The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (Commencement No. 4) Order 2004

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(a) "the relevant purposes" means - 


(i) the purpose of implementing Article 4 of the Aarhus Convention, together with Articles 3 and 9 of the Convention so far as relating to that Article (or any amendment of those provisions made in accordance with Article 14 of the Convention), including any purposes arising out of or related to that purpose; and

(ii) the purpose of implementing the Environmental Information Directive, including any purposes arising out of or related to that purpose;



(b) "the Environmental Information Directive" means Council Directive 2003/4/EC[3] on public access to environmental information and repealing Council Directive 90/313/EEC; and

(c) "the Aarhus Convention" means the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters signed at Aarhus on 25th June 1998[4].

Margaret Beckett
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

20th July 2004

The Aarhus Convention is the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters signed at Aarhus on 25th June 1998 (the text of which can be found at http://www.unece.org/env/pp/documents/cep43e.pdf.). The Environmental Information Directive is Council Directive 2003/4/EC (OJ No. L 41, 14.2.2003, p. 26) on public access to environmental information and repealing Council Directive 90/313/EEC).

[2] Section 87(1) of the Act provided that certain provisions of the Act came into force on the passing of the Act (30th November 2000); and by section 87(2) further provisions came into force two months later (30th January 2001). Further provisions of the Act have been brought into force by commencement Orders made under section 87(3); S.I. 2001/1637 (c. 56), S.I. 2002/2812 (c. 86) and 2003/2603 (c. 97).back

[3] OJ No. L 41, 14.2.2003, p. 26.back

[4] The text of the Convention can be found at http://www.unece.org/env/pp/documents/cep43e.pdf.back