Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA).

The Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA), primarily based on Article 5 of the 1995 Mekong Agreement, establish a regional cooperation mechanism over planned water development aimed at optimising the use of water resources for development while minimising potential adverse transboundary impacts on the environment and livelihoods of riverine communities. The PNPCA is a set of three separate processes undertaken by MRC member countries for certain projects using water from the Mekong basin, which may significantly alter water flow or water quality of the Mekong mainstream. Such projects may include large-scale irrigation, hydropower and water supply. The processes are Notification, Prior Consultation or Specific Agreement. These processes do not involve approval or disapproval of a proposed project. Rather, the PNPCA is a mechanism to support regional cooperation on water use.