MEDPOL Focal Points Meeting: working towards reducing pollution in the Med
The Focal Points Meeting of MEDPOL was held in Rhodes on 25-27 May 2011
to discuss and review the work programme of the organization. The meeting was also
attended by representatives of Mediterranean states, the European Commission
and intergovernmental organizations as well as NGOs.
In particular, the main items discussed and reviewed included:
- The work carried out during 2010-2011;
- The draft Regional Plans containing legally binding measures and timetables in the framework of Art.15 of the LBS Protocol;
- Criteria and standards for bathing waters;
- The draft Strategy for an integrated management of marine litter;
- The work plan for 2012-2013 MEDPOL activities.
The discussions on the 2010-2011 MEDPOL Progress Report and its corresponding activities, which was later endorsed, revealed the Focal Points’ deep concern regarding the gaps in monitoring data resulting from the lack of reporting by a number of countries. All Mediterranean countries were urged to comply with the legal obligation under the Barcelona Convention and the LBS Protocol to transmit marine monitoring data regularly to the Secretariat.
After several amendments, the Focal Points endorsed the three draft Regional Plans on mercury, BOD5 in the food sector and nine POPs and recommended their transmission to the MAP Focal Points for approval.
The criteria and standards for bathing waters were approved pending the addition of a detailed chapter providing background information on the integration of beach profiles into this process.
The draft Strategy for an integrated management of marine litter was not adopted, although its preparation was warmly welcomed by the Focal Points. Instead, the Secretariat was asked to prepare a short policy document, taking into account the Ecosystem Approach roadmap to ensure convergence and avoid overlapping and submit it to the MAP Focal Points Meeting for approval.
