RESOLUTION 1.4

ESTABLISHING THE SUB REGIONAL CO-ORDINATION UNIT FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA AND CONTIGUOUS ATLANTIC AREA

The Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area,

Referring to Article III, paragraph 7.c), of the Agreement providing for the first Meeting of the Parties to appoint for each sub-region, as defined in Article I.3.j), within an existing institution, a co-ordination Unit to facilitate implementation of the measures prescribed in Annex 2 to the Agreement;

Recalling the Final Act of the Negotiation Meeting of the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area, held in Monaco, in November 1996, which recommends that the interim Secretariat approach relevant intergovernmental Organisations in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea with a view to facilitating identification of the Sub-Regional Co-ordination Units;

Adopts with appreciation the offer made by the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention to entrust its Regional Activities Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA) with this task;

Urges Parties to support co-ordination between their National Agreement Focal Point and their RAC/SPA National Focal Points in order to ensure a good co-ordination;

Decides

1. to create a Sub Regional Co-ordination Unit for the Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area within the framework of the RAC/SPA;

2. to provide financial support through the ACCOBAMS budget to implement this task carried out by the RAC/SPA according to the functions defined in Article V of the Agreement;

3. that this arrangement shall be reviewed at each Ordinary Meeting of the Parties at the request of the RAC/SPA or any ACCOBAMS Party, request which must reach the Secretariat and the national Focal Points of the Parties to the Agreement not later than 60 days before the beginning of the Meeting of the Parties,

Urges the Secretariat to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation with the RAC/SPA.