HELCOM RECOMMENDATION 17/13

Adopted 12 March 1996, having regard to Article 13, Paragraph b) of the Helsinki Convention 

This Recommendation supersedes HELCOM Recommendations 2/5, 2/6 and 4/4.

USE BY THE BALTIC SEA STATES OF THE MANUAL ON CO-OPERATION IN COMBATTING MARINE POLLUTION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE CONVENTION ON THE PROTECTION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT OF THE BALTIC SEA AREA, (HELSINKI CONVENTION) 

THE COMMISSION,

RECALLING the provisions of Article 11 and Annex VI of the 1974 Helsinki Convention and Article 14 and Annex VII of the 1992 Helsinki Convention,

RECALLING ALSO that in accordance with the 1992 Helsinki Convention the Contracting Parties agree to apply, as far as practicable, the principles and rules included in the Manual,

NOTING that detailed operational guidelines for conducting joint combatting actions to respond to spillages of oil or other harmful substances between two or more Contracting Parties have been developed and recommended for the use within the framework of the Helsinki Convention,

NOTING ALSO that the guidelines are contained in VOLUMES I, II and III of the Manual on Co-operation in Combatting Marine Pollution within the Framework of the Helsinki Convention, and

BEING AWARE of a need of updating the Manual in order to simplify its structure, reflect experience gained in its application and to include the principles on combatting marine pollution laid down in the 1992 Helsinki Convention,

NOTING FURTHER that the Combatting Committee revised VOLUMES I and II of the Manual and combined them in one single VOLUME I,

HAVING CONSIDERED the draft Parts I and II of the new revised VOLUME I,

ADOPTS the Manual for the use by the Contracting Parties when co-operating in combatting marine pollution within the framework of the Helsinki Convention,

AUTHORIZES the Combatting Committee to complete, update and to amend the Manual as necessary in so far as such measures do not concern matters of principle,

RECOMMENDS to the Governments of the Contracting Parties to ensure the use of the Manual by their national organizations responsible for dealing with spillages of oil and other substances at sea.