The 42nd Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM XLII) and the 22nd Meeting of the Committee on Environmental Protection (CEP XXII) took place in Prague, Czech Republic, from 1 to 11 July 2019. This event of representatives of the Antarctic Treaty's signatory states was held under the auspices of the 60th anniversary of the signing of this treaty that governs all activities in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean area.

The Romanian delegation was led by Dr Manuela Elisabeta SIDOROFF as National Contact Point ATCM, Vice-President of the CNCA and Director General of the National Institute for Research and Development in Biological Sciences (INCDSB).

The ATCM XLII meeting officially opened on 2 July 2019. On behalf of the host government, the Head of the Secretariat of the host country, Dr. Pavel Kapler, opened the meeting and nominated Martin Smolek as President of ATCM XLII, which was accepted.

The Environmental Protection Committee (CEP XXI) met from 01 to 05 July 2019.

Participants from 54 countries, Antarctic Treaty Parties, observers and experts from international organisations gathered for the annual meeting.

The composition of the Romanian delegation, the objectives of the delegation, etc., were approved by Memorandum 22/24.06.2019 proposed by the President of the National Commission for Antarctic Research of the Romanian Academy, endorsed by the coordinator of the CNCA of the Romanian Academy - Acad. Victor Voicu and by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dipl. Teodor Meleșcanu.

During the ATCM XLII, the participating representatives debated the topics on the agenda, including: Functioning of the Antarctic Treaty (Report of the Parties, Observers and Experts, CEP 22 Report, General and Secretariat and Financial Issues, Biological Bioprospecting in Antarctica, Information Exchange, Multi-Year Strategic Work Plan, Inspections under the Antarctic Treaty and the Environmental Protocol, Scientific Issues, Future Scientific Exchange, Scientific Collaboration and Facilities, Implications of Climate Change for the Management of Areas under the Jurisdiction of the Antarctic Treaty, Tourism and Non-Governmental Activities in Areas under the Jurisdiction of the Antarctic Treaty.

Romania's objectives focused on the following directions:

• Participation, as a non-consultative party, in the work of the ATCM XLII which took place in accordance with the agenda of the meeting and in which measures, resolutions, decisions and documents of strategic importance for the ATCM (e.g. Multi-annual Strategic Work Plan) were adopted according to the final report;
• Presentation of the four Informative Papers (IPs);
• Meetings with current and potential partners.

On Antarctic Biological Prospecting, many Parties recalled previous ATCM resolutions reaffirming that the Antarctic Treaty system is the appropriate framework for managing the collection of biological material in the Antarctic Treaty area and for examining its use.

Under this agenda item, IP 146 rev. 1 "Biological Prospecting in Antarctica by the ROICE - Romania team", IP mentioned in the Final Report, was presented and considered.

This paper presented the results of three scientific expeditions to West Antarctica, King George Island and the Barton Peninsula, carried out by the National Research and Development Institute for Biological Sciences - ROICE team together with researchers from the Core Polar Research Institute (KOPRI).

At the same time, the following Romanian IPs were presented and mentioned in the Final Report:

• IP 162 "Recent Romanian Education and Dissemination Activities on Antarctica" mentioned the numerous education and dissemination activities carried out in Romania, including international collaborations;
• IP 137 rev. 1 Cooperation between Romania and the Republic of Korea - Antarctic Scientific Research and Logistical Facilities 2015-2019, highlighting the successful collaboration between Romania and the Republic of Korea, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2015;
• Romania also presented IP 161 "Cooperation between Romania and Australia in Antarctica", which reported that it celebrated other Antarctic milestones, such as 50 years of cooperation with Australia.

At the end of the proceedings, the "Prague Declaration on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty" was adopted.