The Contribution of Regional River Treaties to the Protection of the North Sea

Regional river conventions have proven to be an important tool in implementing North Sea Ministerial Declarations on protection of the North Sea marine environment, as many problems such as reduction of hazardous substances and nutrient inputs and ecosystem management require an upstream approach. This article provides an overview of the existing river conventions in the North Sea catchment area and how they contribute to the protection of the North Sea marine environment. The conventions are the 1963 Berne Agreement formalizing the existence of the Commission for the Protection of the Rhine against Pollution, the 1976 Agreement on the Protection of the Rhine against Chemical Pollution, the 1990 Agreement on the International Commission for the Protection of the Elbe, and the 1994 Agreements on the Protection of the Meuse and Scheldt.