IRCG Represent Ireland at the BONN Agreement 2024 meeting in Norway

“This week Ireland is attending the BONN Agreement Head of Delegation’s meeting in Alesund, Norway. Hosted by the Norwegian Coastal Administration, the BONN Agreement is the mechanism by which ten Governments, together with the European Union, cooperate in dealing with pollution of the BONN Agreement Area. The signatories to the BONN Agreement are the Governments of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Denmark, the French Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Ireland, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Spain and the European Union.

 The vision of the BONN Agreement is a sea area of the Contracting Parties free from accidental and illegal pollution from shipping, offshore oil and gas operations and other maritime activities. To work towards this goal the Agreement undertakes a range of activities within the framework of prevention, preparedness and response.

 The break up of the Torrey Canyon off Cornwall in 1967, and its release of 117,000 tonnes of oil into the sea, was a major catalyst to the signing of the first agreement in 1969. In 2001, the Contracting Parties also adopted a Decision to modify the zones of responsibility to align them with Exclusive Economic Zones which are areas of internationally-recognised rights to conduct certain activities on areas of the high seas. It was in that same year that Ireland was brought into the fold, and since then has been central to the BONN Agreement diligently representing Ireland’s interests. Of particular importance to this meeting is developing the new BONN Agreement Strategy (BAS) to bring this agreement forward to cover 2025-2035.