The OSPAR Acquis: Decisions, Recommendations & Agreements

The OSPAR Acquis - the Decisions, Recommendations and Other Agreements that constitute the accumulated body of OSPAR measures and actions

The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic ("OSPAR Convention") replaces the former Oslo and Paris Conventions.

Decisions, Recommendations and all Other Agreements adopted under those former Conventions continue to be applicable unless they are terminated by new measures adopted under the OSPAR Convention. Any Decisions, Recommendations and Other Agreements adopted under the Oslo and Paris Conventions that were considered to no longer apply under the OSPAR Convention were revoked by OSPAR Decision 98/1.

Maintaining the OSPAR Acquis

The latest list of Decisions, Recommendations and Other Agreements applicable within the framework of the OSPAR Convention is available here.

At its meeting in 2009, OSPAR agreed that there was no need for the OSPAR Commission to carry out annual reviews of this list. The Secretariat keeps the list up to date as new or amended measures are agreed. The OSPAR Committees review the applicability of any Decision, Recommendation or Other Agreement that relate to their area of responsibility and inform the meeting of the Commission as appropriate (at least every 5 years) of any that need to be updated, or that are proposed to be set aside. Those Decisions, Recommendations and Other Agreements that are set aside are indicated by blue shaded text in the List of Decisions, Recommendations and Agreements.

The Commission reviewed the acquis in 2003, 2007, 2010 and 2017/18.

Implementation of OSPAR measures

Under the North-East Atlantic Environment Strategy (NEAES) 2010-2020 the OSPAR Commission was guided by its vision of a clean, healthy and biologically diverse North-East Atlantic Ocean, used sustainably. In seeking to deliver this vision the OSPAR Commission has harmonised policies and strategies and drawn up measures and actions to protect the marine environment. These are captured in the OSPAR Measures and Actions Programme (MAP), which maintains an overview of the implementation of the measures in the OSPAR aquis. This information is maintained in the OSPAR MAP Matrix.

In 2015 OSPAR published an overview of the ‘Existing OSPAR measures in support of MSFD programmes of measures’ (Publication 2015/665). This document provides a regional overview of OSPAR measures that support the achievement of good environmental status in marine waters under the EU MSFD.

OSPAR 2020 agreed a progress report on implementation of OSPAR measures in support of the review of North-East Atlantic Environment Strategy 2010-2020. The report builds on the information maintained in the OSPAR MAP Matrix.

Implementation successes

OSPAR’s measures and actions programme over the period 2010-2020 focused on:

  • the development of measures for the protection and conservation of biodiversity identified for priority action with programmes of action adopted for 40 species and 16 habitats and 3 rounds of implementation reporting completed;
  • consolidation of OSPAR’s network of marine protected areas, including in areas beyond national jurisdiction, which has resulted in 550 MPAs being nominated to the OSPAR MPA network, with annual implementation reporting through a data call to also maintain up to date information about the MPAs in an OSPAR MPA database;
  • the establishment of a risk-based approach for the management of produced water discharges from the offshore oil and gas industry to complement the OSPAR harmonised mandatory control system for offshore chemicals and promote the shift towards a reduction in the use of more hazardous substances;
  • the full implementation of the ban on the dumping or leaving in place of disused offshore installations;
  • the full implementation of the measure on the application of the BAT and BEP in nuclear facilities have resulted in a reduction of discharges from the nuclear sector
  • successfully phasing out all mercury cell chlor-alkali plants in the OSPAR Maritime Area as a result of its Contracting Parties fully implementing PARCOM Decision 90/3 on reducing atmospheric emissions from existing chlor-alkali plants;
  • development and implementation of the Regional Action Plan on marine litter, including measures on fishing for litter and sustainability education programmes for fishers.

OSPAR has also maintained a watching brief on the measures being taken by other competent authorities in the fields of management of land-based sources of hazardous substances and nutrients, the management of fisheries and other human activities with the potential to impact biodiversity. Where needed OSPAR brought matters of importance to the attention of the relevant authorities.

Strategy for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (NEAES) 2030

In 2021, at the Ministerial Meeting held in Cascais, Portugal, a new Strategy for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (NEAES) 2030 (OSPAR Agreement 2021-01) was adopted, together with an Implementation Plan to guide the work to deliver the Strategy.

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Found 211 Decs, Recs & Ags:

OSPAR Guidelines for Risk Assessment and Management of Storage of CO2 Streams in Geological Formations

Adopted:
2007, Ostend
Reference Number:
Agreement 2007-12
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Human Activities, Offshore Industry
Language:
English
Download

Confidentiality agreements in relation to the Implementation of the HMCS

Adopted:
2007, Ostend
Reference Number:
Agreement 2007-13
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Offshore Industry
Language:
English
Download

Guidance to assess the effectiveness of management of OSPAR MPAs: a self-assessment scorecard

Adopted:
2007, Ostend
Reference Number:
Agreement 2007-05
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity
Language:
English
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Guidance for the design of the OSPAR Network of Marine Protected Areas: A self-assessment checklist

Adopted:
2007, Ostend
Reference Number:
Agreement 2007-06
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity
Language:
English
Download

Handling of confidential documents on chemicals

Adopted:
2007, Ostend
Reference Number:
Agreement 2007-11
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Language:
English
Download

HARPNUT Guideline 6: Quantification and Reporting of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Losses from Diffuse Anthropogenic Sources and Natural Background Losses

Adopted:
2007, Ostend
Reference Number:
Agreement 2007-8
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Language:
English
View
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Memorandum of Understanding between OSPAR and ICES

Adopted:
2006, Stockholm
Reference Number:
Agreement 2006-08
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Language:
English
Download

Guidance on developing an ecologically coherent network of OSPAR Marine Protected Areas

Adopted:
2006, Stockholm
Reference Number:
Agreement 2006-03
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity
Language:
English
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Oil in produced water analysis - Guideline on criteria for alternative method acceptance and general guidelines on sample taking and handling (replaces agreement 2005-16)

Adopted:
2006, Stockholm
Reference Number:
Agreement 2006-06
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Offshore Industry
Language:
English
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Harmonised reporting format to compile environmental monitoring data and information related to offshore oil and gas activities

Adopted:
2006, Stockholm
Reference Number:
Agreement 2006-07
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Offshore Industry
Language:
English
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Agreement on the Application of the EcoQO System. Update 2007. Measure set aside (see OSPAR 2018)

Adopted:
2006, Stockholm
Reference Number:
Agreement 2006-04
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Biodiversity, Human Activities
Language:
English
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Agreement on further work on substances of possible concern

Adopted:
2006, Stockholm
Reference Number:
Agreement 2006-09
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Language:
English
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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

Adopted:
2005, Malahide
Reference Number:
Agreement 2005-06
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication, Other
Language:
English
Download

Cut-Off Values for the Selection Criteria of the OSPAR Dynamic Selection and Prioritisation Mechanism for Hazardous Substances. This agreement replaces agreement 2001-1

Adopted:
2005, Malahide
Reference Number:
Agreement 2005-09
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Language:
English
Download

Protocols on Methods for the Testing of Chemicals Used in the Offshore Oil Industry - English only. This agreement replaces agreement 1995-7. The agreement was amended by OSPAR 2006

Adopted:
2005, Malahide
Reference Number:
Agreement 2005-11
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Offshore Industry
Language:
English
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OSPAR Reference Method of Analysis for the Determination of the Dispersed Oil Content in Produced Water. Amended in 2011 (see OIC 11/13/1, paragraph 2.10)

Adopted:
2005, Malahide
Reference Number:
Agreement 2005-15
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Offshore Industry
Language:
English
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Agreement for Further Work in Relation to the DYNAMEC Mechanism. This agreement replaces agreement 2002-11

Adopted:
2005, Malahide
Reference Number:
Agreement 2005-10
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Language:
English
Download

Baseline figures for Recommendation 2001/1. This measure has been "set aside" - see OSPAR 10/23/1, Annex 5

Adopted:
2005, Malahide
Reference Number:
Agreement 2005-18
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Offshore Industry
Language:
English
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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
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OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 9: Quantification and reporting of the retention of nitrogen and phosphorus in river catchments

Adopted:
2004, Reykjavik
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-02i
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Language:
English
Download

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

Adopted:
2004, Reykjavik
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-02h
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Language:
English
Download

OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action (Revised in 2013)

Adopted:
2004, Reykjavik
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-12
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Language:
English
Download

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

Adopted:
2004, Reykjavik
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-02b
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Language:
English
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OSPAR HARPNUT Guideline 7: Quantification and reporting of the monitored riverine load of nitrogen and phosphorus, including flow normalisation procedures (revised in 2018)

Adopted:
2004, Reykjavik
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-02g
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Language:
English
Download

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

Adopted:
2004, Reykjavik
Reference Number:
Agreement 2004-14
Type:
Agreement
Work Area(s):
Hazardous Substances & Eutrophication
Language:
English
Download