The Minister of the Environment Thorbjørn Berntsen

MEETING OF THE OSLO OG PARIS COMMISSIONS OSLO 17-21 JUNI 1996

OPENING SPEECH BY MR. THORBJØRN BERNTSEN, MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT

MR. CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

First of all, I would like to welcome all delegates to Norway and Oslo to this year's meeting of the Oslo and Paris Commissions.

As some of you might recall, I also had the pleasure of opening the last preparatory meeting for the new OSPAR convention here in Oslo back in 1992.

Since then important progress has been made. A new and modern convention is adopted, and has been ratified by a lot of countries. Hopefully, it will come into force as planned before the ministerial meeting of the commission next year.

Furthermore a new set of working groups has been established and are already in function, as well are the new rules of procedure for the work of the commission. I believe these new instruments will strengthen the cooperation under the convention, and facilitate the commissions ability to agree on new and more stringent protective measures.

Agreements on new concrete decisions and recommendations are, after all, the most important part of the work of the commissions. I know that there are multiple decisions to be made also at this years meeting. Accordingly I hope that you are determined and well prepared as well as in position to reach agreements.

In connection with the commissions ability to make new decisions, I believe we now see emerging a need for the commission to draw up new routines or, rather, navigating measures to avoid insecurity or unclear situations with regard to the competence of the EU-commission. I am aware that you have had long discussions on this issue at the previous commissions meetings and I sincerely hope that this year's meeting will succeed in clarifying the situation. In my view this is an important challenge for the commission and it is absolutely essential to ensure future cooperation and progress under the new convention.

Of other important issues at this years meeting I would like to emphasise the preparations for the next years ministerial meeting of the commission. I expect it to be the first meeting under the OSPAR convention, and I assume that the work on a new strategy on the prevention of pollution from Hazardous substances will be a principal issue in the preparatory process.

In Norway we are now preparing a Report to the Storting on sustainable development. An important part of the work will have to be the prevention of pollution from hazardous substances, where we consider the work of OSPAR to be essential.

Furthermore I believe it to be important that this year's meeting agrees on appropriate procedures for the work on the establishment of a new annex on the protection of Species and Habitats. A new such annex moves our activities towards other problems and new arenas. It is therefore very important that we agree on a suitable and practical basis for the future work in this field.

At the same time I believe it is necessary to clarify the competence under the new annex on the protection of species and habitats, according to what is covered by existing competence on these issues in other fora.

Finally, I would also like to mention the platform issue. The disposal of decommissioned offshore installations are, as you all know, a matter of great importance to Norway. By giving us the role of lead country in this process I feel you have placed confidence in our ability to lead the commission towards making a decision which will be acceptable to all contracting parties, as well as the best solution for the environment as a whole.

According to what I have said so far it seems to me that the coming year will be of great importance to the commissions. I will therefore wish you a fruitful and constructing meeting here in Oslo.

Good luck and thank you !