1) Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (Bern Convention)
Document: 1979
Entry into force: 1982
The Bern Convention is an international legal instrument on nature conservation, binding on the parties, and aims to protect wild fauna and flora and their natural habitats in Europe. Furthermore, within this framework, the convention aims to establish good cooperation between European countries. In Article 11.2b, the contracting parties undertake to strictly control the introduction of non-native species. Several recommendations arising from this convention (cf. Article 14) concern the prevention, mitigation and eradication of invasive alien species (including the transposition of European legislation).
2) Agreement on the conservation of African-Eurasian migratory waterbirds (AEWA)
Document: 1995
Entry into force: 1999
The AEWA Agreement states that Parties shall take coordinated measures to maintain or restore migratory waterbird species to a favourable conservation status, with special regard to endangered species and those with an unfavourable conservation status. Articles 3 and 4 prescribe the measures and actions (cf. Annex 3 – Action Plan) that the contracting parties must implement within the limits of their national jurisdiction. These include, among other things, prohibiting the deliberate introduction of alien species and taking all appropriate measures to prevent the unintentional release of such species if this introduction could harm the conservation status of wild flora and fauna. If alien species have already been introduced, the contracting parties must take all appropriate measures to prevent these species from becoming a potential threat to the species listed in Table 1 of this Agreement.
3) Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR)
Document: 1992
Entry info force: 1998
The OSPAR Convention is an overarching legal framework for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic (including the North Sea) in which 15 national governments and the EU cooperate. The Convention contains general provisions for the protection of the marine environment from a number of specific sources of pollution, such as land-based pollution, dumping or incineration, and offshore activities. In addition, agreements on the assessment of the quality of the marine environment (e.g. OSPAR QSR 2023) and the protection and conservation of ecosystems and biological diversity are also part of the OSPAR Convention.
The OSPAR Strategie (2010) endeavours, among other things, to limit the introduction of non-indigenous species by human activities to levels that do not adversely alter the ecosystems. In 2018, the OSPAR CEMP (Coordinated Environmental Monitoring Programme) guidelines on the occurrences of non-indigenous species were established (NIS3). As the biodiversity indicators within OSPAR are still at an early implementation stage, it is expected that the documented methods and approaches within the CEMP guidelines will still evolve.
The States Parties cooperate inter alia for a harmonised implementation of the Ballast Water Convention (BWMC, see Global Policy Framework) in order to prevent the introduction of non-indigenous species. For example, joint guidelines were developed by OSPAR and HELCOM in 2013 - prior to the entry into force of the BWMC - to ensure that exemptions under BWMC Regulation A-4 are granted in such a way as to prevent damage to the environment, human health, property or resources.
4) Convention on the protection of the marine environment of the Baltic (HELCOM)
Document: 1992
Entry info force: 2000
The contracting parties have agreed, individually or jointly, to take all appropriate legal, administrative or other relevant measures to prevent and eliminate pollution in order to promote the ecological recovery of the Baltic Sea region and the maintenance of its ecological balance. The State Parties cooperate, inter alia, for the harmonised implementation of the Ballast Water Convention (BWMC, see Global Policy Framework) in order to prevent the introduction of non-native species. For example, joint guidelines were developed by HELCOM and OSPAR in 2013 - prior to the entry into force of the BWMC - to ensure that exemptions under BWMC Regulation A-4 are granted in such a way as to prevent damage to the environment, human health, property or resources.
The Baltic Sea Alien Species Database, now part of the integrated information system AquaNIS (Information system on aquatic non-indigenous and cryptogenic species), provides an overview of the non-indigenous and cryptogenic species of the Baltic Sea.