The Fifth Meeting of the Barcelona Convention Offshore Oil and Gas Group
The Fifth Meeting of the Barcelona Convention Offshore Oil and Gas Group (OFOG) Sub-Group on Environmental Impact took place in Lija, Malta, on 19-20 February 2025. Organized by the REMPEC under the Mediterranean Action Plan of UNEP, and was financed by the Mediterranean Trust Fund.
Government officials and representatives from contracting parties to the Barcelona Convention, along with observer organizations, attended. The meeting approved the MOAP, the Mediterranean Offshore Action Plan, for 2026-2035, which updates the previous MOAP (2016-2024) and addresses new developments in the offshore oil and gas sector. It also includes measures to overcome challenges faced during the implementation of the previous plan.
Additionally, the meeting approved Regional Offshore Standards and Guidelines for the removal and decommissioning of offshore installations, aiming to protect marine and coastal environments through a common regulatory framework.
The approved MOAP and the new Standards and Guidelines will be submitted for consideration at the Mediterranean Action Plan Focal Points Meeting, with the goal of adoption at the 24th Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention in Egypt, December 2025.