Atlantic and Baltic joint efforts

Invited by the Federal Republic of Germany, HELCOM and the Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR) met in Bremen between 23 and 27 June 2003 - individually, and jointly at ministerial level.

HELCOM Ministerial Meeting

HELCOM topics:

1. Combating eutrophication

2. Nature conservation in marine environments, the preservation of biodiversity and the adoption of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM)

3. The future of the Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme (JCP)

4. Implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration on the safety of shipping

5. Compliance checking with regard to the implementation of the Convention

HELCOM Ministerial Declaration

Supporting documents adopted in addition to the Ministerial Declaration:

• HELCOM Recommendation 24/9 “Ensuring Adequate Emergency Capacity”
• HELCOM Recommendation 24/10 “ Implementation of Integrated Marine and Coastal Management of Human Activities in the Baltic Sea area”
• Possible future activities for the reduction of non-point source pollution from agriculture
• Status of implementation of the HELCOM Copenhagen Declaration

Background documents to the Ministerial Declaration

• Baltic Marine Environment 1999 - 2002 (BSEP No. 87)
• The Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme (JCP) – Ten years of implementation (BSEP No. 88)
• The review of more specific targets to reach the goal set up in the 1988/1998 Ministerial Declarations regarding nutrients (BSEP No. 89)
• The 2002 oxygen depletion event in the Kattegat, Belt Sea and western Baltic

New HELCOM Recommendations:

• 24/1 “Monitoring of airborne pollution load”; to supersede HELCOM Recommendation 14/1
• 24/2 “Batteries containing mercury, cadmium or lead”, to supersede HELCOM Recommendation 14/5
• 24/3 “Measures aimed at the reduction of emissions and discharges from agriculture”; together with the requirements in Annex III of the Convention, this Recommendation supersedes HELCOM Recommendations 7/2, 13/7 (except Annex), 13/9, 13/10, 13/11 and 14/4
• 24/4 “Reduction of emissions and discharges from the iron and steel industry”; to supersede HELCOM Recommendations 11/7, 13/4 and 17/5
• 24/5 “Proper handling of waste/landfilling”, to supersede HELCOM Recommendation 22/4
• 24/6 “Guidelines on bunkering operations and ship to ship cargo transfer of oils, subject to Annex I of MARPOL 73/78, in the Baltic Sea Area”
• 24/7 “Further development and use of drift forecasting for oils and other harmful substances in the Baltic”, to supersede HELCOM Recommendation 12/6
• 24/8 “Amendments to Annex IV “Prevention of pollution from ships” to the Helsinki Convention, concerning discharge of sewage”

Press release "HELCOM environment ministers prepare for political and economic changes around the Baltic Sea"

OSPAR Ministerial Meeting

OSPAR topics:

1.  Results and further development of
    • the Strategy with Regard to Hazardous Substances
    • the Strategy with Regard to Radioactive Substances
    • the Strategy to Combat Eutrophication
    • the Strategy on the Protection and Conservation of the Ecosystems and
      Biological Diversity of the Maritime Area
    • the Strategy on Environmental Goals and Management Mechanisms for
      Offshore Activities; and
    • the Joint Monitoring and Assessment Programme

2.  Disposal of offshore installations

3.  Programme for the More Detailed Implementation of the OSPAR Strategy with regard to Radioactive Substances

4.  Application of an eco-system approach as a tool for implementing the OSPAR-Convention

Joint OSPAR-HELCOM Ministerial Meeting

Joint topics:

1. Cooperation with the European Community on developing and implementing a comprehensive European Marine Strategy (also applicable to the Mediterranean and Black Seas)

2. Conservation of biodiversity with specific regard to negative impacts from fisheries

3. Establishing a network of marine protected areas

4. Harmonisation of the implementation of international rules for shipping

5. Cooperation with the African Conventions on the protection of the marine environment concluded in Nairobi (HELCOM partner) and Abidjan (OSPAR partner)

Joint Ministerial Declaration

Supporting documents to the Joint Ministerial Declaration

• Statement "Towards an Ecosystem Approach to the Management of Human Activities"
• Statement "What HELCOM and OSPAR can bring to the development of the European Marine Strategy"
• Joint HELCOM/OSPAR Work Programme on Marine Protected Areas

Joint press statement "Atlantic and Baltic join forces"

Organisers:

Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of
Germany
Heinrich-von-Stephan-Str. 1, 53175 Bonn, Germany
Internet: http://www.bmu.de