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DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(82)55
Vol.1982/0019

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(82)55 final
Brussels ,17th February 1982
RECOMMENDATION FOR ACOUNCIL DECISION
authorizing theCommission oftheEuropean Communities to
take part innegotiations concerning theProtocol (tothe
1976 Barcelona Convention )onspecially protected areas of
the Mediterranean Sea
/|(presented by\theCommission totheCouncil )
//o]
V';
C0M(82 )55final

EXPLANATORY MEMRANDUM
1.TheCommunity hasbeen involved intheAction Plan for theMediterranean
since theplan wasfirst adopted on16February 1976 .Accordingly ,since
16March 1978 ithasbeen aContracting Party totheframework Convention onthe
Protection ofthe Mediterranean Sea against Pollution (Barcelona Convention )
and tothe first Protocol thereto ,which covers dumping from ships and
aircraft .
Then on19May 1981 theCommunity ratified thesecond Protocol ,which
concerns cooperation incombating pollution oftheMediterranean Sea
byoiIandother harmful substances incases ofemergency .
Finally ,on14.12.1981 aproposal for aDecision was laid before the
Council ontheconclusion bytheCommunity ofthethird Protocol -on
pollution from land-based sources ^which wassigned bytheCommunity on
17May 1980 .
2.TheCommunity sent representatives tothefirst meeting oftheContracting
Parties totheBarcelona Convention ,which washeld inGeneva from
5to10February 1979 .Thedelegates adopted arecommendation on
activities topromote theprotection oftheMediterranean Sea and-
coastline andcalled for anintergovernmental meeting todraft legislation
ontheprotected areas inthat region .That meeting washeld inAthens
from 13to17October 1980 andproduced adraft Protocol concerning
specially protected areas oftheMediterranean .This istobeadopted
asthe fourth Protocol tothe Barcelona Convention with aview tofurther
extension ofthesystem ,which isintended toprotect theentire
Mediterranean environment .

2.
3.TheProtocoldraftedinAthensprovidesfortheestablishment of
speciallyprotectedareasoftheMediterranean Seaandcoastlinewith
aviewtoconserving boththearea'scommonnaturalresources (including
fish,shellfish andothermarinelife,amphibians,reptiles,birds,
mammalsandflora)andthediversityoftheendemicspecies,andto
protectcertainnaturalhabitats. 1
4.SomeofthemeasuresprovidedforbythedraftProtocolcouldhave
animmediateimpactonCommunitylegislation andontheoperation
oftheCommunity oncetheycomeintoforce.
Firstlytheprotective measuresproposedconcerntradein,and;
importsandexportsof,thefaunaandfloraconcerned;theycould
thereforeaffecttradebetweentheMediterranean MemberStatesonce
thesehavesignedtheProtocol.
TheProtocolcouldlikewiseaffectthefollowing Communitylegislation :
-Directive 76/464/EECof4May1976onthepollution causedby
certaindangeroussubstances dischargedintotheaquaticenvironment
oftheCommunity;
-Directive 79/409/EECof2April1979concerning theconservation of
wiIdbirds;
-Directive 79/923/EECof30October1979onthequalityofshellfish
waters;
-Regulation (EEC)N°348/81of20January1981oncommonrulesfor
importsofcetaceanproducts.
5.TheCommunityisalreadyengagedinsimilaractions,sinceon
3December1981theCouncilratifiedtheBerneConventionof1979,which
setsouttoconservecertainspeciesofEuropeanfloraandfaunaand
theirnaturalhabitats.ThefourthProtocolwouldextendtheprotection
affordedbytheConventiontoallmarinelife,includingfish,
andwouldalsoembracethecountries onthesoutherncoastofthe
Mediterranean .
./.

3.
6.TheCommunitycouldmakeavaluablecontribution towardsharmonizing
themethodsandrulesappliedbytheMemberStateswhendelimiting,
safeguarding andmonitoring theprotectedareas.Thecooperation clause
intheProtocolwillenabletheCommunitytohelpanyothercountry
whichcallsforitsassistance tosetupitsownprotectedareasas
partoftheCommunity'soverallMediterranean policy.
TheCommunity'sexperience andknow-how,combinedwithitscurrent
research,areboundtoproveextremelyvaluablewhenimplementing the
Protocol.'
7.AspecialmeetingoftheContracting PartiesistobeheldinMarch1982
toadoptandsignthedefinitive versionoftheProtocol.
8.Consequently ,theCommission considersthattheCommunityshouldenter
intonegotiations onitsparticipation intheProtocol.
Ittherefore recommends thattheCouncilshouldadopttheannexeddraft
Decision.

4.
RECOMMENDATION FORACOUCILDECISION AUTHORIZING THECOMMISSION OFTHE
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES TOTAKEPARTINNEGOTIATIONS CONCERNING THE
PROTOCOL (TOTHE1976BARCELONA CONVENTION )ONSPECIALLY PROTECTED
AREASOFTHEMEDITERRANEAN SEA
THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishing theEuropeanEconomicCommunity,
.Havingregardtotherecommendation fromtheCommission,
Whereasthefirsttwoactionprogrammes oftheEuropeanCommunities on
theenvironment (1)stresstheneedtoprotectandtopurifythesea,
inorderthatitmightcontinuetoplayitspartinthepreservation
anddevelopment ofspecies,andtomaintainthevitalecological
balance; •
WhereasthesecondactionprogrammeoftheEuropeanCommunities onthe
environment underlines theurgentneedforinternational solutionsto
theproblemofthedevelopment andecological management ofcoastal
regions;
Whereascooperation withthedeveloping countries,andinparticular
withtheCommunity'sMediterranean partners,onenvironmental matters
isoneoftheprimeobjectives ofthesecondactionprogrammeofthe
EuropeanCommunities ontheenvironment ;
Whereasarticle4oftheBarcelona Convention empowerstheContracting
Partiestoadoptadditional Protocolsprescribing measures,procedures
andstandardsfortheimplementation ofthesaidConvention;
(1)O.J.N°C112,20.12.1973;O.J.N°C139,13.6.1977

WhereastheCommunity hasalreadyratifiedtheBarcelonaConvention,
theProtocolfortheprevention ofpollutionoftheMediterranean Sea
bydumpingfromshipsandaircraftandtheProtocolconcerning cooperation
incombatingpollutionoftheMediterranean Seabyoilandotherharmful
substances incasesofemergency;
Whereas,mostofthesignatories totheBarcelonaConvention andtothe
annexedProtocolsenjoy,withintheframeworkoftheCommunity'soverall
approachtotheMediterranean ,aspecialrelationship withtheCommunity,
particularly asregardscooperation ;whereastheProtocolconcerning
speciallyprotectedareasoftheMediterranean laysdowndetailedrules
forsuchcooperation inthesectorswhichitcovers;
Whereasthedraftprotocolconcerningspeciallyprotectedareasofthe
Mediterranean setsouttosafeguardthecommonnaturalresourcesof
thatregion,topreservethediversityoftheendemicspeciesandto
protectcertainnaturalhabitatsbysettingupanumberofspecially
protected areas;
Whereasthesaiddraftprotocolprovidesfortheadoptionofmeasures
concerningtrade,importsand^o^thefaunaandfloraprotectedbyit
andcould,therefore,affecttradebetweenMemberStates;
Whereassomeprovisions ofthesaiddraftprotocolcouldaffectCouncil
Directive 76/464/EECof4May1976onpollution causedbycertain
dangeroussubstances discharged intotheaquaticenvironment ofthe
Community,Directive 79/409/EECof2April1979ontheconservation of
wildbirds,Directive 29/923/EECof30October1979onthequality
requiredofshellfishwatersandCouncilRegulation (EEC)N°348/81of
20January19b1oncommonrulesforimportsofcetaceanproducts;
WhereastheCommunityshouldthereforeparticipate intheProtocol;

HASDECIDED ASFOLLOWS
SoleArticle
TheCommissionisherebyauthorized totakepartinthenegotiations
concerning theProtocol(tothe1976BarcelonaConvention )
concerningspeciallyprotected areasoftheMediterranean Seawith
aviewtoconclusion ofthatProtocolbytheCommunity.
I
i
Itshallconductthosenegotiations inaccordance withtheannexed
directives andwithanyotherswhichmaybeissuedsubsequently .
DoneatBrussels,
FortheCouncil,
ThePresident,

7.
Directives concerning thenegotiations
TheProtocol(tothe1976BarcelonaConvention )concerningspecially
protected areasoftheMediterranean Seamustbeadoptedtoallow
theCommunitytobecomeaContracting Partythereto,dueconsideration
beinggiventothecommonruleswhichhavealreadybeenadoptedin
thefielsconcerned .