Manual for Task Managers
Purpose
This manual explains the context in which a task manager works. It is a compilation of references to steering
documents and procedures of relevance for preparation of products in the Programmes of Work for the main
Committees.
Roles

The OSPAR Commission adopts Decisions and Recommendations and the annual updates of the
Programmes of Work.

The Group of Jurists and Linguists (JL) examines any draft Decisions and Recommendations from the
Committees and prepares legal and linguistic advice on these draft measures before they are sent to the
OSPAR Commission

Committees adopt Other Agreements with no budgetary consequences for OSPAR and publications of
technical or scientific nature (see also point 6) and prepare a proposal for the annual update of the
Programmes of Work.

Working groups and Intersessional Correspondence groups (ICGs) advise the respective main Committees.

ICGs are established for specific tasks for one intercession, with terms of reference agreed by parent
Committees and published in the summary records of the Committee meetings.
Steering documents
1.
The OSPAR Convention
The OSPAR Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic was adopted in 1992
merging the 1972 Oslo Convention on dumping and the1974 Paris Convention on pollution from land-based sources. It
entered into force in 1998.
The obligations are described in its Annexes:
Annex I on the prevention and elimination of pollution from land-based sources
Annex II on the prevention and elimination of pollution by dumping or incineration
Annex III on the prevention and elimination of pollution from offshore sources
Annex IV on the assessment of the quality of the marine environment
Annex V on the protection and conservation of the ecosystems and biological diversity of the maritime area
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2.
OSPAR Strategies
The thematic strategies of the OSPAR Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East
Atlantic set objectives and guide the work of the Commission (Agreement 2010-03):
Biodiversity and ecosystems;
Eutrophication
Hazardous substances
Offshore oil and gas industry
Radioactive substances
The Strategy for the Joint Assessment and Monitoring Programme (Agreement 2014-02)
3.
Rules of procedure
The work of the OSPAR Commission is governed by the Rules of Procedure (Agreement 2013-02).
These rules describe, among other things, the role of the subsidiary bodies (such as main committees, working groups,
ICGs), the preparation of documents including decisions and recommendations, collection and release of data.
4.
ToR for the Committees
The functions of the main committees are described in Agreement 2011-04.
5.
Work programmes
The Programme of Work (WP) for the main committees details the various products (who is doing what and when) of
the Committee in the near future (maximum 10 years ahead). It includes plans for implementation reporting, review
of measures, review of background documents. For each product there is a reference to where to find the description
of the task. If no task manager has been identified, the Head of Delegation to the Committee is entered as default.
WPs are updated annually by the main Committees and adopted by the OSPAR Commission. The OSPAR Commission
may add or amend the proposals from the Committees. The adopted programmes are published as annexes to the
OSPAR Summary Record.
Procedures
6.
Decisions, Recommendations and Other Agreement
The OSPAR Secretariat keeps an updated list of OSPAR measures, available on the website under programmes and
measures. The list includes an overview of reservations, if any. Following the review by OSPAR 2010 of applicability of
OSPAR measures, the updated list will also include an overview of the status of implementation reporting.
The procedure for Committees to decide on issues of a technical or scientific nature and to adopt "other agreements"
that have no budgetary consequences for OSPAR is presented in Agreement 2000-17.
OSPAR Decision 98/1 Concerning the Status of Decisions and Recommendations and Other Agreements Adopted
under the Former Oslo Convention and Paris Convention within the Framework of the OSPAR Convention lists
measures revoked when OSPAR entered into force.
Measures which after the review by OSPAR 2010 are defined as no longer applicable will be kept in a separate list on
the website.
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7.
Preparation of background documents and measures
The Guidelines for the Preparation of Draft OSPAR Background Documents and Draft OSPAR Measures (Agreement
2004-1) specifies the language to be used for preparation of decisions, recommendations and background documents
and outlines elements to be included in these products.
The procedures for the development, publication and review of OSPAR background documents on hazardous
substances identified for priority action are described in Agreement 2003-26.
8.
Implementation reporting
Most OSPAR Decisions and Recommendations contain a requirement for implementation reporting, both on
compliance and effectiveness. For some measures, effectiveness reporting is covered by annual data reporting
systems.
Unless the timing of reporting is specified in the measure, the procedures described in the OSPAR's Standard
Implementation Reporting and Assessment Procedure (SIRAP) applies (Agreement 2003-23). The SIRAP describes the
contents of implementation reports and overview assessments and timing and termination of implementation
reporting.
The national reports are complied by the Secretariat and forwarded to the lead country tasked with preparing an
overview assessment, which is published on the website alongside the measure.
9.
Annual data reporting
OSPAR collects annually a number of data streams (such as offshore discharges, dumping, radioactive discharges).
Reporting formats are on the website (work area/theme/reporting/annual reporting). The data are made available on
the website as publications. With regular intervals (every 2 or 3 years) these data are assessed for trends and the
assessments are published.
10.
Publications
Procedure for publication of OSPAR reports (Agreement 2001-13)
11.
Working procedures for workshops
This agreement describes procedures for national workshops, OSPAR workshops and the Secretariat's participation in
these (Agreement 2000-18).
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