HELCOM to present its Baltic Sea Action Plan concept at the Baltic Sea Day in St. Petersburg

Helsinki, 20 March (HELCOM) – The Helsinki Commission will present the concept of its Baltic Sea Action Plan at the VII International Environmental Forum “Baltic Sea Day” which will be held on 22-23 March in St. Petersburg, Russia, the HELCOM Executive Secretary, Ms Anne Christine Brusendorff announced today. Ms Brusendorff will lead a delegation of the HELCOM Secretariat to this forum.

“The international Baltic Sea Day, observed annually in St. Petersburg, is regarded by the Helsinki Commission as an important regional forum to stimulate public awareness of the state of the Baltic marine environment, enhance political attention to existing problems and develop support towards actions needed to protect our common sea,” said Ms Brusendorff. “We have just approved key elements of the Baltic Sea Action Plan, now being developed by HELCOM to rescue the troubled marine environment, and would like to present the concept of this new environmental strategy at the Baltic Sea Day Forum and receive possible input which could be useful for its further elaboration. Within this context, we consider this year's Baltic Sea Day as an integral part of the public consultation process on the development of the plan, which HELCOM is planning to draw up by 2007.”

The international Baltic Sea Day focuses on the ecological status and protection of the Baltic Sea marine environment, and popularises the activities of the Helsinki Commission. It is actively supported by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, the governments of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, as well as the Baltic Sea countries.  It is expected that more than 400 guests, including representatives of the governments, scientific and business communities and major regional organisations from the Baltic Sea countries will participate in the forum.

The annual Baltic Sea Day in St. Petersburg also provides valuable input to the work of the Helsinki Commission. Its discussions focus on the most pressing environmental issues that are on the agenda of the Commission. 

This year the programme includes plenary and sectional sessions on a wide range of topics, including the cooperation of the Baltic Sea sub-regional organisations, the quality of water and bottom sediments of the Baltic Sea and assessment methods, yachting and eco-tourism, the Baltic Sea marine protected areas, agriculture and its impact on the marine environment, as well as the ecological safety provisions of the North-European gas pipeline (NEG) project.

“We wish every success to the VII International Environmental Forum “Baltic Sea Day” and hope that it will enhance international cooperation in environment protection and also provide valuable input to the development of the HELCOM strategy to restore the Baltic marine environment which is a vital integral part of our present and future livelihood and prosperity,” said Ms Brusendorff.

Note to Editors:

The Helsinki Commission, or HELCOM, works to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution through intergovernmental co-operation between the countries bordering the sea - Denmark, Estonia, the European Community, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden.

HELCOM is the governing body of the "Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area," more usually known as the Helsinki Convention.

For more information, please contact:

Nikolay Vlasov

Information Secretary

Tel.: + 358 9 6220 223

Fax: +358 9 6220 2239

E-mail: nikolay.vlasov@helcom.fi