Half a Century Since the Adoption of the Barcelona Convention and Its Protocols

The Mediterranean Maritime Law Colloquium, “Half a Century Since the Adoption of the Barcelona Convention and Its Protocols”, was held on 7 September 2026 in Dubrovnik, Croatia, within the framework of the 5th International Maritime and Transport Law Conference. Organised by the Croatian Maritime Law Association through the Inter-University Centre Dubrovnik, the Colloquium brought together legal experts from the Universities of Zagreb (Croatia), Carthage (Tunisia), Milano-Bicocca (Italy) and Primorska (Slovenia), the International Maritime Law Institute (Malta) and the World Maritime University in Malmö (Sweden), as well as independent experts. The event provided an opportunity to reflect on fifty years of the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols, their implementation and contemporary legal challenges.

The programme approached the Barcelona Convention system from regional, national and thematic perspectives. It addressed the regional legal framework and the role of the Convention in advancing maritime environmental law and regional cooperation, as well as national implementation and contemporary challenges. Specific presentations examined implementation in Croatia, Tunisia, Italy and Türkiye, while other contributions addressed Slovenia and the EUSAIR process, the Convention in situations of armed conflict, and the role of the Compliance Committee. On behalf of UNEP/MAP, PAP/RAC Director Daria Povh Škugor delivered a presentation entitled “Fifty Years of UNEP MAP – Barcelona Convention for a Sustainable and Resilient Mediterranean”, providing an overview of five decades of regional cooperation for the protection and sustainable development of the Mediterranean.

The presentations were followed by lively discussions among participants. Overall, the exchanges reflected strong appreciation for the significant legal achievements of the Barcelona Convention system over the past five decades, while also highlighting the need to strengthen implementation and ensure these valuable regional legal instruments are effectively reflected in national legal frameworks. The Colloquium also highlighted the value of bringing together maritime and environmental law experts from across the Mediterranean and beyond, strengthening exchanges of knowledge and expertise relevant to the UNEP/MAP – Barcelona Convention system.

The Inter-University Centre Dubrovnik, operating under the slogan “Home of Academic Freedom”, is an independent international institution for advanced studies, structured as a consortium of universities. Its mission is to organise and promote academic exchange across a wide range of scientific disciplines.