THE TRILATERAL WADDEN SEA COOPERATION: HOW DOES IT WORK
Trilateral Governmental
Wadden Sea Conferences (TGC) are held every three years with
participation of the responsible ministers from the three countries:
the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality,
The Netherlands; the Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature
Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany; and the Minister of the Environment, Denmark. The Trilateral Governmental
Conferences are the highest decision making body in the framework
of the collaboration. At the Conferences the ministers discuss
progress regarding the implementation of the decisions of previous
conferences and agree on further common measures and activities
to protect the Wadden Sea. An important basis for the discussions
and agreements is the assessment of the quality status of the
Wadden Sea.
In the periods between the Governmental Conferences, senior civil
servants meet to discuss the implementation of the decisions
of the Governmental Conferences. These Senior Officials meetings
(SO) also solve problems on the technical level or determine
what should be proposed to the Governmental Conferences. The
Senior Officials furthermore adopt each year the budget, financial
statement and the work program of the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat.
The Trilateral Working Group (TWG) is a permanent working group
installed by the collaboration, which meets, on average, four
times a year. The TWG is composed of civil servants of the responsible
ministries and other relevant ministries as well as regional
authorities. The TWG is commissioned with the overall implementation
of the decisions of the Governmental Conferences, the overall
coordination of the work of the cooperation and the preparation
of the Governmental Conferences. The TWG can establish ad hoc
working groups to execute special tasks. Also operating under
the responsibility of the TWG, is the permanent Trilateral Monitoring
and Assessment Group (TMAG). This group is responsible for the
trilateral monitoring and assessment program (TMAP).
The Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS) was established in 1987 in Wilhelmshaven, Germany,
as the secretariat for the trilateral cooperation. Its primary
task is to support, initiate, facilitate and coordinate the activities
of the collaboration (Administrative
Agreement, 1987)
The CWSS is responsible for the preparation of the meetings held
in the framework of the cooperation. It is also responsible for
the collection and assessment of information with regard to Wadden
Sea protection, management and monitoring including progress
in the implementation of the decisions of the ministerial conferences.
Furthermore the CWSS collects information on activities that
have, or may have, significant effects on the natural environment
of the Wadden Sea and give suggestions for appropriate actions.
Finally, the secretariat coordinates trilateral initiatives in
relevant international organizations.
Reports and documents produced by the trilateral cooperation
are published by the CWSS.
The work of the secretariat is supervised by a board of representatives
composed of one representative of each of the responsible national
ministries.
Address:
Common Wadden Sea Secretariat
Virchowstr. 1
D - 26382 Wilhelmshaven
Phone: +49 (0)4421-9108-0
Fax: +49(0)4421-9108-30
E-mail: info@waddensea-secretariat.org
