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. Further reviews are undertaken regularly and as a result:

OSPAR 2018 agreed to set aside Agreement 2006-04 on the application of the EcoQO system and Agreement 2011-01 on a Voluntary Marine Beach Litter Monitoring Programme.
OSPAR 2019 agreed to set aside OSPAR Recommendations 2000/1 and 2000/2.
OSPAR 2020 agreed to set aside PARCOM Decision 90/3 and PARCOM Decision 95/1.

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Found 381 Decs, Recs & Ags:

Agreement on a Monitoring Programme for Concentrations of Radioactive Substances in the Marine Environment (Update 2018)

Adopted:

2005, Malahide

Reference Number:

Agreement 2005-08

Type:

Agreement

Work Area(s):

Radioactive Substances

Language:

English

Decisions, Recommendations & Agreements

Agreement on a Monitoring Programme for Concentrations of Radioactive Substances in the Marine Environment (Update 2018)

OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action (Update 2007)

OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 8: Quantification of nitrogen and phosphorus losses from diffuse sources by riverine load apportionment

OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 9: Quantification and reporting of the retention of nitrogen and phosphorus in river catchments

OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 7: Quantification and reporting of the monitored riverine load of nitrogen and phosphorus, including flow normalisation procedures (revised in 2018)

OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 2: Quantification and reporting of nitrogen and phosphorus discharges/losses from aquaculture plants (revised in 2018)

Agreement on Monitoring Strategies for OSPAR Chemicals for Priority Action. Updated in 2006

Provisional JAMP Assessment Criteria for TBT – Specific Biological Effects. Amendments agreed by ASMO 2008

OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 3: Quantification and reporting of nitrogen and phosphorus discharges from industrial plants (Revised in 2018)

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

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