Malta ratifies Barcellona Convention Amendments and Related Protocols / Ratifikati l-emendi ghall-Konvenzjoni ta' Barcellona u l-Protokolli

The Minister for the Environment Francis Zammit Dimech said today that the Maltese Government has signed the instruments of the ratification of amendments to the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution and four of its six Protocols.

Speaking at a press conference on the 11^th Ordinary Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention being held in Malta later this week, Minister Zammit Dimech said that the four Protocols being ratified are:

• the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean
• the Protocol for the Prevention and Elimination of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by dumping from Ships and Aircraft or Incineration at Sea
• the Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution from Land-based Sources and Activities, and
• the Protocol on the Prevention of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.

He said that Malta will not be ratifying the Protocol for the Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution Resulting from Exploration and Exploitation of the Contintental Shelf as it might give rise to an economic disincentive for carrying out oil exploration in Maltese territorial waters, especially because other countries in the same region have not ratified yet this Protocol.

Dr Zammit Dimech noted that Malta is one of the first few states which have ratified the amendments to the Barcelona Convention and the Protocols, the others being Croatia, Monaco, Spain, Tunisia and Italy. He added that Malta's ratification could play a determining role in making some of the Protocols come into force.

Dr Zammit Dimech recalled that the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution was adopted in 1976 having been signed, together with its Protocols, by all the countries in the Mediterranean and agreed on a number of related Protocols. The Convention entered into force in 1978 and has been ratified by all 21 participating countries, including Malta and those in the European Union.

He added that between 1993 and 1996 the legal texts were revised to broaden their coverage and to modernise them as a result of the new concepts expressed at the United Nations Conference on Environment held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The amended version will not come into force until it is ratified by three-fourths of the contracting countries.

Referring to the Protocols, Dr Francis Zammit Dimech said that the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean has replaced the Protocol Concerning Mediterranean Specially Protected Areas and needs the ratification of six parties for entry into force. It aims at preserving the marine biodiversity and threatened or endangered species of the Mediterranean fauna and flora by declaring and managing specially protected areas. The ratification of this Protocol entails the adoption of regulations to control marine activities.

He also said that this Protocol is being ratified on condition that, by ratifying, Malta is not in any way renouncing to any of the rights it has and enjoys or which it may claim under international law with respect to its internal waters, the territorial sea, the contiguous zone and its fishing zone or any maritime areas over which it has sovereignty or jurisdiction or regulatory control.

Referring to the Protocol for the Prevention and Elimination of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft or Incineration at Sea, Dr Zammit Dimech said this protocol was amended in 1995 and although it allows some dumping in exceptional circumstances, it totally prohibits incineration at sea. This Protocol needs the ratification of three fourths of the contracting parties to enter into force.

The Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution from Land-based Sources and Activities was amended in 1996 and the amendments need to be ratified by three fourths of the contracting parties to enter into force. It aims to eliminate pollution coming from land-based sources and activities, especially substances which are toxic and which threaten marine life.

This Protocol calls for full cooperation between the Environment Protection Department responsible for discharges into the marine environment and the Drainage Department responsible for discharges into the sewer.

The Protocol on the Prevention of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal requires the ratification of six contracting parties to enter into force. This protocol bans the import, export and transit of dangerous, toxic and radioactive wastes.

It also attempts to eliminate if possible, the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes in the Mediterranean allowing such movement only in exceptional circumstances.

Dr Zammit Dimech said that protocol is a very positive international legal instrument. Malta's economy could be extremely damaged if a ship carrying hazardous waste were to be involved in an accident on or close to the Maltese shores. The production of water from the Reverse Osmosis Plants could be jeopardised, the local leisure industry and tourism would suffer because of polluted seas and beaches. Fishing and marine life would also be impaired. Therefore, it is in Malta's interests to be notified if a ship carrying hazardous waste were to affect transit through Maltese territorial waters. Preventive measures, such as establishing traffic separation schemes and shipping lanes for ships carrying hazardous waste could go a long way, in safeguarding Malta's territorial waters against pollution from hazardous substances.

According to Dr Francis Zammit Dimech the amendments to the Barcelona Convention do not have any significant political or socio-economic implications as they are largely administrative in nature. However, the implementation of these legal instruments entails the adoption of a new Environment Protection Act – the First Reading of which has already been approved by Parliament – as well as the means to be able to meet with and monitor the implementation of these legal instruments.

These measures are incidentally being requested also in virtue of the screening exercise regarding the Acquis Communautaire on EU Environmental Law and Policy.

Referring to the 11^th Ordinary Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention, being held in Malta between Wednesday and Saturday, Dr Zammit Dimech said this meeting is held every two years and it is being held in Malta at the invitation made by the Maltese Government in 1996.

The Meeting will review the progress achieved on the implementation of the Mediterranean Action Plan in 1998 and 1999, will discuss environmental and sustainable development in the Mediterranean region and will review and approve the Mediterranean Action programme and budget for the next two years.

Some 110 delegates delegates will be attending, together with several Ministers, including those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Monaco, Turkey, Syria Arab Republic, Tunisia, Spain, Israel and Slovenia, and the Italian Under Secretary at the Ministry for the Environment.

Mr Lucien Chabason, Coordinator of the Mediterranean Action Plan, addressed also the press conference.

Ratifikati l-emendi ghall-Konvenzjoni ta' Barcellona u l-Protokolli

Il-Ministru għall-Ambjent Francis Zammit Dimech qal illum li l-Gvern Malti iffirma l-istrument ta' ratifika ta' l-emendi li saru għall-Konvenzjoni ta' Barċellona dwar il-'?arsien tal-Baħar Mediterran mit-Tni''is kif ukoll erbgħa mis-sitt Protokolli li hemm ma' din il-Konvenzjoni.

Il-Ministru Francis Zammit Dimech, li kien qed jitkellem f'konferenza ta' l-aħbarijiet b'konnessjoni mal-11-il Laqgħa Ordinarja tal-Pajjiżi Firmatarji tal-Konvenzjoni ta' Barcelona, li se ssir f'Malta din il-'imgħa, qal li l-erba' Protokolli li kienu ratifikati minn Malta huma:

• il-Protokoll dwar Inħawi Mħarsa u d-Diversit'? Biolo'ika fil-Mediterran
  
• il-Protokoll, kif emendat, għall-Prevenzjoni u l-Eliminazzjoni tat-Tni''is tal-Mediterran minn Tfigħ ta' Materjal minn Vapuri u Ajruplani jew permezz ta' Inċinerazzjoni fil-Baħar
  
• il-Protokoll, kif emendat, għall-'?arsien tal-Baħar Mediterran mit-Tni''is kawżat minn Għejun u Attivitajiet fuq l-Art
  
• il-Protokoll dwar il-Prevenzjoni mit-Tni''is tal-Baħar Mediterran bil-Movimenti minn Post għal Ieħor ta' Skart Perikoluż.

Hu semma li għalissa Malta m'hix se tirratifika l-Protokoll għall-'?arsien tal-Baħar Mediterran minn Tni''iż Kawżat mill-Esplorazzjoni u Esplojtazzjoni tal-Blata Kontinentali u ta' Qiegħ il-Baħar u s-Saff ta' Taħtu għaliex jista' jkun ta' diżinċentiv għat-tfittix għaż-żejt fl-ibħra Maltin, speċjalment sakemm pajjiżi oħra fl-istess re'jun tagħha għadhom ma irratifikawx dan l-istess Protokoll.

Il-Ministru Zammit Dimech qal li Malta hi fost l-ewwel mill-ftit pajjiżi li s'issa se jkunu irratifikaw dawn l-istrumenti. Il-verżjoni emendata tal- Konvenzjoni, li issa hi magħrufa bl-isem ta' Konvenzjoni għall-'?arsien ta' l-Ambjent tal-Baħar u r-Re'jun Kostali tal-Mediterran, kif ukoll uħud mill-Protokolli s'issa kienu irratifikati mill-Kroazja, Monaco, Spanja, l-Italja u t-Tuneżija. Hu esprima l-fehma li l-fatt li Malta qed tirratifika l-emendi għall-Konvenzjoni u l-erba' Protokolli jista' jwassal biex jidħlu fis-seħħ uħud minn dawn il-Protokolli.

Il-Ministru għall-Ambjent fakkar li l-Konvenzjoni ta' Barċelona kienet addottata fl-1976 wara li kienet iffirmata, flimkien mal-Protokolli, mill-pajjiżi kollha tal-Mediterran. Hi daħlet fis-seħħ sentejn wara u kienet ratifikata minn 21 pajjiż fil-Mediterran, inklużi Malta u l-pajjiżi msieħba fl-Unjoni Ewropea.

Hu żied li bejn l-1993 u l-1996, saret reviżjoni tal-partijiet legali tal-Konvenzjoni kemm biex jitwessa s-sens tagħhom kif ukoll biex ikunu kompatibbli mal-kunċetti 'odda espressi fil-Konferenza dwar l-Ambjent li saret f'Rio de Janeiro fl-1992. Biex tidħol fis-seħħ, il-verżjoni emendata tal-Konvenzjoni tkun teħtie' ir-ratifika ta' tliet kwarti tal-pajjiżi firmatarji.

Hu spjega li l-Protokoll dwar l-Inħawi Protetti u l-Biodiversit'? se jieħu post il-Protokoll dwar Inħawi Speċjali Protetti fil-Mediterran u jeħtie' ir-ratifika ta' sitt pajjiżi biex jidħol fis-seħħ. Il-Protokoll il-'did kien addottat f'Barċelona fl-1995 u jorbot lill-pajjiżi firmatarji li jippreservaw il-biodiversit'? fil-baħar u l-ispeċi mhedda tal-fauna u l-flora fil-Mediterran, billi, fost l-oħrajn, jiddikjaraw u jmexxu nħawi speċjali protetti. La darba Malta se tirratifika dan il-Protokoll, tkun trid taddotta regolamenti li jikkontrollaw aktar l-attivitajiet fil-baħar ta' madwarna.

Ir-ratifika ta' dan il-Protokoll se ssir bil-kundizzjoni li Malta m'hi se tirrinunzja għall-ebda dritt milli għandha jew li jista' jkollha taħt il-li'i internazzjonali għall-ibħra territorjali tagħha, iż-żona kontigwa, iż-żona fejn jista' jsir is-sajd jew xi nħawi oħra fil-baħar li fuqhom Malta għandha s-sovranit'?, jew il-'urisdizzjoni jew kontroll regolatorju.

Dwar il-Protokoll għall-Prevenzjoni u l-Eliminazzjoni tat-Tni''is tal-Baħar tal-Mediterran minn Tfigħ ta' Materjal minn Vapuri u Ajruplani jew Inċinerazzjoni fil-Baħar, il-Ministru Zammit Dimech qal li dan ukoll kien emendat fl-1995, u għalkemm jipprojbixxi t-tfigh kollu ta' materjal b'xi eċċezzjonijiet, jipprojbixxi għal kollox l-inċinerazzjoni fil-baħar. Dan il-Protokoll jeħtie' ir-ratifika ta' tliet kwarti tal-pajjiżi firmatarji biex jidħol fis-seħħ.

Il-Protokoll dwar il-'?arsien tal-Baħar Mediterran minn Tni''iż minn Għejun u Attivitajiet fuq l-Art kien emendat fl-1996 u l-emendi jeħtie'u r-ratifika ta' tliet kwarti tal-pajjiżi firmatarji biex jidħlu fis-seħħ. L-iskop ta' dan il-Protokoll hu li jkun eliminat it-tni''iż minn għejun u attivitajiet bażati fuq l-art, l-aktar sustanzi tossiċi u oħrajn li jistgħu jheddu l-ambjent. Dan il-Protokoll jorbot lil Malta biex, fost l-oħrajn, tkompli bil-ħidma tagħha ħalli ma tibqax titfa' direttament fil-baħar materjal mis-sistema tad-drena''.

Il-Protokoll dwar it-Tħaris tal-Baħar Mediterran minn Tni''iż Kawżat mill-Movimenti bejn Stat u Ieħor ta' Skart Perikoluż u r-Rimi Tiegħu jeħtie' ir-ratifika ta' sitt pajjiżi biex jidħol fis-seħħ. Dan il-Protokoll jipprojbixxi l-importazzjoni, l-esportazzjoni jew it-trasport ta' skart perikoluż, tossiku jew radjuattiv. Il-Ministru Zammit Dimech spjega li dan il-Protokoll hu importanti fir-rigward ta' Malta fid-dawl tal-fatt li pajjiżna jiddependi ħafna mill-baħar kemm għall-ilma li jinxtorob kif ukoll għall-industrja tat-turiżmu u dik tas-sajd, u allura hu fl-interess ta' Malta li tkun infurmata jekk fl-ibħra territorjali tagħha jkun dieħel xi vapur bi skart perikoluż fuqu.

Fi kliem il-Ministru Zammit Dimech, l-emendi li saru għall-Konvenzjoni m'għandhomx implikazzjonijiet politiċi jew soċjo-ekonomiċi sinjifikanti, peress li fin-natura tagħhom huma aktar amministrattivi. Madankollu, ir-ratifika tal-Konvenzjoni kif riveduta kif ukoll ta' l-erba' Protokolli se toħloq il-ħtie'a ta' li'i 'dida dwar il-ħarsien ta' l-ambjent – liema li'i di''? sar l-Ewwel Qari tagħha fil-Parlament – kif ukoll għal dawk il-mezzi li permezz tagħhom ikunu jistgħu ji'u implimentati dawn l-istrumenti legali u għall-monitera'' tagħhom. Dawn il-miżuri inċidentalment huma kompatibbli mal-ħti'iet mitluba mill-Unjoni Ewropea.

Hu stqarr li bħala pajjiż f'nofs il-Mediterran u li dejjem ħa sehem attiv f'ħidma Mediterranja, il-fatt li Malta qed tirratifika l-verżjoni emendata tal-Konvenzjoni u l-erba' Protokolli, hu pass pożittiv u li juri li l-Gvern Malti ma jħarisx lejn din il-Konvenzjoni bħala xi ħa'a statika, iżda bħala Konvenzjoni li tibqa' tevolvi biex isiru l-miżuri kollha meħtie'a favur il-ħarsien tal-baħar tal-Mediterran.

Il-Ministru Zammit Dimech tkellem dwar il-laqgħa ta' Malta tal-Ministri tal-Pajjiżi Firmatarji tal-Konvenzjoni ta' Barċelona, u qal li din il-laqgħa ssir kull sentejn u l-istedina biex issir f'Malta kienet saret mill-Gvern Malti kmieni fl-1996.

Din il-laqgħa, li se tibda nhar l-Erbgħa u tispiċċa s-Sibt, mistennija tiddiskuti l-progress li sar fl-aħħar sentejn fl-implimentazzjoni tal-Pjan ta' Azzjoni għall-Mediterran, kif ukoll se ssir diskussjoni 'enerali dwar l-ambjent u l-iżvilupp sostenibbli fir-re'jun tal-Mediterran. Se jkunu diskussi u approvati l-Programm ta' Azzjoni għall-Mediterran u l-Budget għas-sentejn li 'ejjin.

Fil-laqgħa ta' Malta mistennija jattendu madwar 110 delegati flimkien ma' diversi Ministri. Fost il-Ministri li ikkonfermaw is-sehem tagħhom hemm dawk ta' l-Ambjent tal-Bosnia Herzegovina, tar-Repubblika Għarbija tas-Sirja, ta' Monaco, tal-Bel'ju, tat-Tuneżija, ta' Israel, tat-Turkija u ta' l-E'ittu u s-Sotto Segretarju fil-Ministeru għall-Ambjent Taljan.

Fil-konferenza ta' l-aħbarijiet tkellem ukoll Lucien Chabason, Koordinatur tal-Pjan ta' Azzjoni għall-Mediterran.