Cooperation and mutual assistance
Mediterranean Guide on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Responding to Marine Pollution Incidents (2018)
The Mediterranean Guide on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Responding to Marine Pollution Incidents, hereinafter referred to as the “Guide”, is a tool developed by the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) to assist Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols in managing requests and offers of assistance from other countries and organisations when confronted with large, complex or significant marine pollution incidents.
This Guide built on the existing manuals and guidelines is designed to provide the required background information and guidance to the national competent authorities in charge of managing and coordinating cooperation and international assistance when responding to marine pollution incidents.
This Guide addresses the needs of countries with limited response capacities as well as those of countries with robust response and preparedness systems.
The Guide is composed of the following two parts which can be read separately:
PART I BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Part I contains the basic background information and guidance which authorities will need to access rapidly in case of emergency.
- Chapter 1 provides information on the legal and institutional framework regarding marine pollution incidents and on regional and international assistance in cases of emergency.
- Chapter 2 provides an overview of the current situation.
- Chapter 3 addresses the relationship between the parties involved in an incident and presents various scenarios of request and offer of assistance.
PART II REQUEST AND MANAGEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE (OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES): Part II details the procedures for the request, management and organisation of cooperation and international assistance.
- Chapter 1 provides step by step guidance for reporting, requesting and offering assistance up to the termination of the operation. It proposes also a set of standard forms to facilitate the (preparation of) request and offer of assistance at regional level.
- Chapter 2 gives useful information on legal, administrative and financial aspects of the management of international assistance.
The Guide is completed by a set of annexes including fiches, lists, directories, inventories, and existing principles and guidelines on cooperation and mutual assistance (Annex I), forms for pollution reporting, request for assistance, offer of assistance, acceptance/declination of offer of assistance (Annex II) and procedures for the preparation and submission of claims (Annex III).
The Guide will be maintained electronically on the Centre’s website to allow, in particular, periodic amendments of the lists, directories, inventories referred to in Annex I.