Article 1 Definitions

‘Transboundary waters’ means any surface or ground waters which mark, cross or are located on boundaries between two or more States; wherever transboundary waters flow directly into the sea, these transboundary waters end at a straight line across their respective mouths between points on the low-water line of their banks;

‘Transboundary impact’ means any significant adverse effect on the environment resulting from a change in the conditions of transboundary waters caused by a human activity, the physical origin of which is situated wholly or in part within an area under the jurisdiction of a Party, within an area under the jurisdiction of another Party. Such effects on the environment include effects on human health and safety, flora, fauna, soil, air, water, climate, landscape and historical monuments or other physical structures or the interaction among these factors; they also include effects on the cultural heritage or socio-economic conditions resulting from alterations to those factors;

‘Party’ means, unless the text otherwise indicates, a Contracting Party to this Convention;

‘Riparian Parties’ means the Parties bordering the same transboundary waters;

‘Joint body’ means any bilateral or multilateral commission or other appropriate institutional arrangements for cooperation between the Riparian Parties;

‘Hazardous substances’ means substances which are toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic or bio-accumulative, especially when they are persistent;

‘Best available technology’ (the definition is contained in annex I to this Convention).