Common use of Denmark Clause in Contracts

Denmark. .1 The Danish policy concerning the use of dispersants was taken as a follow-up to the “blow out” in 1978 at the Norwegian oil field Ekofisk in the North Sea. That same year, an expert panel analysed the issue and the resulting general advice was that dispersants should only be used in exceptional cases. The panel comprised all relevant government agencies and ministries as well as people from the university world. .2 The advice from the expert panel was incorporated into the official Danish oil contingency planning and preparedness plans. At that time, a test was carried out by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ (as mentioned in the Bonn Agreement manual) but no further test has been carried out since that time. If Denmark decided to use dispersants, the decision would be taken on the received information from the Admiral Danish Fleet concerning the oil type, the amount, time of the year and the geographical position, in other words decisions would be taken on a case-by-case basis. The use of dispersants for the purpose of cleaning beaches or stony coastlines is limited to protect the biota in the surface layers. Mechanical methods are preferred in view of the toxicity of dispersed oil. .3 Denmark does not have any requirements for approval and generally accepts dispersants which are approved by 2 or 3 other Bonn Agreement countries and in the list published in the Bonn Agreement (BP 1100 X, Enersperse 1583). Dispersants are used only if mechanical combating is impossible or less suitable. In principle, the “discharge” of dispersants is prohibited. Permits may be granted by the Ministry of the Environment, on the advice of the Danish EPA, after the product has cleared a pre-evaluation by an independent laboratory. The Danish EPA is only inclined to accept the use of chemical dispersants if, for example, human beings are in danger or if larger concentrations of sea fowl or particularly valuable coastal areas are threatened by severe oil pollution incidents or if it is the only way to protect other valuable areas. Normally the Danish EPA oil combating force will already be on the scene and evaluating the use/non-use of dispersants.