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:
OSPAR Recommendation 2000/1 on Best Environmental Practice (BEP) for the Reduction of Inputs of Agricultural Pesticides to the Environment through the Use of Integrated Crop Management Techniques. This measure has been "set aside". See OSPAR 19/20/1, paragraph 12.4
Reference Number:
OSPAR Recommendation 2000/1
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR Recommendation 2000/2 on Best Environmental Practice (BEP) for the Use of Pesticides on Amenity Areas. This measure has been "set aside". See OSPAR 19/20/1, paragraph 12.4
Reference Number:
OSPAR Recommendation 2000/2
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Working Procedures for Workshops
Reference Number:
Agreement 2000-18
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity, Human Activities, Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Offshore Industry, Radioactive Substances, Other
Procedure for Committees to decide on issues of a technical or scientific nature and to adopt "other agreements" that have no budgetary consequences for OSPAR
Reference Number:
Agreement 2000-17
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity, Human Activities, Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Offshore Industry, Radioactive Substances, Other
OSPAR Decision 2000/3 on the Use of Organic-phase Drilling Fluids (OPF) and the Discharge of OPF-Contaminated Cuttings.
Reference Number:
OSPAR Decision 2000/3
Work Area(s):
Offshore Industry
Agreement of Cooperation between IMO and OSPAR - English only
Adopted:
1999, Kingston upon Hull
Reference Number:
Agreement 1999-15
Format and Procedures for Reporting Basic Information on National Monitoring Programmes in the Maritime Area. This measure has been "set aside" - see OSPAR 10/23/1, Annex 5
Adopted:
1999, Kingston upon Hull
Reference Number:
Agreement 1999-03
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Other
OSPAR Recommendation 99/1 on the Best Available Techniques for the Manufacture of Emulsion PVC (e-PVC). Consolidated text. This measure has been "set aside" - see OSPAR 10/23/1, Annex 5
Adopted:
1999, Kingston upon Hull
Reference Number:
OSPAR Recommendation 99/1
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
CEMP Guidelines for Monitoring Contaminants in Biota. Revision 2018
Adopted:
1999, Kingston upon Hull
Reference Number:
Agreement 1999-02
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Other
Memorandum of Understanding between European Environment Agency and OSPAR
Reference Number:
Agreement 1998-22
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity, Human Activities, Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Offshore Industry, Radioactive Substances, Other
The Protection and Conservation of the Ecosystems and Biological Diversity of the Maritime Area
Reference Number:
Agreement 1998-15.1
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity, Human Activities
OSPAR Decision 98/5 on Emission and Discharge Limit Values for the Vinyl Chloride Sector, Applying to the Manufacture of Suspension-PVC (s-PVC) from Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM). Consolidated text. This measure has been "set aside" - see OSPAR 10/23/1, Annex 5
Reference Number:
OSPAR Decision 98/5
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR Decision 98/3 on the Disposal of Disused Offshore Installations
Reference Number:
OSPAR Decision 98/3
Work Area(s):
Offshore Industry
Meaning of certain concepts in Annex V to the 1992 OSPAR Convention
Reference Number:
Agreement 1998-15.2
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity, Human Activities
OSPAR Decision 98/1 Concerning the status of Decisions and Recommendations and Other Agreements adopted under the former Oslo Convention and Paris Convention within the Framework of the OSPAR Convention
Reference Number:
OSPAR Decision 98/1
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity, Human Activities, Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Offshore Industry, Radioactive Substances, Other
OSPAR Guidelines for the Dumping of Fish Waste from Land-Based Industrial Fish Processing Operations. Updated in 2010 to include a definition of fish waste
Reference Number:
Agreement 1998-21
Work Area(s):
Human Activities
OSPAR Recommendation 98/1 Concerning Best Available Techniques and Best Environmental Practice for the Primary Non-Ferrous Metal Industry (Zinc, Copper, Lead and Nickel Works). This measure has been "set aside" - see OSPAR 10/23/1, Annex 5
Reference Number:
OSPAR Recommendation 98/1
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR Decision 98/2 on Dumping of Radioactive Waste
Reference Number:
OSPAR Decision 98/2
Work Area(s):
Radioactive Substances
OSPAR Decision 98/4 on Emission and Discharge Limit Values for the Manufacture of Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) including the Manufacture of 1,2-dichloroethane (EDC). Consolidated text. This measure has been "set aside" - see OSPAR 10/23/1, Annex 5
Reference Number:
OSPAR Decision 98/4
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR Recommendation 98/2 on Emission and Discharge Limit Values for Existing Aluminium Electrolysis Plants. This measure has been "set aside" - see OSPAR 10/23/1, Annex 5
Reference Number:
OSPAR Recommendation 98/2
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
PARCOM Recommendation 97/2 on Measures to be Taken to Prevent or Reduce Emissions of Heavy Metals and Persistent Organic Pollutants Due to Large Combustion Plants ( > 50 MWth) (Reserves lifted: Portugal (1998) Spain (2003). This measure has been "set aside" - see OSPAR 10/23/1, Annex 5
Reference Number:
PARCOM Recommendation 97/2
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
JAMP Guidelines for the sampling and analysis of mercury in air and precipitation
Reference Number:
Agreement 1997-08
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Other
JAMP Guidelines for General Biological Effects Monitoring. Revised technical annexes 2007
Reference Number:
Agreement 1997-07
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity, Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Other
PARCOM Recommendation 97/1 Concerning Reference Values for Effluent Discharges for Wet Processes in the Textile Processing Industry. This measure has been "set aside" - see OSPAR 10/23/1, Annex 5
Reference Number:
PARCOM Recommendation 97/1
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Agreed Ecotoxicological Assessment Criteria for Trace Metals, PCBs, PAHs, TBT and some Organochlorine Pesticides. This measure has been "set aside" - see OSPAR 10/23/1, Annex 5
Reference Number:
Agreement 1997-15
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Other