MENELAS information system launched – Dec 14, 2015

Snapshot of the MENELAS website interface

The information system of the Mediterranean Network of Law Enforcement Officials relating to MARPOL within the framework of the Barcelona Convention (MENELAS), developed in the context of the Regional – Governance and Knowledge generation (ReGoKo) Project implemented by Plan Bleu with technical support from the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), has been launched and is now available both in English and French through the following website: www.menelas.org

The MENELAS information system is an internet-based tool comprising two main parts:

1. a public interface where general information is made available to the public in order to raise awareness on the problem of illicit discharges from ships at sea, the aim of the network, its participating and associate members, its activities and achievements.  The public part also contains information on the legislative framework and procedural requirements in participating members related to the prosecution of illicit discharges offenders.  Statistical data will be made available in the future;  
2. a “forum/hotline”, which is a restricted area aimed at facilitating the exchange of information between participating members only, where requests for specific information can be made, restricted information can be shared on inter alia legal frameworks, tips for investigators, special techniques/devices/tools, evidence gathering/procedures, lessons learnt, post-case analyses, and where all participating members can be alerted of a specific emergency through a hotline with the possibility to interact with each other accordingly.    

The wider MENELAS community is composed of enforcement personnel, investigators, sanctioning officials as well as prosecutors, magistrates or officials from penalising authorities within Mediterranean coastal States and the European Union, which are all expected to be also users of the MENELAS information system.  The Centre will give secured access to the “forum/hotline” to each user upon request from the relevant MENELAS Designated Representative.