International cooperation in areas beyond national jurisdiction in the North-East Atlantic

The fourth meeting of the ‘Collective Arrangement between competent international organisations on cooperation and coordination regarding selected areas in areas beyond national jurisdiction in the North-East Atlantic’ was held this week in Berlin. OSPAR and the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) who are party to the Agreement discussed ongoing work related to the management of human activities in the high seas.

OSPAR and NEAFC were joined at the meeting with representatives from ICCAT, NAMMCO, Abidjan Convention, Cartagena Convention/ UNEP, ICES, IASS and Seascape Consultants. Contracting Parties to NEAFC and OSPAR were represented by delegates from: France, Germany, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the European Commission

Once more the Collective Arrangement proved to be an important platform for dialogue between competent bodies from different sectors and regions, where they could share views on different subjects related to the protection and sustainable use of the marine environment and in particular the high seas of the North-East Atlantic.

It was decided that next meeting will be held in 2019 in Sweden.