The Community co-operation in the field of marine pollution preparedness and response was previously based on the Community framework for co-operation in the field of accidental and deliberate marine pollution established by Decision 2850/2000 for the period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2006. The European Commission (DG ENV), was in charge of the implementation of the actions under the Community Framework assisted by a Management Committee for Marine Pollution (MCMP). The MCMP was composed of high level government experts to act as an interface between the services of the Commission and national administrations. Their role was to exchange views, to express opinion on actions to be taken and to define current and future priorities.

In December 2006, the European Commission issued a communication presenting the state of Community action in terms of preparedness and response to marine pollution (COM (2006) 863 of 22/12/2006). This communication indicated how the Commission, despite the expiry of the Community Framework at the end of 2006, intended to address this field from 2007. This included the fact that the MCMP would not continue and that EMSA would take over those tasks which fall within its mandate as defined by the amended EMSA Regulation i.e. preparedness for and response to marine pollution from ships.

As announced in the Work Programme 2007, the Agency has therefore established a Consultative Technical Group for Marine Pollution Preparedness and Response (CTG MPPR) composed of Member State pollution response experts to support EMSA in these activities.

The main objective of the CTG MPPR is to provide at the Community level a platform between Member States, contributing to the improvement in preparedness for and response to accidental and deliberate pollution from ships.

The forum:

• Is used for the exchange of views and opinions and defining current and future priority actions to be addressed by the CTG MPPR;
• Meets approximately twice a year.