Summary of Conventions

Country	Status	Year
Denmark	ratified	16-Sep-1971
Finland	ratified	16-Sep-1971
Norway	ratified	16-Sep-1971
Sweden	ratified	16-Sep-1971

Language
Danish
Finnish
Norwegian
Swedish

Document text

	Agreement Concerning Cooperation in Taking Measures Against Pollution of the Sea by Oil

Date of adoption: 16 September 1971
Place of adoption: Copenhagen
Date of entry into force: 16 October 1971

The Governments of Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden,
Desiring to co-operate in dealing with any significant pollution of the sea by oil which threatens the coasts or related interests of one of the Contracting States, and to co-operate in furthering supervision of compliance with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil and the national regulations based on that Convention, and
Taking into account the Agreement of June 9 1969 for Co-operation in Dealing with Pollution of the North Sea by Oil,
Have agreed as follows;

Article 1
A Contracting State shall without delay inform the competent authority of another Contracting State of the sighting of any significant oil slick which it is feared will drift towards the territory of the latter state.

Article 2
A Contracting State threatened by any significant oil pollution which it is feared may affect another Contracting State, shall investigate the situation including the state of the oil, its approximate quantity or extent, position, direction of movement and speed; the result of this investigation shall be communicated without delay to the other State, together with information on the measures which have been taken or which it is intended to take.

Article 3
A Contracting State requiring assistance to deal with oil which is threatening its coast or related interests, may request help from the other Contracting States. Such a request shall be addressed first to those States which can also be expected to be affected by the oil. A Contracting State which pursuant to this Article has been asked for assistance, shall do what is possible to render such assistance.

Article 4
(a) The Contracting States undertake to provide themselves with equipment for dealing with any significant oil slicks at sea.
(b) In order to achieve the greatest possible efficacy in the use of this equipment, stocks of anti-oil material should be built up and positioned following discussion with the other Contracting States to the extent which is thought necessary.
(c) A Contracting State shall inform the other Contracting States of the equipment it has for dealing with oil pollution.
(d) A Contracting State shall inform the other Contracting States of its experience in the materials and methods of dealing with oil pollution.

Article 5
A Contracting State shall inform the other contracting States of any significant oil slick which has led it to take action, of the measures taken and their result.

Article 6
A Contracting State shall inform the competent authority of another Contracting State of any case where a vessel registered in the latter State has been observed committing an offence within the territorial or adjacent waters of the Contracting States against the regulations concerning pollution by oil.

Article 7
The Contracting States shall render assistance to each other in the investigation of offences against the regulations concerning pollution by oil which are presumed to have been committed within the territorial or adjacent waters of the contracting States.
Such assistance may include inspection of the oil record book, the ship's official log-book and the engine-room log, the taking of oil samples and so on.

Article 8
The Contracting States shall exchange information concerning:
(a) existing facilities and facilities under construction for the reception of oily residues from ships;
(b) national regulations and other conditions which are relevant to the avoidance of oil pollution;
(c) the authorities in the respective Contracting States to which information shall be given in accordance with the present Agreement.

Article 9
The competent authorities shall co-operate directly in planning and the other measures required of them for implementing this Agreement.

Article 10
If one of the Contracting States desires to denounce the Agreement, written notice to that effect shall be given to the Danish Government, which shall forthwith inform the other Contracting States of the denunciation and of the date of receipt of the notice.
A denunciation shall take effect twelve months after its receipt by the Danish Government or at such later date as may be specified in the notice.

Article 11
The Agreement shall be deposited with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and certified copies thereof shall be transmitted by the said Ministry to the Government of each of the Contracting States.

Article 12
The Agreement is open for signature from September 16, 1971 and comes into force one month after it has been signed by Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. At the same time the Agreement of December 8, 1967 between Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden concerning Co-operation to Ensure Compliance with the Regulations for Preventing Pollution of the Sea by Oil shall cease to have effect.
In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed this Agreement.
Done at Copenhagen on September 16, 1971 in a single copy in the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish languages, all texts being equally authentic.

Short Name:
Full Name:	Agreement concerning Cooperation in taking Measures against Pollution of the Sea by Oil.
Purpose:	environment
Established:	16-Sep-1971
Entered into force:	16-Oct-1971
Type:	agreement, multi-lateral
Place where established:	Copenhagen, Denmark
Schedule to expire:
Goals and Objectives:	The Agreement was established to co-operate in dealing with any significant pollution of the sea by oil which threatens the coasts or related interests of one of the contracting states.
Related Legislation:	[08 Dec 1967] Agreement concerning Co-operation to Ensure Compliance with the Regulations for Preventing Pollution of the Sea by Oil [replaced by the 1971 Agreement] [June 9 1969] Agreement for Co-operation in Dealing with Pollution of the North Sea by Oil.
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