The Barcelona Convention aims to address in a holistic manner all sources of pollution, which may threaten the marine environment of the Mediterranean and its coastal areas. In particular, the Protocol Concerning Cooperation in Preventing Pollution from Ships and, in Cases of Emergency, Combating Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea is the legal framework within which regional cooperation in the fields of prevention of and response to marine pollution from ships is developing. A regional strategy aims to improve the follow-up of pollution events and monitoring/surveillance of illicit discharges. The 22 Contracting Parties are Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, and the EU.

The Baltic Sea Task Force on Organised Crime (BSTF-OC) was created in 1996 in Visby (Sweden) through a decision of the Heads of Governments of the Baltic Sea States. It comprises 11 personal representatives of the Heads of Governments of the Baltic Sea States (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden). Officials from Interpol, Europol, the EU Council and the Secretariat of the Council of the Baltic Sea States have the status of observers at the BSTF meetings.

BALTFISH was initiated in 2009 as a flagship project within the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSBSR. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in December 2013 by the ministers in the eight member states in the Baltic Sea Region, and thus changing the status of BALTFISH from a flagship project to a permanent fisheries forum. BALTFISH works on two levels. There is a high-level group (HLG) composed of the Member States fisheries directors and invited officials from the European Commission. There is also the BALTFISH Forum Seminar composed of representatives from Member States, the European Commission and the Baltic Sea Advisory Council as well as representatives from other relevant stakeholders in the Baltic Sea fisheries.

The Baltic Sea Region Border Control Cooperation (BSRBCC) is a flexible regional tool for daily inter-agency interaction in the field of environmental protection. It also aims to combat cross-border crime in the Baltic Sea region, with a particular focus on the maritime environment. Cooperation Partners are Police, Border Guards, Coast Guards and Customs Authorities. The BSRBCC Border Guard Chiefs meet annually and is responsible for the cooperation initiative, and approving the operational strategy. It also has an operational and economic mandate for cooperation. The BSRBCC presidency, which is for one year, is supported by a secretariat, which includes representatives from the last, current and next Presidency, thereby ensuring continuity. The Baltic Border Committee (BBC) prepares and implements the cooperation strategy through joint operations, where national representatives integrate national action and local cooperation into wider cooperation as necessary. Each MS operates a 24/7 National Coordination Centre (NCC), whilst the Presidency maintains an International Coordination Centre (ICC).

HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission – Helsinki Commission) is the governing body of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, known as the Helsinki Convention. The Contracting Parties are Denmark, Estonia, the European Union, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden. HELCOM was established about four decades ago to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution through intergovernmental cooperation. Its vision for the future is a healthy Baltic Sea environment with diverse biological components functioning in balance, resulting in a good ecological status and supporting a wide range of sustainable economic and social activities. It also includes cooperation mechanisms for fisheries and navigation safety.

The Balkans and the Black Sea region is a strategic, although sensitive area, which requires a multilevel approach to enhancing mutual understanding aimed at deepening economic relations and cross-border cooperation. At the crossroads of Europe, Middle East and Central Asia, the region is in the centre of gravity for investments and geopolitical influence of world’s superpowers during a time of larger region-wide and global change. At the cross section of public and business sectors, Balkans & Black Sea Cooperation Forum aiming at identifying, strengthening & promoting economic relations, business opportunities, cross‐border cooperation and sustainable growth & development across the Balkans, the Black Sea region and beyond.

AQUAPOL’s vision is for a more safe, secure and environmental-friendly waterborne transport in Europe by enhancement of law-enforcement through cross-border cooperation. The AQUAPOL organisation acts as a platform for learning and for a permanent exchange of good practice for law-enforcement in the domain of waterborne transport in Europe. Its main activities are focussed on exchange of intelligence, exchange of operational information and experience, and cross border cooperation in day-to-day law-enforcement work. AQUAPOL works closely together with a number of external stakeholders at operational, policy, and legislative level.

The objective of the agreement is to implement a multilateral programme for the protection of dolphins; to progressively reduce incidental dolphin mortalities in tuna fishery and, to this end, seek ecologically sound means of catching tuna while sparing dolphins; to ensure the long-term sustainability of tuna stocks and marine resources in the relevant areas. These objectives are pursued through the IATTC, which has the coordinating role under the Agreement. The contracting parties are Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, the European Union, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, the US, Vanuatu, and Venezuela.

The ARHC aims to promote technical cooperation in the domain of hydrographic surveying, marine cartography and nautical information as well as examining the implications in the Arctic Ocean Region of matters of general interest. It also aims to stimulate the widening of hydrographic activity in the Arctic Ocean Region and encourage seeking technical advice and assistance in establishing and strengthening hydrographic capabilities. It helps to define the needs for new hydrographic products and services, facilitates information exchange, and aids in the planning and organization of hydrographic activities. The following are member countries of the ARHC: Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia, United States of America, and Iceland.