6 
Italy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and the European Community. Slovenia and Monaco 
followed later. After ratification by three countries 13 , the Convention finally entered into 
force on 6 March 1995. Thanks to the last ratification by Italy, the Alpine Convention 
applies since 27 March 2000 to the entire Alpine arc 14 . 
2.2. The golden mean? Objectives of the Alpine Convention 
The main objectives of the Alpine Convention are twofold: protection on the one hand 
and sustainable development of the Alpine area on the other hand. This implies that 
ecological and socio-economic interests have to be reconciled. For this purpose, the 
Alpine arc is perceived as a unity, disregarding the national boundaries. 
The Alpine Convention itself describes its objectives in Article 2(1) as follows: 
"The Contracting Parties shall pursue a comprehensive policy for the preservation 
and protection of the Alps by applying the principles of prevention, payment by the 
polluter (the 'polluter pays' principle) and cooperation, after careful consideration 
of the interests of all the Alpine States, their Alpine regions and the European 
Economic Community, and through the prudent and sustained use of resources. 
Transborder cooperation in the Alpine region shall be intensified and extended both 
in terms of the territory and the number of subjects covered/’ 
The Alpine Convention applies an integrative approach which can be distinguished 
from the more often used sectoral approach, focussing on one single aspect, such as 
water pollution. 
2.3. Where do the Alps end? Scope of the Alpine Convention 
The Alpine Convention was signed by all eight countries of the Alpine area as well as 
by the European Community. However, the Alpine Convention does not apply to the 
entire territory of all these contracting parties, but only to the Alpine area in the 
meaning of Article 1(1) AC, as described and depicted in Annex 1 to the Convention. 
This geographical scope embraces a surface of 190.160 km 2 and is inhabited by 13 
13 Austria. Germany and Liechtenstein. The same countries are the first ones having ratified the Transport 
Protocol (see infra,3.3.1. The tearaway leaders, p. 16). 
14 A detailed and periodically updated overview concerning the whole ratification process is available at: 
http://www.convenzionedellealpi.org/page3_de.htm.