Background 

Parties to the Convention submit air pollutant emission data annually to the CEIP and notify the CLRTAP secretariat thereof. Submissions consist of both quantitative and qualitative information. Quantitative data should be in accordance with the EMEP reporting templates (NFR) and in line with the Convention's Emission Reporting Guidelines. Qualitative data, including methodologies, may be included in informative inventory reports (IIR). 

At the twenty-fifth session of the Executive Body for the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (Geneva 10 to 13 December 2007), the Executive Body approved methods and procedures for the review of national emission inventories, as outlined in the document Methods and procedures for the technical review of air pollutant emission inventories reported under the Convention and its protocols, EB.AIR/GE.1/2007/16 (  English,  French and  Russian).   

Main objective

The technical review of national inventories checks and assesses Parties' data submissions with a view to improving the quality of emission data and associated information reported to the Convention. The review also seeks to achieve a common approach to prioritising and monitoring inventory improvements under the Convention with those of other organisations with similar interests such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the European Union National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive.

Review process

The technical review process is carried out in three stages. At each stage, experts have the opportunity to clarify issues or provide additional information. They may also express their views at meetings of the Task Force on Emission Inventories and  Projections. The detailed review workplan is prepared annually in cooperation with European Environment Agency EEA and the TFEIP Expert Panel on Review .

The review of data reported under CLRTAP is performed jointly with those reported under the amended  National Emissions Ceilings Directive (2001/81/EC) and the process is supported by the European Environment Agency ( EEA). 

The three stages of the annual review, covering both kinds of data, are: 
 Stage 1: An initial check of submissions for timeliness, completeness and formats;
 Stage 2: A synthesis and assessment of all national submissions with respect to consistency and comparability of data with recommendations for data quality improvement;
 Stage 3: In-depth reviews of selected inventories, by pollutant, country or sector, as in the workplan agreed by the Executive Body. 

More detailed information on review process and results is provided at;  Review 2008, Review 2007,  and  EMEP webpage.