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For the purposes of this Convention,
(i) “Parties” means, unless the text otherwise indicates, the Contracting Parties to this Convention;
(ii) “Party of origin” means the Contracting Party or Parties to this Convention under whose jurisdiction a proposed activity is envisaged to take place;
(iii) “Affected Party” means the Contracting Party or Parties to this Convention likely to be affected by the transboundary impact of a proposed activity;
(iv) “Concerned Parties” means the Party of origin and the affected Party of an environmental impact assessment pursuant to this Convention;
(v) “Proposed activity” means any activity or any major change to an activity subject to a decision of a competent authority in accordance with an applicable national procedure;
(vi) “Environmental impact assessment” means a national procedure for evaluating the likely impact of a proposed activity on the environment;
(vii) “Impact” means any effect caused by a proposed activity on the environment including human health and safety, flora, fauna, soil, air, water, climate, landscape and historical monuments or other physical structures or the interaction among these factors; it also includes effects on cultural heritage or socio-economic conditions resulting from alterations to those factors;
(viii) “Transboundary impact” means any impact, not exclusively of a global nature, within an area under the jurisdiction of a Party caused by a proposed activity the physical origin of which is situated wholly or in part within the area under the jurisdiction of another Party;
(ix) “Competent authority” means the national authority or authorities designated by a Party as responsible for performing the tasks covered by this Convention and/or the authority or authorities entrusted by a Party with decision-making powers regarding a proposed activity;
(x) “The Public” means one or more natural or legal persons and, in accordance with national legislation or practice, their associations, organizations or groups.