Alpine Convention


The Alpine Convention is an international territorial treaty for the sustainable development of the Alps. The objective of the treaty is to protect the natural environment of the Alps while promoting its development. This Framework Convention involves the European Union and eight states. Opened to signature in 1991 and consisting of a Framework Convention, various implementation protocols and declarations, it entered into force in 1995, contributing to reinforce the recognition of special qualities and specific characteristics of the Alps, going beyond national boundaries and seeking international action.

Geographic area of the Alpine Convention

The geographic area of the Alpine Convention covers a encompassing 5867 municipalities. The Alpine Range as defined by the Alpine Convention stretches across, through eight states, and its maximum width is, 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 2013, the total population of this area was approaching 15 million inhabitants.

The Institutions of the Alpine Convention

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 2016–2018 the presidency is held by Austria.
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:
ConferenceYearsPresidencyConference place
I. Alpine convention1989GermanyBerchtesgaden
II. Alpine convention1989–1991AustriaSalzburg
III. Alpine convention1991–1994FranceChambery
IV. Alpine convention1995–1996SloveniaBled
V. Alpine convention1996–1998SloveniaBrdo
VI. Alpine convention1999–2000SwitzerlandLuzern
VII. Alpine convention2001–2002ItalyMerano
VIII. Alpine convention2003–2004GermanyGarmisch-Partenkirchen
2005–2006AustriaAlpbach
2007–2008FranceÉvian-les-Bains
2009–2011SloveniaBrdo
2011–2012SwitzerlandPoschiavo
2013–2014ItalyTurin
2015–2016GermanyGrassau

The Permanent Committee

The 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; .

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.

The Permanent Secretariat

This treaty dedicated to a specific territory is supported by a , 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 for promotion of the Alpine Convention.

Working Groups and Platforms

The Permanent Committee can establish , 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.
Nine Working Groups and Platforms are currently active:
Working groups active in the past were:
The first meeting of interested countries took place in Berchtesgaden in December 1989. On the Framework Convention was signed by Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Slovenia signed on and Monaco on. Ratification occurred between 1994 and 1999.
Below is a brief overview about the signatures and the state of ratifications:
StateSignatureRatificationEntry into force
Austria199119941995
Switzerland199119981999
Germany199119941995
France199119951996
Liechtenstein199119941995
Italy199119992000
Monaco199419981999
Slovenia199319951995
EU199119961998

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. 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: