Legal Framework

At the 15th Meeting of the Contracting Parties (Almeria, 15-18 January 2008), the Italian delegation announced its decision to transfer the functions of INFO/RAC to ICRAM (Italian Central Institute for Applied Marine Research) that merged into ISPRA (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research).

During the 16th Conference of Contracting Parties of the Barcelona Convention (Marrakesh 2009), the mandate (Decision IG 19/08 - Mandate of MAP Components) for the Regional Center for Information and Communication Activities was outlined as a component of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) and coordinated by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Coordination Unit (CU).

With a ministerial directive, the Italian Ministry of the Environment and of the Protection of the Land and Sea has mandated ISPRA to ensure from the 1^st of January 2010 the functioning of INFO/RAC and consequently to carry out all the activities relating to the Center itself. In the same directive the art. 5 states that ISPRA adopts all the measures, including organizational ones, necessary to guarantee that the INFO/RAC Center is autonomously responsible for decision-making, operations and spending, within the limits of the approved plans and programs.

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INFO/RAC NATIONAL FOCAL POINTS

From the UNEP(DEPI)/MED IG.17/10 (Annex V), INFO/RAC Focal Points shall be responsible for:

Maintaining the relationship among INFO/RAC and governmental/administrative bodies;
Contributing to the preparation of INFO/RAC Focal Point meetings through comments and proposals either made on their own initiative or relating to documents prepared by INFO/RAC, after consultation with Contracting Party bodies as necessary;
Attending Focal Point meetings and reporting on their conclusions to governmental, administrative bodies and MAP Focal Points;
Disseminating INFO/RAC technical and information documents, guidelines, studies, etc., to concerned bodies;
Following, in consultation with MAP Focal Points, the implementation of relevant decisions and recommendations of the Meetings of the Contracting Parties;
Identifying synergies with European initiatives and programmes, such as the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE) and Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES), and international forums, such as the Global Environment Outlook (GEO), directly related to INFO/RAC mandate, in order to collaborate with them closely;
Identifying funding and/or co-financing opportunities between the activities of INFO/RAC and programmes and/or projects in the Contracting Party;
Commenting on and/or contributing to all online forums, websites, documents, reports, or other outputs of INFO/RAC, as required or appropriate;
Bringing to the attention of INFO/RAC any relevant contacts, programmes, networks, innovations, etc., that could assist INFO/RAC in its activities and mandate;
Assisting INFO/RAC in the identification of relevant experts for specific initiatives or consultations;
Liaising with NGOs, the academic and scientific community, and the media concerned with INFO/RAC activities;
Communicating to MAP Focal Points all information and documents needed for the execution of their tasks;
Keeping informed about and supporting INFO/RAC activities in its two focus areas of:
ICT, especially the design and implementation of InfoMAP, with the necessary collaboration from Contracting Parties (contributing mainly technical expertise);
Public communication, increasing awareness, and media relations and communications;
Identifying and highlighting areas of synergy and cooperation between INFO/RAC activities and those of Contracting Party agencies and programmes;

As support measures, Contracting Party bodies shall:

Associate INFO/RAC Focal Points with the definition of Contracting Party policies, strategies and projects on environmental awareness and communication;

Transmit to INFO/RAC Focal Points all necessary information, in particular for following up those recommendations of the Meeting of the Contracting Parties addressed to the Contracting Parties;
Provide INFO/RAC Focal Points with adequate resources as required for the execution of their tasks, within the context of broader fiscal and staffing policies and priorities in the Contracting Party.

As support measures, INFO/RAC shall:

Provide INFO/RAC Focal Points with all information needed for the execution of their tasks, including technical details considered useful for proper understanding and evaluation;
Provide support, including appropriate training, to INFO/RAC Focal Points to enable them to carry out their tasks.