Protection of the marine environment, Convention for the North-East Atlantic OSPAR: dumping of radioactive waste

PURPOSE: approval on behalf of the Community of OSPAR Decision 98/2 on the dumping of radioactive waste at sea. CONTENT: Since 1997, the Community has been party to the Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR Convention) and is represented within the decision-making organ of the Convention, the Ospar Commission, by the European Commission as regards matters of Community competence. On 22-23 July 1998, the first Ministerial meeting of the OSPAR Commission since the Convention entered into force was held in Sintra, Portugal. In the course of this meeting a number of changes were made to the Convention and related decisions, including a decision (OSPAR 98/2) concerning the dumping of radioactive waste at sea and the removal of exemptions that had been granted to France and the UK. The decision to renounce the exemptions from the permanent and complete prohibition on the dumping at sea of low-level and intermediate-level radio-active substances represents major progress in terms of the prevention of maritime pollution by radioactive substances and waste and will help to improve the marine environment and reduce the risks to it.�