEAs. The <strong>Manual</strong> is a handbook explaining how
This <strong>Manual</strong> assumes a basic
understanding of MEAs. For
information on a specific MEA,
please consult Annexes III and VII.
the tools set forth in the Guidelines may be used. As
such, the <strong>Manual</strong> is explanatory: it summarises and provides
examples of various legal, policy, and institutional
approaches to improve MEA implementation at different
stages.
The <strong>Manual</strong> reflects the premises underlying the Guidelines that each MEA is unique and
that the implementation situation of each Party is different. The <strong>Manual</strong> expands upon the
compliance and enforcement guidance provided in the Guidelines through case studies,
basic explanations and other implementation tools. Definitions and interpretations of the
manUal On COmPlianCe WiTH anD enFOrCemenT OF meas
The Guidelines and the <strong>Manual</strong>
are non-binding and advisory.