Legal instruments - Regional level

At a regional level, the preparedness for and response to marine pollution is based on

The Protocol concerning Cooperation in Combating Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Oil and other Harmful Substances in Cases of Emergency (1976 Emergency Protocol), adopted on 16 February 1976 and entered into force on 12 February 1978 to establish a framework of regional co-operation in the field of preparedness for and response to marine pollution from ships in the Mediterranean.
The Protocol Concerning Cooperation in Preventing Pollution from Ships and, in cases of Emergency, Combating Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea (2002, Prevention and Emergency Protocol), adopted on 25 January 2002 to replace the 1976 Emergency Protocol which came into force on 17 March 2004. This protocol sets the foundations for regional co-operation in the fields of prevention of, preparedness for and response (PPR) to marine pollution from ships in the Mediterranean.
The Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution Resulting from Exploration and Exploitation of the Continental Shelf and the Seabed and its Subsoil (1994 Offshore Protocol), adopted in 1994 and entered into force on 24 March 2011. This protocol sets a legal framework to protect the Mediterranean Sea from the pollution generated from offshore activities. Article 16, 17, 18 related emergency matters.