IMO Institutional Structure and Law-Making Process - Prevention of Pollution of the Marine Environment from Vessels - page 25

workload MEPC regularly establishes working groups, inter-sessional working
groups, review groups and ad hoc expert working groups for dealing with specific
issues.

2.3.5 Technical Cooperation Committee (TC)

The Technical Cooperation Committee was established in 1969 as a subsidiary
body of the Council to facilitate technical cooperation for implementation of IMO
instruments. In 1977, the tenth session of the IMO Assembly adopted a resolution
amending the IMO Convention to include this committee as one of the principal
organs. All members have membership in this committee. The committee is
responsible for reviewing the Secretariat s activities concerning technical cooper-

ation. It overseas the implementation of technical cooperation projects funded by
the United Nations and other sources and matters related to the organization

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s
activities in the technical cooperation related activities of IMO. 38 The role of the
Technical Cooperation Committee is more important than ever because IMO

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s
marine environmental activities are gradually expanding to issues where north-
south tension is high. For example, IMO

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s activities regarding the reduction of
GHG emissions from international shipping involves serious debate between devel-
oped and developing countries as to the implementation of the principle of Com-
mon But Differentiated Responsibilities. Ensuring technical cooperation with
developing countries may be one possible mechanism for implementation of this
principle in a way that is universally acceptable. Moreover, IMO has expanded its
work to areas like shipbreaking. This is, in fact, controlling an industry which is
predominately located in the developing world. Technical cooperation may be a
vital issue in this regard.

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2.3.6 Legal Committee (LEG)

The establishment of the IMO Legal Committee is historically linked with marine
environmental protection. The Legal Committee was established in 1967, as a
temporary committee under the IMO Council, after the Torrey Canyon oil spill to
identify the relevant legal issues surrounding this incident. 39 The Legal Committee
played an instrumental role in adopting IMO legal instruments to establish a
comprehensive legal framework for compensation for vessel-source marine pollu-
tion damage. These legal instruments will be discussed in the next chapter. In its

38 IMO Convention, art 25.
39 Balkin ( 1999 ), p. 291.