The Adriatic Sea Partnership: A pilot program for the

Mediterranean

“Extraordinary Meeting of MAP Focal Points”

Side EventCatania, Italy

7 November 2006

THE REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER for Central and Eastern Europe

The Situation

Adriatic: economically important (transport, fisheries,

pollution)ecologically vulnerable (nominated as IMO

particularly sensitive sea area)culturally and politically diverse

Context:MAPTrilateral CommissionAdriatic Ionian InitiativeAdriCOSMASP

The Need

Cooperation: Stability and sustainable developmentProtection of resourcesMeeting existing commitments (e.g. MSSD, EU Dirs.)Joint action on future priorities

Existing commitments:Contingency PlanBallast Waters Management PlanIntegrated Coastal Zone ManagementMarine Directive and EU Marine Strategy (SLO, I)

Helsinki Water Convention Regional Workshop (Belgrade, May 2006)

• “There is a need for an international agreement on the Adriatic . . .” taking into account existing initiatives

• Belgrade EfE Conference 2007 – preparatory meeting where action on Adriatic was included for SEE

Adriatic Sea Partnership - background

Slovenian initiative based on successful model of Sava River Basin initiative (countries are same, plus Albania and Italy) (see below)

Launched at MAP Sub-Regional Workshop on Sustainable Development of the Adriatic, Portoroz, June 2006

REC facilitating agency; partners include INFO-RAC

Cooperation through ENVSEC (UNEP-UNDP-OSCE-NATO-REC-UNECE)

Initial financial support from Italian Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea

Adriatic Sea Partnership - Goals

- Facilitate project preparation and implementation aimed at protection and sustainable development of the Adriatic region, through

- A comprehensive umbrella partnership and a platform for joint action based on commitments by littoral states and stakeholders with appropriate institutional arrangements

Adriatic Sea Partnership - Elements

• 1) Umbrella initiative (partnership) as a focal point for action on sustainable development of the Adriatic

• 2) Appropriate institutional arrangements based on international consensus

• 3) Interim secretariat to serve and facilitate processes related to the above

• 4) Support to stakeholder involvement in the Adriatic Sea Partnership

• 5) Development of inventory of projects as a basis for drafting an Adriatic Management Plan

• 6) Clearinghouse for project financing

Sava Initiative - Context

• Helsinki Water Convention and ICPDR

• Danube Navigation Convention and Commission

• EU and WFD

Subregional implementation agreement

Pilot sub-basin

Comparison of ASP – Sava Initiative

Slovenia

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Croatia

Serbia-Montenegro

Formerly a river within Yugoslavia; now an international river passing through 4 countries recently at war

Part of the Danube Basin: a pilot sub-region

Sava Initiative - Milestones

• June 2001, initiative under the Stability Pact: Japan, US State Dept/ SECI/ REC/ BAH (NL, ICPDR, OSCE)

• Letter of intent signed November 29, 2001 in Sarajevo

• Framework Agreement for the Sava River Basin signed in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia December 03, 2002

• Interim Sava River Commission and Secretariat established

• Interim Action Plan – inventory of projects March 12, 2003

• Agreement came into force December 29, 2004• Permanent Sava Commission established June 26,

2005• Commencement of Secretariat operations January

09, 2005

Issues

• Navigation, • Flood control, • Commerce, • Recreation and other Uses, • Water Quality, • Transboundary Cooperation, • Public Participation, • Biodiversity

•Full services to the Partnership•Facilitation of negotiations and

Secretariat support•Legal drafting of basic documents• Inventory of priority projects/ project

preparation• Information dissemination, stakeholder

involvement and networking•Capacity building

Secretariat and expert support for the ASP (on the Sava model)

Example: Support to Project Preparation and Implementation

The aim: to enable the technical support to implementation of Mediterranean Sustainable Development Strategy and EU Marine Strategy on sub-regional level,especially the implementation of three strategic projects (Contingency Plan, Ballast Water Management and Integrated Costal Zone Management)

Next steps

•Expansion of Partnership

•Assuring support of MAP and EU institutions

•Adriatic-Ionian Initiative meeting

asp.rec.org