News » HELCOM Ministerial Meeting - Copenhagen 2013

Coalition Clean Baltic participated in the HELCOM 2013 Ministerial Meeting, which took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, on October 3rd, 2013.The meeting aimed to review the progress on targets agreed in the 2007 HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP). In fact, since 2007, only one third of agreed actions have been accomplished. So in Copenhagen, ministers should agree upon a 'package of extensive actions and measures' (HELCOM, Press Release, 03/10/2013).

 

At the very beginning of the Ministerial Meeting, HELCOM Observers had the possibility to give statements. CCB, together with Oceana and WWF, had the floor for 3 minutes. The joint statement, expressed by Gunnar Norén (CCB), was appreciated by the assembly. It has strengthened CCB as one of HELCOM key observer.

The environmental NGOs, Coalition Clean Baltic, FISH and Oceana, welcome the HELCOM Ministerial Declaration to continue to fully implement the BSAP by 2021, but areconcerned about the lack of action and the many delayed deadlines.

The coalition of NGO's issued the following joint statement: 'Today'soutcome shows that these countries aspiration for an improved statusof the Baltic Sea is not anywhere near ambitious enough. What wehave here is a nice document with good intentions, but to see thechange by 2021, we should already be putting the 2007 agreementsinto action'.

Rather than a firm recommitment to the 2007 agreements, today's declaration might ultimately make it impossible to reach good environmental status in the Baltic Sea by 2021 - the overarching target of the BSAP.

'Despite a focus on eutrophication? the most serious and complex threat facing the Baltic Sea ? nosubstantial improvements were made on the reduction of nutrientdischarge from the agricultural sector, making the Declaration muchweaker than we had hoped ', says Gunnar Norén,General Secretary for Coalition Clean Baltic.

The fisheries sections fared a little bit better in the final negotiations, and were actually strengthened in the final Declaration.

'We are pleased to see that thetarget of rebuilding stocks now includes the 2015 deadline, whichwas agreed as part of the reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy?, says Niki Sporrong , Director at FISH. ? Theinclusion of a range of measures to address the critical statusof European eel, including lowering the fishing mortality in linewith ICES advice, is also good to see'.

There is still a widespread lack of proper protection for species, habitats and biotopes in the Baltic Sea region. It is regrettable that Germany and Denmark have postponed the publication of the HELCOM Red List for Baltic Sea species and habitats, because of commercial interests regarding cod.

'The hesitation and lack of commitmentwe have witnessed are blocking the progress of the Baltic Sea ActionPlan implementation, including the development of an ecologicallycoherent network of marine protected areas. This network was meantto be ready in 2010, but has now been pushed to 2020', Hanna Paulomäki says, Oceana's Baltic Sea project manager.

Baltic countries must begin the very real work that now remains. The current delays not only jeopardize reaching the goal of the Action Plan,but also the implementation of many EU directives, like the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, which heavily rely on effective regional coordination.

Outcomes of the Ministerial Declaration

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