News » EU auditors call for further and more effective action on Baltic eutrophication

17.04.2016

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A report from the European Court of Auditors evaluating the work oncombatting eutrophication in the Baltic Sea states that actions andfunding so far has had limited effects and that further and moreeffective action is needed. The auditors found that Member States? planslack ambition and appropriate indicators. Investment in waste-waterinfrastructure has been only partly effective and agricultural measuresdo not match up to the scale of the problem. The overall conclusion ofthe auditors? investigation was that there has been only limitedprogress.

?Improving water quality in the Baltic needs more targeted action and more co-operation with Russia? said Mr Ville Itälä, the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible for the report. ?Aclean Baltic Sea is the dream of almost 100 million people. To achievethat, the countries concerned should make much fuller use of the powersavailable to them?.

Although CCB supports the recommendations made in the report, asshown below, CCB is of the opinion that HELCOM contracting parties haveto fully implement the requirements on prevention of pollution fromagriculture stated in part II of Annex III of the Helsinki Convention.Also, CAP subsidies should be more directly linked to effectivemeasures on nutrient run-off reduction, to ensure efficient use oftax-payers money.

The report from the EU auditors make a number of recommendations forthe Member States and for the European Commission. The Commissionshould:

  • require the Member States to designate appropriate nitrate-vulnerable zones,
  • assess compliance with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive more quickly,
  • promote projects to reduce the nutrient load being discharged into the Baltic from Russia and Belarus.
The Member States should:
  • target agri-environmental schemes to areas where the impact on nutrient reduction is highest,
  • establish nitrate action programme requirements based on the most recent studies,
  • plan and construct their waste water infrastructure as efficiently as possible.

For more information visit www.ccb.se/2016/04/eu-auditors-calls-for-further-and-more-effective-action-on-baltic-sea-eutrophication.

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Coalition Clean Baltic
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SHORT ABOUT THE PROJECT

Project Industrial animal farms in the Baltic Sea Region - sustainable practices to reduce nutrient loads is a part of a long-term campaign of the Coalition Clean Baltic and Green Federation "GAJA", aiming to reduce the negative impact of large-scale animal production on the environment and local communities in the Baltic Sea Region, particularly by reducing nutrient run-off into the sea. The project is part-financed by the European Union. This website reflects only the view of the Coalition Clean Baltic. The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

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