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.
Found 83 Decs, Recs & Ags:
CEMP Guideline on the analysis of PFASs in seawater (Revised in 2020: Previous title JAMP Guideline on the analysis of PFCs in Seawater)
Reference Number:
Agreement 2010-08
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Other
Memorandum of Understanding with the International Seabed Authority
Reference Number:
Agreement 2010-09
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity, Human Activities, Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Offshore Industry, Radioactive Substances, Other
North-East Atlantic Environment Strategy
Reference Number:
Agreement 2010-03
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity, Human Activities, Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Offshore Industry, Radioactive Substances, Other
Agreement on CEMP Assessment Criteria for the QSR 2010
Reference Number:
Agreement 2009-02
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Other
Memorandum of Understanding between NEAFC and OSPAR
Reference Number:
Agreement 2008-04
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity, Human Activities, Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Offshore Industry, Radioactive Substances, Other
JAMP Guidelines for Contaminant-Specific Biological Effects (Replaces Agreement 2003-10).
Reference Number:
Agreement 2008-09
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Other
Handling of confidential documents on chemicals
Reference Number:
Agreement 2007-11
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
HARPNUT Guideline 6: Quantification and Reporting of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Losses from Diffuse Anthropogenic Sources and Natural Background Losses
Reference Number:
Agreement 2007-8
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Agreement on further work on substances of possible concern
Reference Number:
Agreement 2006-09
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Agreed Background-Reference Concentrations for Contaminants in Sea Water, Biota and Sediment. This agreement replaces agreement 1997-14. Update 2006. This measure has been "set aside" - see OSPAR 10/23/1, Annex 5
Reference Number:
Agreement 2005-06
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Other
Cut-Off Values for the Selection Criteria of the OSPAR Dynamic Selection and Prioritisation Mechanism for Hazardous Substances. This agreement replaces agreement 2001-1
Reference Number:
Agreement 2005-09
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Agreement for Further Work in Relation to the DYNAMEC Mechanism. This agreement replaces agreement 2002-11
Reference Number:
Agreement 2005-10
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 9: Quantification and reporting of the retention of nitrogen and phosphorus in river catchments
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-02i
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 8: Quantification of nitrogen and phosphorus losses from diffuse sources by riverine load apportionment
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-02h
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action (Update 2007)
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-12
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 2: Quantification and reporting of nitrogen and phosphorus discharges/losses from aquaculture plants (revised in 2018)
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-02b
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 7: Quantification and reporting of the monitored riverine load of nitrogen and phosphorus, including flow normalisation procedures (revised in 2018)
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-02g
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Agreement on Monitoring Strategies for OSPAR Chemicals for Priority Action. Updated in 2006
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-14
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 3: Quantification and reporting of nitrogen and phosphorus discharges from industrial plants (Revised in 2018)
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-02c
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Provisional JAMP Assessment Criteria for TBT – Specific Biological Effects. Amendments agreed by ASMO 2008
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-15
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Other
Deselection of Substances from the OSPAR List of Substances of Possible Concern and the OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action. Update 2008.
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-13
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 5: Quantification and reporting of nitrogen and phosphorus losses from households not connected to public sewerage
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-02e
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 1: Framework and aproach of the harmonised quantification and reporting procedures for nutrients
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-02a
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 4: Quantification and reporting of nitrogen and phosphorus discharges from waste water treatment plants and sewerage (revised in 2018)
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-02d
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
OSPAR's Standard Implementation Reporting and Assessment Procedure. Update 2005
Reference Number:
Agreement 2003-23
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity, Human Activities, Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Offshore Industry, Radioactive Substances, Other