Year: 2007

Publication type: Best Practices

Public files

Operational procedures of any oil spill co-operation agreement have to address the conditions to have equipment and personnel from one country enter into the other's territory. These procedures should be developed in conjunction with the customs and immigration government authorities, based on the legislative framework of the countries, keeping always in mind the ultimate purpose of these procedures, namely, to provide immediate and efficient access to external resources. This report –prepared by the ARPEL Emergency Response Planning Working Group- provides a first approach to the issues to be considered (i.e., best practices) when devising an appropriate legislative, regulatory and procedural framework for the trans-boundary movement of equipment and personnel during oil spill response, while developing/optimizing a bilateral co-operation agreement, and is based on the experience gathered regionally and worldwide. These issues include customs, immigration, insurance, responder liabilities, mobilisation issues, rates for equipment rental, financial risks, health and safety, security and Tier 3 Centres involvement.