Brussels, 27/10/2011 (Agence Europe) -To protect the Mediterranean, a particularly vulnerable area given that it is a semi-closed sea and subject to significant seismic activity, against pollution from growing offshore exploration and exploitation activity, the European Commission has proposed that the EU ratify the “Offshore Protocol” of the Barcelona Convention for the protection of the marine environment and the coastal region of the Mediterranean. The proposal was adopted on Thursday 27 October and complements the legislative proposal presented the same day on the safety of offshore oil and gas activities (see previous article).
“This proposal will allow us to work hand in hand with our non-EU Mediterranean partners, ensuring better protection of this sea for all its users”, said European Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik.
The Offshore Protocol requires a number of conditions to be met before activities are allowed to begin. In particular, the construction of platforms and rigs must respect international standards and practice, and operators must prove that they have the technical competence and the financial capacity to carry out the activities. Authorisation will not be given if the activities are likely to cause significant adverse effects on the environment. The location of platforms and rigs should also ensure that damage to existing pipelines and cables is avoided.
The Protocol also provides for liability and compensation requirements. Its provisions cover a wide range of exploration and exploitation activities and touches upon permit requirements, the removal of abandoned or disused installations, the use and removal of harmful substances, and safety, contingency planning and monitoring.
The European Union is a Contracting Party to the Barcelona Convention, as are Italy, Greece, Spain, France, Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus, together with 14 other Mediterranean countries which are not EU member states. The Commission hopes that EU ratification of the Protocol will encourage other Parties to the Barcelona Convention to ratify, bringing the waters of the Mediterranean closer to good environmental status, the ultimate goal of the EU Marine Framework Directive, by 2020. Under the Convention, contracting parties are bound to promote integrated management of coastal zones, taking account of protection for areas of ecological and scenic interest and of the rational use of natural resources. (AN/transl.rt)