Presentation for the Council of the European Union

Following an invitation from the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), the IOPC Funds delivered an online presentation on 6 February 2024 giving a general overview of the international liability and compensation regime and, in particular, the payment and reporting obligations under the 1992 Fund Convention.  

The event was attended by representatives of EU Member States and experts from the Working Party on Global Issues tasked with examining potential provisions related to the financing of the implementation of a future legally binding instrument related to plastic pollution. 

 Claims Manager, Mark Homan, delivered an overview of the organisation’s functions and the legal framework governing the international liability and compensation regime for oil pollution. He emphasised the success of the regime, attributing it to the simplicity in the process of levying and receiving funding and to the methods employed to ensure the uniform and consistent application of the relevant Conventions.  

 He highlighted that the 1992 Civil Liability and Fund Conventions had been used as a basis for other key maritime Conventions.  Additionally, he stressed the importance of effectively implementing the Conventions into domestic legislation to ensure the functioning of the compensation regime, emphasising that this should be carefully considered when drafting legislation on plastic pollution.  During the Q&A session, Mark Homan provided examples of issues encountered by Member States and the IOPC Funds when the Conventions had not been correctly implemented. 

 The IOPC Funds is committed to working with States and stakeholders in support of shared priorities and remains available to collaborate on similar projects in the future.