Alpine Convention

Geographic area of the Alpine Convention

The geographic area of the Alpine Convention covers a 190,959 km² or 73,730 sq mi encompassing 5867 municipalities (data from January 2008). The Alpine Range as defined by the Alpine Convention stretches across 1,200 km or 746 mi, through eight states, and its maximum width is 300 km or 186 mi, between Bavaria and Northern Italy. The entire territories of Monaco and Liechtenstein are included. Austria and Italy together represent more than 55% of the Convention area. With France, these three states cover the three-quarter of the total surface of the Alpine Convention territory. In 2007, the total population of this area was approaching 14 million inhabitants.

The Alpine Conference

The Alpine Conference is the body that takes the most important decisions regarding the Convention. The Presidency of the Conference rotates between the Contracting parties, each holding the Presidency for a two-year period. For the period 2013–2014 the presidency is held by Italy.

The Conference also welcomes the following observers: European association of elected representatives from mountain regions, Alpe Adria, Arge Alp, CIPRA International, Club Arc Alpin, COTRAO – The Working Community of the Western Alps, Euromontana, FIANET, the International Steering Committee of the Network of Protected areas, the IUCN, the Managing Authority of the European Cooperation Programme Alpine Space, Pro Mont Blanc, UNEP and ISCAR.

All the Alpine Conferences:

The Permanent Committee

The Permanent Committee is the executive body of the Alpine Conference. It is composed of all Member delegations and guarantees that the basis, the principles and the objectives of the Convention are implemented. Permanent committee analyses the information submitted by the Member States in implementing the Convention and reports to the Alpine Conference; prepares programmes for meetings of the Alpine Conference and proposes the agenda; sets up Working Groups that have to formulate Protocols and recommendations and it coordinates their activities; examines and harmonizes the contents of draft Protocols and makes proposals to the Alpine Conference.

Permanent Committee meets twice a year; last meetings.

The Compliance Committee

The Compliance Committee is the body that oversees implementation of the commitments and obligations taken under the Alpine Convention. Every 10 years, Contracting Parties have to publish a report concerning the implementation of the Convention and its protocols. The first report was adopted at the Xth Alpine Conference (March 2009).

The Permanent Secretariat

This treaty dedicated to a specific territory is supported by a Permanent Secretariat, created in 2003, that has its main office in Innsbruck, Austria, and a branch office in Bolzano-Bozen, Italy. The role of this Permanent Secretariat is to support all the other bodies instituted by the Alpine Convention by providing professional, logistic and administrative support, and by helping the Contracting parties, especially in implementing projects. The Secretariat is headed by a Secretary General, currently M. Markus Reiterer.

Permanent Secretariat carries out different projects and activities for promotion of the Alpine Convention.

Working Groups and Platforms

The Permanent Committee can establish Working Groups, with a 2-year-mandate, on topics it considers relevant to support the sustainable development within the Alps. The main responsibility of the Working groups and Platforms is the development of new protocols, recommendations and implementation measures, studies of ongoing developments and reports on the progress to the Alpine Conference and Permanent Committee.

Ten Working Groups and Platforms are currently active:

Signatures and ratifications of the Framework Convention and its Protocols

The first meeting of interested countries took place in Berchtesgaden in December 1989. On 7 the Framework Convention was signed by Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Slovenia signed on 29 and Monaco on 20. Ratification occurred between 1994 and 1999. Below is a brief overview about the signatures and the state of ratifications:

To date, Alpine states have signed all the protocols, except Monaco that didn't sign the protocol 'Energy' and the European Union that didn’t sign the protocols ‘Mountain Forests’ and ‘Settlement of disputes’. Regarding protocol ratification, Switzerland has not ratified any protocols yet.

Protocols and Declarations linked to the Framework Convention

Under the Convention, Member States should adopt specific measures in twelve thematic areas (Population and Culture, Spatial Planning, Air pollution, Soil Conservation, Water Management, Conservation of Nature and the Countryside, Mountain Farming, Mountain Forests, Tourism, Transport, Energy, and Waste Management). Of these areas, eight are now protocols annexed to the Framework Convention:

Two new protocols, not related to a specific thematic area, have since been adopted:

The Alpine Convention includes two Declarations that could not been turned into Protocols:

Publications of the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention

Future and evolution of the Alpine Convention

The European Commission wants to define geographical areas that overcome national boundaries. Its main aim is to better adapt and distribute economic development aid to the targeted regions. This new policy gives a strong stimulus to debate and exchanges of views on the creation of an Alpine Strategy, following the example of the Baltic Initiative or the European Strategy for the Danube Region. In this context, the geographical area to be chosen constitutes a central element in defining such an Alpine region. Two different conceptions exist: the first, chosen by the Alpine Convention, limits the Alps to territory of a mountainous character; the second, chosen by the Alpine Space Programme extends the concept to non-Alpine regions and to bigger urban flatland areas around the Alps.