Reference
The directive has been prepared by the Ministry of Transport. In accordance with a decision of the Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council held in Nuuk, Greenland, a task force for drafting an international document on marine oil pollution preparedness and response in the Arctic was established on May 12, 2011.
In accordance with Government Executive Order No.2265-r of December 20, 2011, a Russian delegation was formed to take part in talks on drafting a multilateral document on international cooperation in the field of preparedness for marine oil spills in the Arctic and dealing with them as part of the Arctic Council task force.
Following five rounds of talks held in 2011-2012 delegations of all the Arctic Council’s member states (Russia, United States, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland) drafted the text of the multilateral Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic, which is expected to be signed at the Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council in Kiruna, Sweden on May 15, 2013.
The agreement conforms to the Basics of the State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Arctic for the
Period until 2020 and Beyond, approved by the President on September 28, 2008, and the Strategy for Development of the Russian Federation’s Arctic Zone and Ensuring National Security until 2020, approved by the President on February 20, 2013.
The signing of the agreement is designed to strengthen cooperation, coordination and mutual assistance in preparing for and dealing with marine oil spills in the Arctic. The agreement, based on the number of existing international documents, primarily the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-Operation of 1990, provides for additional collaborative regional measures for dealing with marine oil spills and emergency preparations and analysing results of cleanup operations.