Conclusion of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic

OBJECTIVE: to conclude, on behalf of the Communities, the Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the north-east Atlantic. COMMUNITY MEASURE: Council Decision 98/249/EC on the conclusion of the Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the north-east Atlantic. SUBSTANCE: The Convention has two objectives: 1) to implement all possible measures to prevent and eliminate pollution in the north-east Atlantic maritime area; 2) to adopt the necessary measures to protect the area against the damaging impact of human activity so as to safeguard human health and preserve marine ecosystems. The Convention was concluded on 22.09.1992 and revises the Oslo and Paris Conventions for the prevention of marine pollution (concluded in 1972 and 1975 respectively). More particularly, the prevention measures to which the Convention relates are as follows: -prevention and elimination of pollution from land-based sources, -prevention of pollution by dumping or incineration, -prevention and elimination of offshore pollution (pollution originating primarily from man-made structures, plant or vessels at sea for the exploitation of liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons, pipelines or any installation floating or fixed to the seabed), -assessment of the quality of the marine environment. Parties to the Convention are required to do everything possible to prevent or eliminate any risk of pollution and to protect the maritime area concerned. The Convention is based on two fundamental principles: 1) the precautionary principle, whereby preventive measures must be taken whenever there are grounds for concern about the marine environment, 2) the polluter-pays principle. ENTRY INTO FORCE: the Decision enters into force on 07.10.1997, and the Convention will enter into force when all the parties have have notified one another that the necessary procedures have been completed.�