Author: Eeva Nyyssönen

​23 September 2013, Copenhagen, Denmark – Today and tomorrow, more details for the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial Declaration will be put into place during the 43rd Heads of Delegation Meeting. For smoother follow-up for anyone interested in stronger commitments for a healthier Baltic Sea, several key documents have been collected since June in a , related to the regional Ministers’ negotiations which will climax in the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting on 3 October 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark.In the Meeting, the members of the Baltic Sea Marine Environment Protection Commission (), formed by the nine coastal countries and the EU, will continue to finalize the proposed text of the , to be as concise and clear as possible. The Declaration will cover a wide selection of topics covering biodiversity and ecosystem services, eutrophication, hazardous substances, clean and safer shipping, preparedness and response to pollution at sea and on the shore, along with monitoring, assessment and marine knowledge. Status of the implementation of the 2007 HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan has been the basis for proposing any issues to be addressed by the Ministerial Meeting.The new, updated targets for reducing nutrient inputs to the Baltic Sea, and their country-wise allocations, continue to be a major issue in the negotiations. Progress has been made in addressing the complex issue on transboundary pollution inputs, while aiming to share the burden of the needed pollution reduction in a fair and mutually agreed manner, both within the Baltic Sea countries and from sources outside the HELCOM area. The new proposed limits for nutrient inputs result from several years’ work supported significantly by the Baltic Nest Institute in Sweden and involving national experts in the HELCOM countries.After the Meeting, every document, unless unusual exceptions occur, can be accessed at the [Heads of Delegation (HELCOM HOD) > Heads Of Delegation (HODS) > HOD 43, 2013]. No log-in is needed. * * *Note for editors: will be held on 3 October 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Ministers of the Environment of the nine Baltic coastal states and the EU Environment Commissioner will gather to discuss the status and the future of the Baltic Sea marine environment – reviewing the progress in implementing the Baltic Sea Action Plan (2007–2021), and setting priorities for action. The outcome of the 2013 Meeting is expected to revolve around the still unsatisfactory status of the Baltic Sea; the ecosystem approach as the basis for blue and green growth, the opportunities for more coherent policies and implementation, as well as committing to do more for a healthier Baltic Sea.The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. HELCOM has worked since 1974 to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution, including response to spills and clean and safe shipping in the region. 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 further information, please contact:Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 E-mail: johanna.laurila@helcom.fi Skype: helcom70 

Today and tomorrow, more details for the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial Declaration will be put into place during the 43rd Heads of Delegation Meeting.

​At the eve of the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial Meeting, new website has been launched at the same familiar url, . The HELCOM Meeting portal will, for the time being, continue as before in the address . The website contents will expand over the next weeks to cover all HELCOM working areas and beyond. The new section ‘Action areas’ provides a new window to HELCOM. 

At the eve of the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial Meeting, new website has been launched at the same familiar url, www.helcom.fi

 4 September 2013 – , of which is a partner and a member of a steering
group, has recently published a in which new recommendations are proposed for improving the
environmental condition of the Baltic Sea. HELCOM brought to the cluster the
knowledge and expertise obtained through the , , and projects. The cluster has acted
as a platform to harvest some most meaningful outcomes of a few major regional
projects, to effectively feed into the main objectives of the HELCOM’s Baltic
Sea Action Plan and, more specifically, to provide input to the The report “Sustainable resource management for a healthy
Baltic Sea” is released as a result of the work done under Baltic Impulse – a
cluster of fifteen partners representing nine environmental projects running
under the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013. All the partner projects try to
define and find ways to mitigate the environmental impact of different
anthropogenic pressures on the Baltic Sea, and to revise the common management
actions. The aim of the cluster is to ensure further use of outcomes of the
partner projects and to increase their visibility. Thus, both the
recommendations proposed by the partners of Baltic Impulse and accompanying more
extensive cross-project summaries draw on the knowledge and experience obtained
through the project work. Baltic Impulse will finalise in September 2013 after
one year of operationThe project recommendations, summarising the central points
of the work done in the cluster, constitute a vital part of the synthesis
report. They focus on two main areas: farm-based practices and public
management. As the ultimate goal, they envision a bio-based society with
conscious, well-informed and publicly involved farmers acting as responsible
managers, taking into account the environmental risks and possibilities embedded
in their agricultural practices.  Highlights of the reportAs a first thing to achieve a bio-based society, the cluster
partners suggest certain changes in public management with regard to farming,
especially focusing on the need for improved and more conscious planning as well
as increased involvement of the farmers. In particular, the Baltic Impulse
recommendations concern:Enhanced mapping of crucial parameters (e.g. nitrogen and phosphorus) for the long-time farm and public management.Popularisation of adequate risk assessment procedures.Implementation of the continuous farm advisory system.Active and knowledge-based involvement of the farmers in the betterment of the environmental state of the Baltic.Improvement of the governance frameworks to harmonise national practices and HELCOM requirements.The recommendations enlisted in the cluster’s synthesis
report describe also how the farmers should contribute to the protection of the
Baltic Sea. If advised and supported, they can apply environmentally sound
practices and far-sighted resource management on their farms. Advocated are
primarily:Good practices encompassing improved handling of fodder, fertiliser and, especially, manure.A radical alternation of the perception of manure, from waste into resource (“brown gold”).Refined treatment of manure, including e.g. retrieving and recirculation of nutrients that can lay the foundations for the bio-based society, integrating bioenergy production and improved nutrient management. The complete “Sustainable resource management for a healthy
Baltic Sea” report can be downloaded from A recent brochure, “Baltic Impulse – Saving the Baltic Sea
Waters” prepared by can be downloaded from ** is a cluster of the following nine environmental projects
running under Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013:Baltic Compass Baltic Deal Baltic Manure Beras Implementation COHIBA PURE PRESTO SMOCS Waterpraxis  * * Note for editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually
referred to as the Helsinki Commission HELCOM, is an
intergovernmental organisation of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the
European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from
all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the regionHELCOM is the governing body of the legal treaty from 1974,
“Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area,”
also known as the Helsinki Convention * * *For further information, please contact:Ms Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel:
+358 (0)40 5238988E-mail: Ms Kinga PolynczukCommunication Assistant (EU-Baltic
Impulse)HELCOMTel: +358 207 412 646E-mail:

Baltic Impulse cluster, of which HELCOM is a partner and a member of a steering group, has recently published a synthesis report in which new recommendations are proposed for improving the environmental condition of the Baltic Sea.

3 September 2013, Copenhagen, Denmark – The
members of the Baltic Sea Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM),
formed by the nine coastal countries and the EU, have today started their 42nd
Heads of Delegation Meeting particularly focusing on the precise contents of the
2013 Ministerial Declaration, set to be adopted in exactly one month. The
Declaration will cover a wide selection of topics covering biodiversity and
ecosystem services, eutrophication, hazardous substances, shipping, preparedness
and response to pollution at sea, along with monitoring, assessment and marine
knowledgeOne of the major issues of the Meeting is related to new and
updated targets for reducing nutrient inputs to the Baltic Sea in order to reach
the Baltic Sea not affected by eutrophication. The new proposed limits for
nutrients inputs are the result of a few years of work supported significantly
by the Baltic Nest Institute in Sweden and involving national experts in the
HELCOM countries. The Meeting will be an important stepping stone towards
reaching a Ministerial agreement on sharing the burden of the needed pollution
reduction between the Baltic Sea countries and also reflecting the reduction
potential from sources outside the HELCOM area. The most recent data on
pollution inputs to the Baltic Sea, included in the Pollution Load Compilation
5.5 report, will give insight into the progress achieved so far by the countries
in cutting nutrient loadsThe concise thematic assessment on the Eutrophication status
of the Baltic Sea 2007–2011 will also be discussed in the Meeting as a major
background document for the Ministers. The report states that the inputs of
nutrients to the Baltic Sea have decreased since the late 1980s. However, nearly
the entire open sea area is still affected by eutrophication except for the
Bothnian Bay. Trends for the whole Baltic Sea show that currently, the level of
nutrient inputs equals the levels of loads in the early 1960s. However, despite
the reductions in inputs, the concentrations of algal biomasses and nutrients
have not declined accordinglyAs a part of the Ministerial documents under the section on
biodiversity and ecosystem services, an overview report on the network of Baltic
Sea Protected Areas will be addressed. The network of protected areas continues
its expansion and there are more management plans, also in force, for such
areas. However, both ecological coherence and the enlargement of the network in
off-shore areas are yet to meet the targets set in 2010The HELCOM-VASAB Working Group on maritime spatial planning
has proven to be an effective forum to discuss the high and rapidly increasing
demand for maritime space and the potential to plan its future. The Heads of
Delegation are expected to endorse a Baltic roadmap for maritime spatial
planning 2013–2020, for adoption by the Ministerial Meeting. Equally proposed is
the draft HELCOM Recommendation on e-navigation solutions in order to enhance
safety of navigation and protection of the Baltic Sea regionAnother draft Recommendation, to be discussed at policy level
concerns reduction of discharges from marine and fresh water aquaculture. Follow
up on joint activities by Poland and Finland related to phosphogypsum waste
piles in Poland is also in the Meeting agenda, based on new information that has
recently become available  * *Note for editors: will be held on 3 October 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The Ministers of the Environment of the nine Baltic coastal states and the EU
Environment Commissioner will gather to discuss the status and the future of the
Baltic Sea marine environment – reviewing the progress in implementing the
Baltic Sea Action Plan (2007–2021), and setting priorities for action. The
outcome of the 2013 Meeting is expected to revolve around the still
unsatisfactory status of the Baltic Sea; the ecosystem approach as the basis for
blue and green growth, the opportunities for more coherent policies and
implementation, as well as committing to do more for a healthier Baltic Sea he Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually
referred to as , is an intergovernmental organization of
the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. HELCOM has worked
since 1974 to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources
of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. 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 further information:All the Meeting documents [Heads Of Delegation (HELCOM
HOD/HOD 42, 2013] can be accessed by 5 September 2013, without any log-in, at The ongoing negotiation process towards HELCOM Ministerial
Declaration can be followed at: Contact:Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel : +358 40 523 8988E-mail : Skype: helcom70

The members of the Baltic Sea Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM), formed by the nine coastal countries and the EU, have today started their 42nd Heads of Delegation Meeting.

​Regional Ministers will discuss the status and future of the Baltic Sea marine
environment in Octobe30 August 2013 (HELCOM Information Services) – Close
follow-up of the intensifying negotiations leading to the 2013 HELCOM
Ministerial Declaration is now easy for any member of the public through the
dedicated webpages at .
The Declaration will be the outcome of the gathering of all HELCOM Ministers to
review the progress in implementing the Baltic Sea Action Plan and set
priorities for action. Secretariat of the Baltic Sea Marine Environment
Protection Commission () uploads new as soon as they are formally agreed on by all the Contracting
Parties, consisting of all the nine Baltic coastal nations and the EU. The 2013
Ministerial Declaration will be adopted in the high-level Meeting in Copenhagen
on 3 October ll relevant information is found in the Ministerial Meeting
webpages. The associated documents are divided into three sections for easier
reference: the ones for adoption by the Ministers; major outcome documents
which are decided on by every HELCOM member; and other relevant recent reports
which are closely linked to the Declaration under negotiation ore detailed information will be added to the Ministerial
Meeting webpages as soon as confirmed and available. The pages provide the best
available information, to assist the HELCOM members in comprehensive evaluation
of the progress in the implementation of , and reaching the commonly
agreed goals for a healthier Baltic Sea ELCOM Ministerial Meeting will be held on 3 October 2013 in
Copenhagen, Denmark. The Ministers of the Environment of the nine Baltic coastal
states and the EU Environment Commissioner will gather to discuss the status and
the future of the Baltic Sea marine environment – reviewing the progress in
implementing the Baltic Sea Action Plan (2007– 2021), and setting priorities for
action. The outcome of the 2013 Meeting is expected to revolve around the still
unsatisfactory status of the Baltic Sea; the ecosystem approach as the basis for
blue and green growth, the opportunities for more coherent policies and
implementation, as well as committing to do more for a healthier Baltic Sea  * *Note for editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually
referred to as , is an intergovernmental organization of
the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. HELCOM has worked
since 1974 to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources
of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. 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 further information:Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel:
+358 40 523 8988E-mail: Skype:
helcom70

Regional Ministers will discuss the status and future of the Baltic Sea marine environment in October