Category: MSP

​The coordination of regional policy and application of the ecosystem-based approach in maritime spatial planning were in focus of the 15th Meeting of the joint (HELCOM-VASAB MSP WG 15-2017), held in Warsaw, Poland, on 7-8 November 2017. Meeting participants discussed the first version of the HELCOM report, focusing on the approaches and results that could support MSP and be of use for maritime spatial planners. The report contains an assessment of a broad range of aspects, covering the state of the ecosystem, pressures and impacts from human activities, as well as social and economic dimensions, in the entire Baltic Sea.One of the HELCOM-VASAB MSP group’s tasks is to consider the concepts of green infrastructure and blue corridors, which serve to safeguard that the marine ecosystem remains functional outside marine protected areas as well as to connect marine protected areas to each other. The EU-funded international project PanBaltic SCOPE will focus on this issue during 2018–2019.Furthermore, the upcoming workshop (in February 2018) on identifying Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) in the Baltic Sea will provide information that can be directly used in developing the green infrastructure concept for MSP purposes. HELCOM made a to identify these areas at the United Nations Conference “Our oceans, our future: partnering for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14” in June 2017. The HELCOM-VASAB Meeting also planned future work on themes such as safety of navigation in MSP, and discussed application of the outcomes of various regional projects in spatial planning, in particular those flagship projects of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region that relate to MSP. * * *Note for editorsThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as HELCOM, is an intergovernmental organization 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 region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention.According to the United Nations, Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is “a public process of analyzing and allocating the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities in marine areas to achieve ecological, economic, and social objectives that usually have been specified through a political process.”The functions to ensure regional coherence of activities related to maritime spatial planning. The group, founded in 2010, is also in charge of Horizontal Action Spatial Planning within the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.  * * *For more information, please contact:Dmitry Frank-Kamenetsky Professional Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 630 9933 Skype: helcom68 E-mail: dmitry.frank-kamenetsky(at)helcom.fi 

The coordination of regional policy and application of the ecosystem-based approach in maritime spatial planning were in focus of the 15th Meeting of the joint HELCOM-VASAB Maritime Spatial Planning Working Group in Warsaw this week.

Baltic LINes project kicks off, improves cross-border maritime spatial planning​​​Increasing the access, compatibility and dissemination of high-quality data on linear infrastructure, particularly on shipping and offshore energy, are key areas falling under HELCOM’s responsibility in a new project, Baltic LINes. The project officially started this week in Berlin, Germany, with Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) of Germany as the lead partner.The kick-off meeting on Baltic LINes was held in Berlin, Germany. ​Through Baltic LINes, HELCOM will work together with Aalborg University, and with input from the Finnish Environment Institute and Netherlands University of Applied Sciences, to create an infrastructure for regional data exchange. The project will establish a community to foster links between national and regional GIS data sources. The activities will be carried out in phases until final completion in early 2019.  The overall aim of the project is to develop the most appropriate framework conditions for industrial and other activities at or by the sea—for example, maritime transportation, offshore energy exploitation and linear infrastructures—for the next 10 to 15 years.  * * *Note for editors:Since 2010, HELCOM and Vision and Strategies around the Baltic Sea () have jointly led a Maritime Spatial Planning Working which works to ensure regional coherence of activities related to maritime spatial planning. The group is also in charge of Horizontal Action Spatial Planning within the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. The Baltic LINes project—officially named Coherent Linear Infrastructures in Baltic Maritime Spatial Plans—will support the work of the expert data established under the HELCOM-VASAB MSP group. Baltic LINes involves the following project partners:Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), Germany – lead partnerBaltic Marine Environment Protection Commission – HELCOMState Regional Development Agency (VASAB Secretariat), LatviaMinistry of Energy, Infrastructure and State Development, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, GermanySwedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, SwedenMaritime Office in Gdynia, PolandMaritime Institute in Gdansk, PolandPolish Offshore Wind Energy Society, PolandCoastal Research and Planning Institute, LithuaniaMinistry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, LatviaUniversity of Tartu, EstoniaUniversity of Aalborg, DenmarkFinnish Environment Institute, FinlandFinnish Transport Agency, FinlandNHTV University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands * * * is an intergovernmental organization made up of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. Founded in 1974, its primary aims as a governing body are to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution, as well as to ensure safe maritime navigation. The official name of HELCOM is the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission; it is the governing body of the Helsinki Convention.* * * For more information, please contact:Hermanni BackerProfessional Secretary for Maritime, Response and Fish groupsHELCOMTel:  +358 46 8509199Skype: helcom02E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fi Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Baltic LINes project kicks off with the aim of improving cross-border maritime spatial planning, with specific concern on linear infrastructure such as shipping and offshore energy.

​​​Consultations across country borders in maritime spatial will become easier as the Baltic-wide guidelines has been agreed on this week for final adoption. The Guidelines for transboundary consultation, public participation and cooperation is one recent achievement of the joint HELCOM-VASAB Maritime Spatial Planning​ , unique in all of Europe as it is the only inter-governmental entity covering the whole sea basin in spatial planning.  The Working Group meets this week in Gdansk, Poland. Strategic spatial planning across international borders requires skillful cooperation. Photo: Samuli Korpinen.The maritime spatial planning (MSP) workshop of held yesterday exchanged ideas, discussed the work done so far and also, importantly, envisioned for future scenarios. HELCOM, in its Annual Meeting next month and beyond, will start the discussion about a new agenda for maritime spatial planning. More interaction and closer cooperation is to be discussed between HELCOM and VASAB also in the higher levels of regional decision-making. In general, the MSP group works to implement the HELCOM-VASAB Regional Baltic maritime spatial planning , as well as the EU Regional Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region through its role as the steering body for the Horizontal Action Spatial Planning Strategy.  Projects and data related to MSP in the Baltic Sea region has also been discussed by the Meeting, as well as the plans for promoting MSP in the Exhibition of the European Maritime in May 2016 in Turku, Finland. The joint HELCOM and VASAB set up of the joint Working Group has combined the legal framework, institutional capacities and knowledge of marine ecosystems and environmental and sectorial policies by HELCOM with the tradition and experience of strategic spatial planning at land and large cooperation projects by VASAB.  The 12th Meeting of the HELCOM-VASAB Maritime Spatial Planning Working Group was held on 24-25 February 2016 and co-chaired by Ms. Anita Mäkinen, Finland, and Mr. Andrzej Cieślak, Poland.  . All documents will be public after the meeting.  * * *Note for editorsOperational since 2010, the HELCOM-VASAB Maritime Spatial Planning has established its place to ensure the regional coherence of any activities related to maritime spatial planning. The group is in charge of the Horizontal Action Spatial Planning within the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. HELCOM Ministerial Meeting adopted in 2013 the Regional Baltic maritime spatial planning roadmap 2013–2020. 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 working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. For further information, please contactDmitry Frank-KamenetskyProfessional SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 630 9933Skype: helcom68E-mail: dmitry.frank-kamenetsky(at)helcom.fi Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

The Baltic region’s unique Working Group on maritime spatial planning has this week finalized the Guidelines for transboundary consultation, public participation and cooperation.

​​​​The careful preparations were rewarded yesterday and an important goal reached upon finalization of the for the implementation of ecosystem-based approach in maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Baltic Sea area. The HELCOM-VASAB MSP Working Group agreed on the procedurally oriented guideline which will help applying the ecosystem-based approach in MSP in practice, being also in accordance with spatial planning legislation in force in the Baltic Sea countries. This guideline fulfil, on schedule, the commitment made in the Regional Baltic Maritime Spatial Planning (2013-2020), adopted at the HELCOM 2013 Ministerial Meeting and the VASAB 2014 Ministerial Conference. The ecosystem approach has been agreed as an for MSP. The Guideline takes into account the relevant legal and policy context for the ecosystem-based approach, such as Helsinki Convention, HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan and the Joint HELCOM-VASAB MSP Principles, applicable to all Baltic coastal states and the EU, as well key EU requirements applicable to its members. Furthermore, it lists the key elements to consider when applying the approach, such as deploying best available knowledge and practice; precaution; developing alternatives; identification of ecosystem services; and so forth. The definition of the ecosystem-based approach used in the Guideline is as follows, as adopted jointly by HELCOM-OSPAR in 2003: “the comprehensive integrated management of human activities based on the best available scientific knowledge about the ecosystem and its dynamics, in order to identify and take action on influences which are critical to the health of marine ecosystems, thereby achieving sustainable use of ecosystem goods and services and maintenance of ecosystem integrity.” * * * Note for editorsThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organization 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 region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. Operational since 2010, the HELCOM-VASAB MSP Working has cemented its place to ensure the regional coherence of any activities related to maritime spatial planning. The group is in charge of the Horizontal Action Spatial Planning within the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. HELCOM Ministerial Meeting adopted in 2013 the Regional Baltic maritime spatial planning roadmap 2013–2020. * * * For more information, please contact:Dmitry Frank-KamenetskyProfessional SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 630 9933Skype: helcom68E-mail: dmitry.frank-kamenetsky(at)helcom.fi Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi​​​​

The careful preparations were rewarded yesterday and an important goal reached upon finalization of the Guideline for the implementation of ecosystem-based approach in maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Baltic Sea area.

​​​​​A new set of regional guidelines for carrying out cross-border consultations over maritime spatial plans between the Baltic littoral states is a top issue in the of HELCOM and VASAB continuing today in Riga, Latvia. The guidelines on transboundary consultations and cooperation and public participation has been prepared under the leadership of Poland with the aim to ensure early and efficient information exchange and engagement. The meeting will decide if the guidelines are ready for use. New guidelines would support early and efficient information exchange and engagement. Photo: Maritime Office in Gdynia.The transboundary guidelines will assist the countries in real-life cross-border spatial planning and were agreed on by the 2013 HELCOM , as part of the regional . According to the roadmap, another deliverable concerns the exchange of relevant and available MSP related information. The countries are obliged, among others, to promote the creation and sharing of MSP relevant Baltic Sea regional datasets. The Meeting of the HELCOM-VASAB Maritime Spatial Planning Working is co-chaired by Ms. Anita Mäkinen, Finland, and Mr. Andrzej Cieślak, Poland. It will be followed by the first meeting of the MSP data on 1 -2 October 2015.  * * *Note for editorsOperational since 2010, the HELCOM-VASAB Maritime spatial planning Working Group has established its place to ensure the regional coherence of any activities related to maritime spatial . The group is in charge of the Horizontal Action Spatial Planning within the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. HELCOM Ministerial Meeting adopted in 2013 the Regional Baltic maritime spatial planning roadmap 2013–2020. 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 working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * * For more information, please contact:Dmitry Frank-KamenetskyProfessional SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 630 9933Skype: helcom68E-mail: dmitry.frank-kamenetsky(at)helcom.fi Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi​

A new set of regional guidelines for carrying out cross-border consultations over maritime spatial plans in the Baltic Sea are under discussions in Riga, Latvia.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​HELCOM’s vast data on ships’ movements in the Baltic Sea are analysed to support the 2-year maritime spatial planning project Baltic SCOPE having its kick-off today in Riga, Latvia. HELCOM Automatic Identification System (AIS) network has monitored and compiled data on ships without interruption since 2005. Via HELCOM’s work, the project, led by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, can tap into this spatial information on shipping, a key activity in the Baltic. The cleaning and restructuring of the huge raw AIS data covering the period 2005-2014 has already been undertaken by HELCOM Secretariat. Also the first versions of traffic density maps have been prepared for the case study areas – one in the Baltic Sea southwest and the other between Estonia, Latvia and Sweden. The HELCOM Secretariat will also prepare a publication drawing together lesson learnt on the use of AIS and other data in maritime spatial planning of the Baltic Sea, in order to ease the future work in other initiatives. Being a regional information hub, HELCOM also possesses other and up to date spatial information for planning at sea such as on marine protected , in a new database to be open for public in the end of November, or maps on the distribution of endangered species and habitats listed in the HELCOM publications.  One example of upcoming HELCOM products of likely interest for MSP purposes is the Baltic-wide dataset of fishing vessel movements, compiled in cooperation with ICES.  The 2-year Baltic SCOPE project focuses on planning various marine-based activities such as shipping, fishing, offshore wind farming, and protected areas. The project plans to deliver a set of generic good practices, methods and results which will be filtered into the Baltic MSP process fostered by the HELCOM-VASAB MSP .  Maritime spatial planning, an essential instrument for efficient, ecosystem-based management of maritime activities, is also a horizontal action of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea region jointly led by HELCOM and VASAB.  * * *Note for editorsSince 2005, the Baltic region has had a system in place for gathering signals from all the Automatic Identification System (AIS) devices on ships – the HELCOM AIS network. This network provides real-time surveillance and statistics of the movement of ships, and is administered by the HELCOM AIS , meeting annually since 2002. E-navigation uses such information to create a second generation of electronic services for enhanced safety and environmental performance. The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as HELCOM, is an intergovernmental organization 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 region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * * For more information, please contact:Hermanni BackerProfessional Secretary for Maritime and ResponseHELCOMTel:  +358 46 8509199Skype: helcom02E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fi ​Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

HELCOM’s vast data on tracking ships’ movements in the Baltic Sea are analysed to support the 2-year maritime spatial planning project Baltic SCOPE having its kick-off event today in Riga, Latvia.

​A brand new project Baltic SCOPE, with HELCOM participation, has been launched this week in Gothenburg, Sweden, coordinated by the Swedish for Marine and Water Management. As committed by the Ministers both for marine environment protection and spatial planning, in the regional for maritime spatial planning, most countries in the Baltic Sea region have intensified their efforts in developing marine spatial plans. The EU-funded project will contribute to this challenging task. The Baltic SCOPE project focuses on planning various marine-based activities such as shipping, fishing, offshore wind farming, and protected areas – more specifically, would such activities possibly co-exist or be separated in different parts of the marine areas. Importantly, the planning of the common sea areas is to be a coordinated effort. HELCOM will provide the SCOPE project with maritime GIS data, especially on ship movements in the region based on the HELCOM Automatic Identification System (AIS) network.  The project is comprised of two case studies that build upon marine spatial planning processes that have already begun – one in the Baltic Sea southwest and the other between Estonia, Latvia and Sweden.Link:  * * *Note for editors:According to the United Nations, maritime spatial planning (MSP) is “a public process of analyzing and allocating the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities in marine areas to achieve ecological, economic, and social objectives that usually have been specified through a political process.” Operational since 2010, the HELCOM-VASAB MSP ensures the regional coherence of any activities related to maritime spatial planning. The group is in charge of the Horizontal Action Spatial Planning within the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. HELCOM Ministerial Meeting adopted in 2013 the Regional Baltic maritime spatial planning roadmap 2013–2020. * * *Since 2005, the Baltic region has had a system in place for gathering signals from all the Automatic Identification System (AIS) devices on ships – the HELCOM AIS network. This network provides real-time surveillance and statistics of the movement of ships, and is administered by the HELCOM , meeting annually since 2002. E-navigation uses such information to create a second generation of electronic services for enhanced safety and environmental performance– Check the 3 minute , ‘Baltic Sea shipping visualised’ * * *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 working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *For more information, please contact:Hermanni BackerProfessional Secretary for Maritime, Response and Maritime Spatial PlanningHELCOMTel:  +358 46 8509199Skype: helcom02E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fiJohanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

HELCOM will provide the Baltic SCOPE project with maritime GIS data, especially on ship movements based on the AIS network.

The Regional action plan for marine and the Recommendation
on the conservation of in the Baltic Sea are both expecting
adoption this week as the highest body of HELCOM, the Annual Meeting, convenes
in Helsinki, Finland. The delegates of the Contracting Parties of the Helsinki
Convention, representing the nine coastal Baltic countries as well as the EU,
will also address the on effective regional work between HELCOM and the
EU Strategy of the Baltic Sea Region, as the revision of the Action Plan of the
Strategy is about to be finalized soon.

 op-10 items found in the Baltic Sea as well as micro-plastics have special measures reserved in the marine litter action plan. Photo: Bo Eide/Flickr.

Marine litter is a growing concern globally as well as regionally, and the HELCOM Recommendation on Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter is the first comprehensive approach to the problem in the Baltic Sea region. The HELCOM commitment from 2013 is to achieve a significant quantitative reduction of marine litter by 2025, compared to 2015.  The plan integrates the actions required at regional level as well as the national actions by countries according to their needs. Special measures are addressed to the top-10 items found in the Baltic Sea as well micro-plastics. The document also highlights the importance of environmental education and recommends coordinated monitoring programmes for the common marine litter indicators. The Marine litter action plan, to be successfully implemented, will require the countries’ leadership for specific actions as well as wide involvement of stakeholders in the region. Close cooperation with other Regional Seas Conventions, and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, has also been brought up as a way to realize a wide ranging measures. Moreover, adequate protection for the will take shape after the expected adoption of the new HELCOM Recommendation. The new Recommendation follows up on the critical situation of many Baltic Sea species as concluded in the 2013 HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea in danger of becoming extinct (). Preparation of a Recommendation on the Conservation of is expected to begin shortly. The Annual Meeting, held on 3-4 March, will also follow up on the recent to institutionalize the cooperation under HELCOM policies and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, for better defining the complementarity of the roles and specific tasks. As both in HELCOM and under EUSBSR there are shared action areas, more systematic cooperation will save resources and add to the efficiency in reaching the mutual goals. Other key topics under negotiations:-          Finalization of the HELCOM Recommendation on sustainable aquaculture. Substituting the existing HELCOM Recommendation (25/4) aims to limit potential environmental impacts of aquaculture activities such as the introduction of non-indigenous species, ecological and genetic impacts on wild fish stocks from unintended releases of farmed species, nutrient pollution, as well as introduction of antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals. Aquaculture, including fish farming, is a growing food production industry that continues to have large potential for green technologies and environmentally friendly production methods, both in marine and fresh waters.-          Adoption of the Revised HELCOM Guidelines for Management of Dredged Material at Sea.-          Adopting the revised HELCOM Recommendation 25/7 on safety of winter navigation in the Baltic Sea Area, including a new harmonization of approximate correspondence of ice classes-          Adopting the revised HELCOM Recommendation 34E/4 “Airborne surveillance with remote sensing equipment in the Baltic Sea area”-          Finalization of a work plan to improve regional coherence, in the implementation of different marine policies to reach Good Environmental Status –          Cooperation with other Regional Seas Conventions and organizations – newest developments * * *Note for editorsThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as, is an intergovernmental organization 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 region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *For more information, please contact:Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Marine litter, Recommendation on threatened species and the revision of the EU Regional Strategy Action Plan and HELCOM are top items of the HELCOM Annual Meeting.

​High-quality data on maritime spatial planning () in the Baltic region will be a major issue in a starting today, along with a new expert group under plans to better tackle the current blocks in access and availability of such data.  Another key topic is the implementation of the EU Directive on MSP , adopted last July. HELCOM has thematic and targeted on maritime spatial planning in the Baltic Sea region.The data in question concerns marine activities as well as biological, physical and socio-economic environments. At present, sufficient data for trans-boundary maritime spatial planning (MSP) is lacking. There are still challenges in availability, compatibility, usability and spread of data. The planned data expert group would identify and address the key impediments as well as ensure structured and continuous work. Last summer, HELCOM has created thematic and targeted on MSP in the Baltic Sea region, already improving access to GIS and other related data. The national work to implement the EU Directive on maritime spatial planning can be supported with existing Baltic experience in MSP. The participants of the meeting will discuss the role and contribution of their Working Group, operational since 2010, with regards to the implementation strategy of the EU Directive.  The dynamic future of MSP will be represented in the meeting also in the form of a number of projects – Baltic LINes, Baltic Scope, BaltSpace and “BaltWise II”. Wind power, shipping, pipelines, fishing and protected areas are just some areas covered, assisting the Working Group to tap into the forthcoming fresh results and best practices thus better supporting countries in their work on eco-system based MSP.  The meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden is the tenth regular session for the joint Working on MSP of HELCOM and Vision and Strategies around the Baltic Sea (VASAB). The meeting is hosted by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM) and chaired by Mr. Andrzej Cieślak, Poland and Joacim Johansson, Sweden. . All documents will be public after the meeting.  * * *Note for editors:According to the United Nations, maritime spatial planning (MSP) is “a public process of analyzing and allocating the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities in marine areas to achieve ecological, economic, and social objectives that usually have been specified through a political process.” Operational since 2010, the HELCOM-VASAB MSP has regularized its place to ensure the regional coherence of any activities related to maritime spatial planning. The group is in charge of the Horizontal Action Spatial Planning within the EU for the Baltic Sea Region. HELCOM Ministerial Meeting adopted in 2013 the Regional Baltic maritime spatial planning roadmap 2013–2020. 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 working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *For further information, please contact:Laura Meski Assistant Professional Secretary HELCOM +358 40 162 2053 Skype: helcom82 E-mail: laura.meski(at)helcom.fi Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

High-quality data and implementation of the EU Directive on maritime spatial planning will be key topics in a meeting starting today.

The cooperation between HELCOM and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) is expected to smoothen.  For the first time, a dedicated session with the representatives from relevant EUSBSR Priority Areas and Horizontal Actions was successfully organized as a part of this week’s of HELCOM Heads of Delegation representing all the Baltic coastal countries as well as the EU. The full meeting is now available online, listing all the issues addressed and decided on in the meeting for the benefit of the Baltic marine environment.Improving cooperation in practice was the key topic of HELCOM session with representatives from the EU Strategy for the Baltic sea Region. Photo: Dodik Putro.Concrete proposals on why and how to improve the synergies between HELCOM and EUSBSR have been listed in the meeting outcome. The shared goal would be to better communicate the policy directions and needs by HELCOM, which then can be met with and supported by the EUSBSR work and projects. The meeting recommended practical ways for better use of the expertise of HELCOM groups. Using the existing forums, co-chairing, back-to-back meetings, opportunity for involving Russian experts, and helping HELCOM countries in tapping into EU funding were also mentioned as practical solutions for more effective regional cooperation. The timing for the joint HELCOM-EUSBSR meeting was particularly adept, as the HELCOM streamlining process has been completed few months ago while the Action Plan of the EUSBSR is currently under revision, expecting launch at the Strategy’s Annual Forum in mid-June 2015. As per other results of the Heads of Delegation meeting, HELCOM “sub-hot spot” No. 18.1 “Construction of new sewer connections” was deleted, concerning the waste water treatment system of St. Petersburg. A large-scale environmental project for the construction of the northern tunnel collector of the city of five million inhabitants was finalized in October 2013, preventing the discharge of untreated waste water into the Neva River by approximately 122 million m3 per year. Since then, 98.4% of waste water has been estimated as adequately treated in St. Petersburg. HELCOM originally included 162 of the region’s significant sources of pollution, out of which over two thirds have since been mitigated.   Adequate reception for passenger ships was also negotiated by the Meeting, being part of the larger process of complying with the Baltic’s status as a sewage special area as decided by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in 2011. The consultations for a joint notification on the adequacy of ports’ reception facilities will continue via correspondence early next year. The meeting was held on 9-10 December 2014 and it was chaired by the current Estonian Chair of HELCOM, Mr. Harry Liiv. ..  * * * Note for editorsThe European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region () is the first macro-regional strategy in Europe. It aims at reinforcing cooperation within this large region in order to face several challenges by working together as well as promoting a more balanced development in the area. The Strategy also contributes to major EU policies and reinforces the integration within the area. The (HOD) of HELCOM usually meet few times a year. While the Annual Meeting of HELCOM remains the Commission’s highest decision-making body, the Heads of Delegation have a relatively high authority over most major issues.  The working structure of HELCOM, supported and administered by the Secretariat, comprises of the Helsinki Commission, the Heads of Delegation, and eight main working groups, together with tens of expert groups, correspondence groups and projects. 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 working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * * For more information, please contact:Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi​

For the first time, a dedicated session with the representatives from relevant EUSBSR areas was organized as a part of this week’s meeting of HELCOM Heads of Delegation.