Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Hazardous Wastes Protocol.
The full title is 'Protocol on the
Prevention of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal'. It was signed
in 1996 but still awaits entry into force. The Protocol requires
Parties to take all appropriate measures to eliminate pollution
resulting from the transboundary movement and disposal of haz-
ardous wastes to the fullest possible extent and to eliminate such
movements if possible. Contracting Parties are obliged to generally
prohibit the export and transit of hazardous wastes to developing
countries and the Parties that are non-EU members should prohibit
all imports and transits. Moreover, the countries directly or with
the help of competent authorities should implement programmes
of i nancial and technical assistance to developing countries for
the implementation of this Protocol. Lists of hazardous wastes
and hazardous characteristics of substances are also described, and
provisions for liability and compensation for damage resulting from
the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes are also included
in the Protocol. The delay in the adoption and ratii cation of this
Protocol is also considered to be occurring for the same reasons as
for the Of shore Protocol, that is, due to conl icting interests with
the oil industry.
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In addition there is a seventh Protocol under preparation concerning
Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). In most cases the pro-
tocols have been revised and supplemented. Most of the amendments,
including the new Barcelona Convention, are still in the process of
ratii cation as summarized in Table 7.1.
The Barcelona Convention and protocols raise the issue of dealing
with a legally and institutionally complex scheme, because it concerns an
international environmental order, which develops 'diachronically rather
than synchronically and contextually rather than in isolation from its
relational foundation' (Raftopoulos, 1993, p. 42). The legal component
of MAP is divided in two broad categories, the common environmental
norms and rules and the community membership norms and rules. The
former relate to specii c environmental provisions, whereas the latter give
standard 'membership' powers and duties to each 'Contracting Party'
(Raftopoulos, 1993).
The institutional component of MAP
The institutional component of
MAP, as dei ned within the framework of the Barcelona Convention, is
structured in such a way as to give authority to two organs: the Meetings
of the Contracting Parties and the Secretariat. The highest authority in
