HELCOM RECOMMENDATION 14/10 

Adopted 4 February 1993 having regard to Article 13, Paragraph b) of the Helsinki Convention

COOPERATION AND ASSISTANCE TO ESTONIA, LATVIA AND LITHUANIA IN THE FIELD OF COMBATTING MARINE POLLUTION 

THE COMMISSION,

RECALLING Article 11 and Annex VI of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1974, (Helsinki Convention),

BEING AWARE that the protection of the marine environment requires that an ability to respond to marine pollution incidents is established and maintained in all parts of the Baltic Sea and that a close cooperation between the Contracting Parties is accomplished,

RECOGNIZING that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will still for some time be in the stage of developing their legislation and organization and, therefore, in need of support and assistance in establishing their national ability to combat marine pollution,

BEING ALSO AWARE that Latvia is for the time being not a Contracting Party to the Helsinki Convention but a permanent observer of the Helsinki Commission,

TAKING ACCOUNT of the importance of the 1969 International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (CLC) and the 1971 International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage (FUND) and the need for every country bordering the Baltic Sea to accede to these instruments as soon as possible,

CONSCIOUS that special short-term arrangements for assistance to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the case of emergency situations have been prepared by the Combatting Committee in view of the request by the 13th meeting of the Commission,

RECOMMENDS that the Governments of the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention assist Estonia and Lithuania, where appropriate, to build up their national ability to combat pollution in accordance with the following:

(i)Establishment of competent authorities responsible for combatting marine pollution. Assistance in legislative and organizational matters.

(ii)Contingency planning. Consultations and case studies of existing plans. Implementation of new plans.

(iii)Education and training of administrative personnel, staff operators, field and maintenance personnel. Assistance in the form of, inter alia, courses, seminars, workshops, scholarships and joint exercises.

(iv)Research and development in the field of, inter alia, risk assessment, combatting techniques and equipment. Assistance with experts and experience.

RECOMMENDS ALSO that the Governments of the Contracting Parties provide the same assistance to Latvia,

REQUESTS the Governments of the Contracting Parties to provide Latvia, upon request, with assistance in case of a pollution incident,

RECOMMENDS that the Governments of the Contracting Parties give due consideration to a request by Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania, if they ask an assisting party to waive or accept the postponement of the reimbursement of its costs and if the provisions of the International Convention for Oil Pollution Damage (CLC) and the International Convention on the Establishment of and International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage (FUND) do not provide full compensation for expenses incurred,

REQUESTS FURTHER the Combatting Committee to follow the development of the combatting ability of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and the implementation of this Recommendation as well as to report to the 19th meeting of the Commission in 1998 to what extent special arrangements will still be needed and to propose the revision of this Recommendation, as appropriate.