COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2025/1259

of 19 June 2025

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Commission established by the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic at its 28th meeting

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 192(1), in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (1) (the ‘Convention’) was concluded by the Union by means of Council Decision 98/249/EC (2), and entered into force on 25 March 1998.

(2) Pursuant to Article 10(3) of the Convention, the Commission established by Article 10(1) of the Convention (the ‘OSPAR Commission’) may adopt decisions and recommendations in accordance with Article 13 of the Convention.

(3) The OSPAR Commission, during its 28th meeting, is to adopt decisions for the restriction of certain products in order to prevent the release of plastic in the marine environment, and on the management of discharge water from exhaust gas cleaning systems installed on board ships.

(4) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the OSPAR Commission, as the measures to be adopted by the latter will create legal effects within the meaning of Article 218(9) of the Treaty.

(5) The Union position should be to vote in favour of those OSPAR Commission measures because they will facilitate the implementation of Union policies and legislation and prevent damage to and improve protection of the marine environment and biodiversity.

(6) This Decision, which sets out the position to be adopted on behalf of the Union, concerns matters falling within the competence of the Union in so far as they may affect common rules of Union law or alter their scope. In the area of shared competences, Member States retain their competence in so far as the Convention does not affect common rules of Union law or alter their scope,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf at the 28th meeting of the Commission established by Article 10 of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (‘OSPAR Commission’) shall be to support the adoption of the following measures:

— the Decision on the restriction of certain products in order to prevent the release of plastic in the marine environment;

— the Decision, or Decision and Recommendation, on the management of discharge water from exhaust gas cleaning systems installed on board ships.

Article 2

Refinement of the position referred to in Article 1 may be agreed to, in the light of developments at the 28th meeting of the OSPAR Commission, by the representatives of the Union, in consultation with Member States during on-the-spot coordination meetings, without a further decision of the Council.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Luxembourg, 19 June 2025.

For the Council

The President

A. DZIEMIANOWICZ-BĄK

(1)

OJ L 104, 3.4.1998, p. 2

, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/convention/1998/249/oj

(2) Council Decision 98/249/EC of 7 October 1997 on the conclusion of the Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the north-east Atlantic (

OJ L 104, 3.4.1998, p. 1

, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/1998/249/oj

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1259/oj

ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)