Links to relevant legal instruments in the Mediterranean:

• International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004
• Pertaining to international cooperation
  • Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention) adopted in 1976, in force 1978, and revised in Barcelona in 1995.
• Pertaining to combating unsustainable fisheries:
  • UN "Fish Stocks Agreement" 1995 (in force in 2001)
  • FAO Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas (“Compliance Protocol”) (in force in 2003)
  • FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (non binding) and 4 FAO International Plans of Action:
    1. For reducing incidental catch of seabirds in longline fisheries,
    2. For the conservation and management of sharks,
    3. For the management of fishing capacity,
    4. To prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. (non binding)
  • IMO International Convention for the Control and management of ships ballast water and sediments
• Pertaining to the protection of cetaceans:
  • Ligurian Sea Cetaceans Sanctuary
  • ACCOBAMS (in force)
  • CITES
• Pertaining to Marine protected areas including the High seas:
  • Protocol Concerning Mediterranean Specially Protected Areas (SPA Protocol); adopted in 1982, in force in 1986, revised in 1995 as the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean (SPA and Biodiversity Protocol).
  • UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (in force in 1994)
• Pertaining to prevention of marine pollution and emergency cases
  • Protocol Concerning Cooperation in Combating Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Oil and other Harmful Substances in Cases of Emergency adopted in 1976, in force in 1978. A new text - Protocol Concerning Cooperation in Preventing Pollution from Ships and in Case of Emergency Combating Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea, was signed in January 2002 and entered into force in March 2004.
  • MARPOL
• Pertaining to dumping activities:
  • Protocol for the Prevention and Elimination of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft (Dumping Protocol); adopted in 1976, in force in 1978, revised in 1995 as the Protocol for the Prevention and Elimination of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft or Incineration at Sea.
• Pertaining to pollution resulting from exploration and exploitation of the continental shelf and the seabed and its subsoil
  • The Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution Resulting from Exploration and Exploitation of the Continental Shelf and the Seabed and its Subsoil (Offshore Protocol); adopted in 1994.
• Pertaining to prevention of pollution by transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal
  • Protocol on the Prevention of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (Hazardous Wastes Protocol); adopted in 1996

Background Documents