REMPEC Celebrates 50 Years of Regional Cooperation to Protect the Mediterranean Marine Environment – Oct 14, 2026
With the theme “Our Mediterranean, Our Responsibility”, the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) marked its fiftieth anniversary with a High-Level Meeting held in Malta on 6 October 2026, bringing together high-level representatives of Mediterranean coastal States, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations Environment Programme/Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP), REMPEC Partners and other regional and international stakeholders.
The Meeting provided an opportunity to celebrate five decades of regional cooperation and reflect on REMPEC’s contribution to the prevention of pollution from ships and the preparedness for and response to marine pollution incidents in the Mediterranean Sea. It also offered a platform for high-level dialogue on the challenges and priorities shaping the future of the region’s maritime and environmental agenda.
Established on 11 December 1976, as the Regional Oil Combating Centre (ROCC), REMPEC was created to strengthen the capacities of Mediterranean coastal States and facilitate regional cooperation in combating marine pollution by oil. Over the years, its mandate has progressively evolved to address emerging challenges and developments in international maritime environmental protection, with an increasing emphasis on the prevention of pollution from ships, alongside preparedness for and response to marine pollution incidents.
Administered by IMO in cooperation with UNEP/MAP, REMPEC represents a longstanding example of effective cooperation between the international maritime and environmental communities. Within the framework of the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols, the Centre continues to support Mediterranean coastal States in strengthening national capacities, promoting the implementation of relevant international and regional instruments, and fostering coordinated action to protect the marine and coastal environment.
The High-Level Meeting featured keynote addresses, an interactive high level policy review session and a panel discussion bringing together representatives of governments, international organisations and regional partners. The discussions provided an opportunity to reflect on the Centre’s achievements, the added value of regional cooperation and the need to maintain a shared commitment to addressing current and emerging challenges affecting the Mediterranean Sea.
Particular attention was given to the importance of sustained cooperation between Mediterranean coastal States, IMO, UNEP/MAP and REMPEC’s regional partners in advancing the prevention of pollution from ships, strengthening preparedness and response capabilities, and supporting the effective implementation of international and regional environmental commitments.
The anniversary also highlighted the significance of collective regional achievements, including the designation of the Mediterranean Sea as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides and Particulate Matter (Med SOx ECA), which entered into effect on 1 May 2025. This milestone demonstrates the potential of coordinated regional action to deliver tangible environmental benefits and reinforces the importance of continued cooperation in pursuing further measures to reduce the environmental impacts of maritime transport.
Looking ahead, participants underlined the importance of building on the foundations established over the past five decades to address evolving challenges, including emerging fuel technologies, air pollution from ships, and the need to strengthen regional preparedness and response arrangements. The Meeting reaffirmed that the protection of the Mediterranean marine environment requires sustained political commitment, effective partnerships and a common sense of responsibility among all countries bordering the Sea.
The fiftieth anniversary of REMPEC is not only an occasion to recognise the achievements of the past, but also an opportunity to renew the collective commitment to a safer, cleaner and more resilient Mediterranean. The theme “Our Mediterranean, Our Responsibility” encapsulates this shared ambition and the understanding that protecting the Mediterranean Sea is a common responsibility that transcends national boundaries.
As REMPEC enters its sixth decade, the Centre remains committed to supporting Mediterranean coastal States, under the framework of the Barcelona Convention and in cooperation with IMO and UNEP/MAP, in strengthening regional cooperation and advancing effective measures to prevent, prepare for and respond to marine pollution from ships.
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About REMPEC
The Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) is one of the Regional Activity Centres of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Established in 1976, the Centre is administered by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in cooperation with UNEP/MAP. Operating within the framework of the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols, REMPEC assists Mediterranean coastal States in implementing relevant international conventions and regional strategies, strengthening national capacities, and promoting regional cooperation in the prevention of pollution from ships and in preparedness for and response to marine pollution incidents.
For further information, please visit www.rempec.org .