Energy Charter Treaty

158 (1) “Charter” means the European Energy Charter adopted in the Concluding Document of the Hague Conference on the European Energy Charter signed at The Hague on 17 December 1991; signature of the Concluding Document is considered to be signature of the Charter. (2) “Contracting Party” means a state or Regional Economic Integration Organisation which has consented to be bound by this Protocol and for which the Protocol is in force. (3) “Regional Economic Integration Organisation” means an organisation constituted by states to which they have transferred competence over certain matters a number of which are governed by this Protocol, including the authority to take decisions binding on them in respect of those matters. (4) “Energy Cycle” means the entire energy chain, including activities related to prospecting for, exploration, production, conversion, storage, transport, distribution and consumption of the various forms of energy, and the treatment and disposal of wastes, as well as the decommissioning, cessation or closure of these activities, minimising harmful Environmental Impacts. (5) “Cost-Effectiveness” means to achieve a defined objective at the lowest cost or to achieve the greatest benefit at a given cost. (6) “Improving Energy Efficiency” means acting to maintain the same unit of output (of a good or service) without reducing the quality or performance of the output, while reducing the amount of energy required to produce that output. (7) “Environmental Impact” means any effect caused by a given 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 interactions among these factors; it also includes effects on cultural heritage or socio-economic conditions resulting from alterations to those factors. Part II: Policy Principles Article 3: Basic Principles Contracting Parties shall be guided by the following principles: