- Image via Wikipedia
The nation of Uruguay won a rare environmental case against Argentina at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the Netherlands, on April 20.
The court delivered a two-part judgment in the case, Pulp Mills on the River Uruguay (Argentina v. Uruguay). Through two separate votes, the court ruled that Uruguay breached procedural, but not substantive, obligations. On the procedural side, the court voted, 13-1, that Uruguay breached obligations to cooperate with Argentina and the Administrative Commission of the River Uruguay while developing plans to build two pulp mills, known as Orion and CMB. Substantively, the court ruled, 11-3, that Uruguay did not breach its obligations to protect the environment under the Statute of the River Uruguay by allowing the construction of a the Orion pulp mill.
A Foley Hoag team led by Paul Reichler, a Washington-based partner, and consisting of six other lawyers at the Boston-based firm helped Uruguay fend of the lawsuit filed by neighboring Argentina.
Reichler said the decision is important because it’s the “first definitive decision by the court in a case involving international environmental law.” He said the only other environmental case was decided in 1997.
via At The Hague, Uruguay Defeats Argentina’s Challenge to a Pulp Mill.
Related articles by Zemanta
- World Court backs Uruguay in paper mill dispute (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- Court Rules on Uruguay-Agentina Mill Dispute (online.wsj.com)
- Uruguay, Argentina agree to cooperate on river (sfgate.com)
