HISTORY OF THE BS MOU DEVELOPMENT

September 1999, Varna, Bulgaria – first preparatory meeting:
General agreement on establishment of PSC regime in the Black Sea region. Formation of working group on development of the MOU text.

March 2000, Istanbul, Turkey – second preparatory meeting:
Finalizing MOU text, selection of the headquarter and information Center host Authorities, development strategy of technical cooperation program

1 April 2000, Istanbul, Turkey – signatory session:
The Memorandum is signed by the Authorities of Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russian Federation, Turkey, and Ukraine.

May 2000, Istanbul, Turkey – establishment of the interim MOU Secretariat.

December 2000, Istanbul, Turkey – first Committee meeting of the MOU:
Approving permanent Secretariat, stipulating interim budget

May 2001, Varna, Bulgaria – second Committee meeting:
Approving functional requirements for the information system, initiation of development of the PSC manual.

April 2002, Constanca, Romania, - third Committee meeting:
Approving of interim arrangements on PSC Manual and information exchange.

December 2002 – all 6 countries become full members

February 2003 – launching Black Sea Information System (BSIS)

April 2003, Odessa, Ukraine – fourth Committee meeting
Approving BSIS launching, approving of the first annual report for year 2002, approving statistical procedures, decision on development of the public web-site.

April 2004, Novorossiysk, Russia - the fifth Committee meeting
Approved the observers status for the USA Coast Guard and for the Secretary of the Mediterranean MOU, amendments to the text of Memorandum, the decision for conducting of CIC from 01 July to 30 September, 2004, the project of the Annual Report 2003, questions for ISPS Code realization...

April 2005, Batumi, Georgia - the sixth Committee meeting Approved the observers status to United States Coast Guard, Secretariat of West and Central Africa MOU on PSC, and Permanent Secretariat of the Black Sea Commission. Approved new version of the regional port State control Manual, the Committee agreed to approach the Secretary General of IMO with the request to grant the status of an Inter-Governmental Organization in IMO to the Black Sea MOU. The Committee considered results of its first concentrated inspection campaign held from 1 July to 30 September 2004 and focused on security matters and agreed to arrange similar campaign on Working and Living condition on ships in accordance with the requirements of International Labor Organization. The new campaign is scheduled from 1 August to 31 October 2005.

April 2006, Istanbul, Turkey - the seventh Committee meeting One of the most significant events in the work of the Black Sea MOU Committee Session was participation of the BS MOU Committee in the first joint working session with the MED MOU Committee and adoption of the Joint Declaration on harmonization both Memoranda activites on PSC.

Next Committee meeting is scheduled on spring 2007, Varna, Bulgaria.