Black Sea - Governing Instruments

 

The Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution

And its integrated 3 protocols:

1) Protocol on Protection of the Black Sea Marine Environment Against Pollution from Land Based Sources;
2) Protocol on Cooperation in combating pollution of the Black Sea Marine Environment by Oil and Other Harmful Substances in Emergency Situations;
3) Protocol on The Protection of The Black Sea Marine Environment Against Pollution by Dumping

Short Title: Bucharest Convention and its Protocols

Year adopted: 21 st April 1992
Year entered into force: 15th January 1994 (with the ratification's of Bulgaria, Romania, Russian Federation and Georgia). Turkey ratified on 29 March 1994, Ukraine on 15 April 1994.

Contracting Parties : Bulgaria, Romania, Russian Federation, Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine

Depositary State: Romania

Ratification:

Main Objectives:

• To prevent pollution by hazardous substances or matter;
• To prevent, reduce and control the pollution from land-based sources;
• To prevent, reduce and control the pollution of the marine environment from vessels in accordance with the generally accepted rules and standards;
• To prevent, reduce and control the pollution of the marine environment resulting from emergency situations;
• To prevent, reduce and control the pollution by dumping;
• To prevent, reduce and control the pollution caused by or connected with activities on the continental shelf, including exploration and exploitation of natural resources;
• To prevent, reduce and control the pollution from or through the atmosphere;
• To protect the biodiversity and the marine living resources;
• To prevent the pollution from hazardous wastes in transboundary movement and the illegal traffic thereof; and
• To provide framework for scientific and technical co-operation and monitoring activities.

Link to the full Convention text: http://www.blacksea-commission.org/

The revised Strategic Action Plan for the Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation of the Black Sea 2009

Year adopted: Sofia, Bulgaria 17 April 2009
Participating Countries : Bulgaria, Romania, Russian Federation, Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine (UNEP 2001)

Main Principles of the Strategic Action Plan:

• The concept of sustainable development;
• The precautionary principle;
• Anticipatory actions, such as contingency planning, environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment (involving the assessment of the environmental consequences of governmental policies, programmes and plans);
• The use of clean technologies, which require the replacement or phasing-out of high waste and waste generating technologies that remain in use;
• The use of economic instruments that foster sustainable development;
• Environmental and health considerations;
• Close cooperation among Black Sea coastal states, in adopting interim arrangements which facilitate the rehabilitation of and protection of the Black Sea ecosystem and the sustainable management of its resources;
• Cooperation among all Black Sea basin states;
• The principle of accessibility of information;
• Transparency and public participation.

Link to the full Action Plan text : http://www.blacksea-commission.org/

Revised Protocol on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Black Sea from Land-Based Sources and Activities

Signed: Sofia, Bulgaria 2009 and not ratified by any Contracting Party yet
Contracting Parties: Bulgaria, Romania, Russian Federation, Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine

Black Sea Biodiversity and Landscape Conservation Protocol

Signed: Sofia, Bulgaria 2003 and is to be ratified shortly.
Contracting Parties: Bulgaria, Romania, Russian Federation, Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine

To link to full text of the Protocols: http://www.blacksea-commission.org/