1 5th European Regional Meeting on the implementation and effectiveness of the Ramsar Convention

The Wadden Sea is a marine wetland area on the North Sea coast shared by the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. It covers an area of about 13,500 km2 and is of major international importance also for migratory birds. 10 to 12 million birds pass through this area on their migration route from the breeding grounds in Siberia, Iceland, Greenland and Northeast Canada to their wintering grounds in Europe and Africa. The vast majority of the area has been designated as nature reserves, national parks and Ramsar areas by the national authorities. In order to ensure that the area is conserved and managed as an ecological entity the three Wadden Sea countries commenced a joint cooperation twenty years ago. According to the Joint Declaration concluded between the parties in 1982 the countries declare their intention to coordinate their activities and measures to implement a number of international agreements and conventions including the Ramsar Convention for the comprehensive protection of the Wadden Sea region as a whole. In 1987 a common secretariat was established to coordinate, support and facilitate the cooperation