Regional Expert Meeting on the Possible Designation of the Mediterranean, as a Whole, as a Nitrogen Oxides Emission Control Area (Med NOX ECA), pursuant to MARPOL Annex VI – Oct 14, 2026
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The Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC), in close cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the United Nations Environment Programme / Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP), successfully convened the Regional Expert Meeting on the Possible Designation of the Mediterranean Sea, as a Whole, as a Nitrogen Oxides Emission Control Area (Med NOX ECA).
The Meeting was held in Malta on 7-8 October 2026 and was financed by the IMO's Technical Cooperation Climate and Clean Air Thematic Programme and the Mediterranean Trust Fund (MTF).
The Meeting gathered over 30 participants from 21 out of 22 Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention, as well as representatives from relevant regional and international organisations. The target audience for the Meeting were Government officials responsible for ratification, implementation and enforcement of MARPOL Annex VI. Some participants represented authorities/organisations responsible for the regulation of shipping, and other participants represented authorities/organisations in charge of issues related to the marine environment.
The Meeting raised awareness on the effective implementation and enforcement of MARPOL Annex VI and related Guidelines in the Mediterranean region, through a series of presentations from REMPEC Consultants, as well as representatives from the IMO.
Moreover, building on the outcomes of the previous Regional Experts’ Meeting held in November 2025 and the Technical and Feasibility Study on the possible designation, participants reviewed the draft IMO MEPC submission intended to support the consideration of this initiative within the IMO framework. Discussions focused on the technical and policy aspects of the proposal, taking into account the applicable IMO criteria and procedures, as well as comments and inputs from participating countries.
The Meeting also considered the experience and lessons learned from other NOx ECAs, alongside updated information on air pollution trends and outlook scenarios, to inform the regional deliberations and support a coordinated approach towards the possible designation.
The Meeting also held discussions on challenges and opportunities arising from MARPOL Annex VI and the possible designation of a Med NOx ECA and identified a number of challenges and opportunities emanating from such a designation. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of regional cooperation, political commitment and collective ownership of the process. The possible designation of the Mediterranean Sea as a NOx ECA represents an important opportunity for Mediterranean countries to strengthen their collective efforts to reduce air pollution from ships and contribute to the protection of human health and the marine and coastal environment.
The Meeting further discussed the way forward, including the next steps for refining the draft IMO MEPC submission, consolidating regional inputs and advancing the initiative through the relevant regional and international processes, with a view to its further consideration by the competent bodies of the Barcelona Convention system and submission to the IMO, as appropriate.
The Meeting forms part of REMPEC’s continued support to the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention in implementing international instruments aimed at preventing pollution from ships and promoting coordinated regional action to protect the Mediterranean marine environment. The initiative also reflects the shared responsibility of Mediterranean countries to work together towards a cleaner and more sustainable maritime sector, building on regional cooperation and the progress achieved in addressing air pollution from international shipping.
The discussions built on the significant progress made within the Mediterranean Action Plan framework toward strengthening air pollution controls at sea and the experience gained in the Mediterranean region, through the entry into effect of the Med SOX ECA, on 1 May 2025.
Participants highlighted the importance of coordinated regional action, harmonized regulatory approaches, and continued capacity-building to ensure effective implementation should a NOx ECA proposal be formally advanced to IMO.
Furthermore, the Meeting agreed on conclusions and recommendations to be submitted to the Seventeenth Meeting of the Focal Points of REMPEC to be tentatively held in May 2027. Inter alia, the Meeting:
- emphasised the urgency of ratification, transposition into national laws, and effective implementation of MARPOL Annex VI;
- appreciated the efforts made by Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention, which had not yet ratified MARPOL Annex VI, and urged them to complete the ratification process and effectively implement MARPOL Annex VI, as soon as possible, at least by the date of the submission of the MED NOX ECA proposal to IMO;
- requested that the outcome of its work, including the revised draft IMO MEPC submission and the proposed way forward, be submitted for consideration by the Seventeenth Meeting of the REMPEC Focal Points, tentatively scheduled for May 2027; and
- requested the Secretariat to continue to provide technical assistance and capacity building, including financial support and resource mobilisation, to the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention, which so requested, to ratify and effectively implement MARPOL Annex VI, in synergy with the IMO and other relevant stakeholders.
REMPEC will continue to facilitate dialogue and technical cooperation to ensure that any future proposals for a Med NOX ECA are informed, transparent, and aligned with the region’s environmental and economic priorities.
Learn more
- Read more about clean air in shipping
- Access the Meeting documents