ALPINE CONVENTION

Karte Alpenkonvention



The Alpine Convention is a pioneer

In the 1990s, it was the world's first international agreement to consider a transnational mountain region in its entirety. The Convention signed by the eight Alpine countries Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Slovenia and Monaco as well as by the European Union. The Alpine Convention has been in force since 1995.



Common territory and common goals

The contracting parties share a common territory, face common challenges and have common goals: the protection and sustainable development of the Alps.
The Alps are a natural, cultural, living and economic space for more than 14 million inhabitants. Every year, many tourists spend their holidays in this mountainous area in the heart of Europe.

History of the Alpine Convention

The elaboration of an Alpine Convention already identified as one of the main objectives of the International Alpine Protection Commission CIPRA in 1952. At CIPRA's suggestion, a unanimous plenary resolution passed in the European Parliament on 17th May 1988 to draw up a "Convention on the Protection of the Alpine Region". An 89-point resolution of the environment ministers at the first Alpine Conference in Berchtesgaden in 1989 led to the concrete commitment to formulate a treaty binding under international law between the eight Alpine states and the EEC.

The Alpine Convention signed in Salzburg on 7th November 1991 by Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and the EEC. Slovenia signed the Convention in 1993 and Monaco became on the basis of a separate additional protocol a contracting party in 1994. The Convention entered into force in 1995. Further specific obligations laid down in eight thematic protocols.

The Alpine Convention is a unique, legally binding sustainability instrument that aims to preserve the sensitive alpine ecosystems together with regional cultural identities, heritage and traditions in the Alps for future generations. The Alpine Convention is also a political arena where the Contracting Parties, in cooperation with many observer organisations, have built up great expertise over many years.

Link Framework Convention

Download Framework Convention (German-pdf)