Decisions, Recommendations & Agreements

A complete list of OSPAR Decisions, Recommendations & Agreements can be found here

Work to implement the OSPAR Convention and its strategies is taken forward through the adoption of decisions, which are legally binding on the Contracting Parties, recommendations and other agreements. Decisions and recommendations set out actions to be taken by the Contracting Parties. These measures are complemented by other agreements setting out:

issues of importance;
agreed programmes of monitoring, information collection or other work which the Contracting Parties commit to carry out;
guidelines or guidance setting out the way that any programme or measure should be implemented;
actions to be taken by the OSPAR Commission on behalf of the Contracting Parties.

OSPAR 2010 reviewed the applicability of Decisions, Recommendations and Other Agreements within the framework of the OSPAR Convention and agreed that a number of measures could be considered as fulfilled or overtaken by measures adopted at national level or within other forums and therefore not followed by OSPAR anymore. As a consequence, while being set aside, they are retained as part of OSPAR’s ‘acquis’. The list of these measures together with an explanation of why they have been set aside is at Annex 5 to OSPAR 10/23/1. Additionally, OSPAR 2018 agreed to set aside Agreement 2006-04 on the application of the EcoQO system. OSPAR 2019 agreed to set aside OSPAR Recommendations 2000/1 and 2000/2

Found 372 Decs, Recs & Ags:

OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 1: Framework and aproach of the harmonised quantification and reporting procedures for nutrients

Adopted:

2004, Reykjavik

Reference Number:

Agreement 2004-02a

Type:

Agreement

Work Area(s):

Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication

Language:

English

Decisions, Recommendations & Agreements

OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 1: Framework and aproach of the harmonised quantification and reporting procedures for nutrients

OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 5: Quantification and reporting of nitrogen and phosphorus losses from households not connected to public sewerage

Deselection of Substances from the OSPAR List of Substances of Possible Concern and the OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action. Update 2008.

OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 4: Quantification and reporting of nitrogen and phosphorus discharges from waste water treatment plants and sewerage (revised in 2018)

OSPAR Guidelines for fishermen and other users of the sea and its coastline

OSPAR's Standard Implementation Reporting and Assessment Procedure. Update 2005

OSPAR Recommendation 2003/5 to Promote the Use and Implementation of Environmental Management Systems by the Offshore Industry

Agreement on Sand and Gravel Extraction

Guidelines for the Management of Marine Protected Areas in the OSPAR Maritime Area. Amended by BDC 2006

Procedure for the Development, Publication and Review of OSPAR Background Documents on Hazardous Substances Identified for Priority Action

Programme for the Establishment of Environmental Goals for Chemicals Discharged Offshore and the Implementation of such Goals. This measure has been "set aside" - see OSPAR 10/23/1, Annex 5

OSPAR Recommendation 2003/4 on Controlling the Dispersal of Mercury from Crematoria. Consolidated text

Requirements for the submission of national comments (to ICES when submitting monitoring data (Replaces agreement 2001-9). Amended by ASMO 2007

Reporting Formats on Mercury Losses from the Chlor-Alkali Industry (replaces agreement 2000-04)

OSPAR Recommendation 2003/3 on a Network of Marine Protected Areas

Minimisation of discharges and, where appropriate, the achievement of zero discharges of displacement water

Guidance on a common framework for the establishment of the monitoring strategies for each of the substances (or groups of substances) on the OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action

Guidelines for the Identification and Selection of Marine Protected Areas in the OSPAR Maritime Area. Update 2007 and 2016

JAMP Guidelines on the Measurement of Atmospheric Inputs of PAHs. Update 2005

Common OSPAR/EU Approach on Risk Assessment Methodology for the Marine Environment

Guidance on Input Trend Assessment and the Adjustment of Loads. Revision 2017

CEMP Guidelines for Monitoring Contaminants in Sediments. Revised in 2018

OSPAR List of Substances/Compounds Liable to Cause Taint. This measure has been "set aside" - see OSPAR 10/23/1, Annex 5

Common Interpretation on which chemicals are covered and not covered by the Harmonised Mandatory Control System under OSPAR Decision 2000/2. Updated in 2008

Further Guidance on the Assessment of the Toxicity of Substances under the Harmonised Pre-Screening Scheme of OSPAR Recommendation 2000/4

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