on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (the ‘Barcelona Convention’) on the Adoption of a Decision to adopt Regional Plans in the framework of Article 15 of the Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution from Land-Based Sources (the ‘LBS Protocol’) on Urban Wastewater Treatment and Sewage Sludge Management

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1.Subject matter of the proposal

This proposal concerns the position to be taken on the Union's behalf at the 22nd Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (the ‘Barcelona Convention’) and its Protocols on a decision to adopt Regional Plans in the framework of Article 15 of the Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution from Land-Based Sources (the ‘LBS Protocol’) on Urban Wastewater Treatment and Sewage Sludge Management.

2.Context of the proposal

2.1.The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean and its Protocols

The Barcelona Convention and its seven Protocols adopted in the framework of the Mediterranean Action Plan constitute the principal regional legally binding Multilateral Environmental Agreement for the Mediterranean Sea.

The Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution from Land-Based Sources (the ‘LBS Protocol’) is one of the seven Protocols of the Barcelona Convention. It aims to take all appropriate measures to prevent, abate and eliminate to the fullest extent possible pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by dumping of wastes or other matter.

The European Union is a party to the LBS Protocol (amended).

2.2.The Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols

The Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols brings together Ministers and senior officials representing all Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols. The Contracting Parties will meet between 7 and 10 December 2021 in Antalya, Turkey.

According to Article 25 of the Barcelona Convention, the European Union (the ‘EU’) shall exercise its right to vote with a number of votes equal to the number of its Member States which are Contracting Parties to this Convention and to one or more of its Protocols. The EU shall not exercise its right to vote when its Member States exercise theirs and conversely.

According to Article 15, paragraph 1, of the LBS Protocol, decisions on the adoption of action plans, programme and measures shall be made by a two-thirds majority of the Contracting Parties present and voting.

2.3.The envisaged act of the 22nd Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols

The Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols are to endorse a Decision adopting Regional Plans in the framework of Article 15 of the LBS Protocol on Urban Wastewater Treatment and Sewage Sludge Management (‘the envisaged act’).

The purpose of the envisaged act is to adopt two Regional Plans: a Regional Plan which will upgrade several aspects of the current Regional Plan on Urban Wastewater Treatment and a new Regional Plan on Sewage Sludge Management (both referred to hereafter as the ‘Regional Plans’).

The Regional Plans will be binding on the Union in accordance with Article 15(3) of the LBS Protocol.

3.Position to be taken on the Union's behalf

The envisaged Regional Plan on Urban Wastewater Treatment substantively enhances over the previous Regional Plan on the Reduction of BOD5. In particular, Emission Limit Values (‘ELVs’) have been expanded to cover the most prominent pollutants discharged by treated wastewater, including reclaimed and industrial wastewater.

The proposed measures under the new Regional Plan for Sewage Sludge Management cover: the various uses of sewage sludge; limit values for pathogen contents and heavy metals in biosolids for agricultural use; aspects related to sludge use for energy/nutrient recovery; and monitoring of quality of sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants.