1 A communication has been received from the Regional
Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea
(REMPEC) on behalf of the following Contracting Parties to the Convention
for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region
of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention): Albania, Algeria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, the Libyan
Arab Jamahiriya, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain,
Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.
2 The communication contains the Harmonized Voluntary
Arrangements for Ballast Water Management in the Mediterranean Region
(in English and French) adopted by the abovementioned Contracting
Parties, which provide guidance for voluntary ballast water exchange
and management options to vessels transiting the Mediterranean Sea
area. The arrangements are of voluntary interim nature and will be
applicable from 1 January 2012 until the time that the Ballast Water
Management Convention enters into force.
3 At the request of the Administrations of the
above mentioned Contracting Parties, the communication annexed hereto
is circulated to Member States for their information and future action
as appropriate.