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​Upon request, HELCOM contributes an update each year to the report of the United Nations Secretary-General on oceans and the law of the sea. The HELCOM from 30 June 2015 provides an overview of HELCOM activities in 2014-15, with the more specific angle to report on the implementation to the previous UN General Assembly Resolution dated on 29 December 2014. The next full report will be considered by the General Assembly in its 70th session in September 2015. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) has been an observer of HELCOM since 1980 and has expressed a wish to keep informed about HELCOM work. On the other hand, HELCOM and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have reciprocal observership and has collaborated for instance in issue related to marine litter, marine biodiversity, and actions to address land-based sources.> > > * * * 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 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.

HELCOM contribution from 30 June 2015 provides an overview of HELCOM activities in 2014-15, with the more specific angle to report on the implementation to the previous UN General Assembly Resolution dated on 29 December 2014.

​The HELCOM-supported which started today in St. Petersburg, Russia is a popular forum for regional environmental dialogue arranged for 15 consecutive years. The participants include high level representatives from ministries and managers from administration of the Baltic Sea countries and beyond, the EU, as well as regional cooperation organizations and financial institutions. Members of the event, organized by the non-governmental organization Ecology and Business, cover many sectors of the Baltic society – science, business, governance, NGOs and the mass media. Natalia Tretiakova, HELCOM Head of Delegation of Russia, receives the award for personal contributions to the development of Baltic cooperation.HELCOM Head of Delegation, Ms. Natalia Tretiakova from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment of the Russian Federation, received the main award for personal contributions to the development of Baltic cooperation. There were five recipients in total for the award from the V. I. Vernadskiy Ecological Fund, among them Mr. Jaakko Henttonen from European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).HELCOM Chair Harry Liiv focused in his speech at the plenary on the current priorities of Estonian Chairmanship of HELCOM, with particular attention on nutrient removal and recycling as well as marine litter. The latter is a particularly current issue – and a topic of one of the afternoon sessions – as the Regional action plan for marine litter was adopted just two weeks ago as a new HELCOM Recommendation.  “HELCOM has a long tradition of cooperation in organizing the Baltic Sea Day as HELCOM’s work can benefit from the discussions held in the roundtables and from the networks of experts, scientists and managers who continue gathering every year to debate about the marine environment protection”, HELCOM Executive Secretary Monika Stankiewicz said in the opening plenary.”The Forum reminds us of the value of cooperation in HELCOM – all members of our family, the nine riparian countries and the European Union continue working together around one table as the marine environment unites us all. This has proved to be true in the past and is also the spirit of cooperation now, and I’m sure will be in the future.”There will be six different round table sessions rolling out in the afternoon. The topics range from marine and coastal protected areas to biodiversity, environmentally friendly farming, sustainable sewage sludge handling, marine litter and the results of 2014 Gulf of Finland Year, among others. Tomorrow Friday the areas of environmental education as well as journalism are covered in their respective sessions.Full programme is available in the of the Forum organizer, Ecology and Business NGO, St. Petersburg, Russia.  * * *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 Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

The HELCOM-supported Baltic Sea Day started today in St. Petersburg, Russia. The popular Forum has been organized for 15 consecutive years.

Statement by monika stankiewicz, Helcom executive secretary

Dear Colleagues,2014 was the year of the 40th
anniversary and the modernization of HELCOM. The jubilee celebrations were
pleasant and joyful – a moment of reflection on our grand past and a look into
the desirable future. It was also an opportunity to show appreciation to all
involved in the common mission.Modernization sounds less joyful,
although it shouldn’t be, otherwise we would not be doing the right job. The
streamlining of HELCOM has now been concluded. Time will show how successful we
will be – the Contracting Parties and the Secretariat in delivering what has
been promised – with clearer priorities and more structured planning, a new
working structure, improved work flows and more effective communication. Also,
hopefully, HELCOM will not be an isolated case but all major organizations and processes
in the Baltic Sea region will follow suit to secure synergies and integration. We can already prove increased
synergies, which was in the heart of HELCOM’s modernization. HELCOM and OSPAR
are working together on core indicators to assess the status of the marine
environment and on the harmonized implementation of the BWMC. The HELCOM
monitoring manual was prepared and published last autumn for the countries’ use
in their reporting under other international obligations. Next holistic
assessment of the Baltic ecosystem health has been agreed to serve as “roof
report” to be reported in 2018 by the HELCOM EU countries under MSFD.Coordinating work and assessments,
yes, this has progressed well. But importantly, new measures in the region
continue to be coordinated to effectively implement HELCOM acquis (the
requirements of the Helsinki Convention, HELCOM Recommendations), also taking
into account the requirements of the MSFD and relevant legislation in the
Russian Federation. After all, taking all appropriate measures to prevent and
eliminate pollution is the basic requirement of the Helsinki Convention, and it
is only through concrete measures that we can improve the status of the Baltic
Sea.My last point also concerns
measures, in the maritime field. Since its beginning HELCOM has been
the regional platform to discuss and agree among the riparian countries on
harmonized implementation of IMO conventions and, if and when proved necessary,
on additional and stricter requirements to be applied by ships operating in the
sensitive area of the Baltic Sea. The discussions have not always been easy and
processes fast, but nevertheless we could say with confidence that in our
region pollution from ships has been addressed adequately. The maritime field
has been one of the most successful areas of cooperation in HELCOM.Also last year a lot of efforts were
invested in working out solutions for green shipping and regarding ballast
water, sewage from passenger ships, emissions of pollutants and use of
alternative fuels. There is both a willingness among the administrations and a
clear need for such solutions. Shipping industry and other stakeholders are
actively engaged. One could say we have all it takes to propose and then agree
on workable solutions on these important issues, for the benefit of the Baltic
marine environment. Yet, the agreements that are needed
to conclude the processes on time have recently proved to be difficult to make.
We are running a risk and are very close to a situation, when it will no longer
be possible to state that shipping is the most environmentally friendly mode of
transport, at least not in the Baltic, as the controls over land-based
pollution sources tighten. This would not be good for the region, for the
marine environment nor the industry itself. I realize the difficulties and
challenges, the issue of competences and legal complexity, varying expert or
scientific opinions, economic concerns. But it is possible for us to overcome
these, with phased-in implementation schemes, suitable timetables, and
appropriate legal and other solutions, as long as political will is there. After the jubilee year the
streamlined HELCOM is ready to face any future challenges. HELCOM’s strength is
cooperation, which is based on trust and equality between Contracting
Parties.  Let’s build on the successful
past and ensure that HELCOM delivers also in the future.* * *For more information, please contact:Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Annual statement on the work of the HELCOM Secretariat in 2014, including comments and evaluation of the work of the Commission and its subsidiary bodies.

​Energy efficiency, marine litter, agriculture and sewage sludge are among the key topics in the XVI International Environmental Forum “Baltic Sea Day”, held on 18-20 March 2015 in St. Petersburg, Russia.The Forum, arranged for 15 consecutive years, has traditionally been a popular platform for regional environmental dialogue. The participants represent many sectors of the Baltic society – administration, science, business, NGOs and the mass media.Key plenary topicsHELCOM priorities during the presidency of EstoniaResults of the 2014 Year of the Gulf of Finland Global Dialogue on Water security and Sustainable Growth (Global Water Partnership)St. Petersburg Initiative – interim resultsNord Stream: Results and data of the environmental monitoring programme of the pipeline “Nord Stream” in 2014Marine and coastal protected areas of Russia: Status and prospectsRound tablesEnergy efficiencyGreen agricultureMarine litterSustainable sewage sludge handlingBest practices of environmental education other key environmental topicsFor a smoother Visa process, any willing participant is encouraged to approach the organizers soonest (contact: Ms. Natalia Bobyleva, bobyleva@helcom.ru).Full programme is available in the of the Forum organizer, Ecology and Business NGO, St. Petersburg, Russia.  * * * For more information, please contact:Ekaterina Vorobyeva Ecology and Business Tel: +7 81 2982 9437 Skype: ekaterina_vorobyeva E-mail: vorobyeva(at)helcom.ruJohanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Energy efficiency, marine litter, agriculture and sewage sludge are among the key topics in the XVI International Environmental Forum “Baltic Sea Day”, 18-20 March 2015.

New HELCOM main working groups are now decided on, to better meet with the present needs and challenges in the governments’ efforts to protect the Baltic marine environment, and to improve the work flow and overall effectiveness of handling the urgently important task. The decision taken by the HELCOM Heads of Delegation, during a ending this afternoon in Helsinki, Finland, completes the process of modernizing the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission – HELCOM – by establishing an upgraded working structure for HELCOM.  “It is exciting to witness the new beginning for HELCOM and finalize the lengthy streamlining process, ending quite aptly during the 40th anniversary year of the Commission. The thorough journey has itself been rewarding and useful – the re-evaluation of HELCOM priorities, which reflect well the priorities of the Contracting Parties; the assessing of the many inter-linkages with other international frameworks; and making even better use of limited resources”, states HELCOM Chair Harry Liiv. The new main groups are designed to optimally match the HELCOM priorities. One of the new groups will address the pressures from human activities on land, including inputs of nutrients and hazardous substances, as well as marine litter and underwater noise. On the other hand, the development of a coherent holistic assessment of ecosystem health as well as ensuring an unbroken chain of monitoring, indicators and assessments will be under one umbrella group, which is, importantly, also dedicated for biodiversity protection and nature conservation as they remain a crucial part of HELCOM work.  Addressing maritime activities and response to pollution at sea and the shore continue as vital for HELCOM as before, not forgetting maritime spatial planning, sustainable agriculture practices and sustainable fisheries.  A special group GEAR will continue to ensure the coherent implementation of the ecosystem approach but also a harmonized approach between the HELCOM working groups.  * * *All HELCOM groups:Working Group related to reducing loads, emissions and anthropogenic dischargesThe new group will provide the necessary technical underpinning to the work on nutrient and hazardous substances inputs from diffuse sources and point sources on land, including to the follow-up of the implementation of the nutrient reduction scheme. It will focus on developing solutions to the policy-relevant questions and needs. The group will also have the coordination of marine litter and underwater noise in its portfolio. Working Group related to environmental assessments and nature protection The new subsidiary body will cover monitoring and assessment theme as well as nature conservation and biodiversity protection theme in HELCOM with a specific arrangement for its work, including meetings, in order to cater for the needs to efficiently cover both themes. Group on Sustainable Agricultural PracticesThe new group will deal with agriculture in relation to the implementation of the ecosystem-based approach and involve representatives from agriculture and environment authorities of the Baltic Sea countries, as well as EU and HELCOM Observers. It will provide a platform for agri-environmental policy measures and instruments and joint discussion on the Baltic agriculture in the context of the protection of the marine environment, in order to address nutrient inputs and emissions from agriculture. Group on Ecosystem based Sustainable FisheriesThe new group will deal with fisheries in relation to the implementation of the ecosystem-based approach. Moreover, the group will respond to the need to find solutions on how the sector could further contribute to reaching Good Environmental Status of the Baltic Sea by 2021. The group will involve representatives from fisheries and environment authorities of the Baltic Sea countries, as well as EU, and HELCOM Observers and others as appropriate. Group for the implementation of the ecosystem approach – GEARThe GEAR Group will work towards region-wide co-operation on all elements of national marine strategies, building both on national activities based on a legal framework and HELCOM’s work, such as HELCOM’s coordinated monitoring programmes, core indicators with good environmental status boundaries, thematic and integrated assessment reports, including assessment of pressures on the marine environment, as well as commonly agreed measures, with the view to facilitate adaptive management and strive for improved state of the Baltic Sea. Maritime groupThe Maritime group works to prevent any pollution from ships – including deliberate operational discharges as well as accidental pollution. The group works to ensure that adopted regulations are observed and enforced effectively and uniformly through close international co-operation; as well as to identify and promote actions to limit sea-based pollution while ensuring safe navigation. Response groupHELCOM Response Group works to ensure swift national and international response to maritime pollution incidents and that in case of an accident the right equipment is available and routines are in place to respond immediately in cooperation with neighbouring states. The Group also coordinates the aerial surveillance of maritime shipping routes to provide a complete picture of sea-based pollution around the Baltic, and to help identify suspected polluters.  HELCOM-VASAB working group on maritime spatial planningA joint co-chaired Working Group works to ensure cooperation among the Baltic Sea region countries for coherent regional Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) processes. The group, lead jointly with the Vision and Strategies around the Baltic Sea (VASAB), provides a forum for regional, trans-boundary and cross-sectoral dialogue. The HELCOM-VASAB MSP Working Group follows and examines as well as makes use of the outcomes and findings of regional project activities relevant to MSP.New Terms of Reference available soon in and  * * *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 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: Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

New main working groups are now decided on, to better meet with the present needs and challenges in the governments’ efforts to protect the Baltic marine environment.

​Less unnecessary ambiguity in international cooperation regarding agriculture, livestock and manure management is now possible, thanks to the newly published translation of a large by HELCOM . Glossary of Terms on livestock and manure management will help to standardize terminology and also assist in international exchange of experience and results, in science, technology and policy frameworks alike. Photo: Harri Huhta / MTT.The Glossary supports in a concrete manner HELCOM’s efforts in joint regional work for sustainable agricultural practices within the entire catchment area. An example of such regional work is agreeing in the to establish national standards, by 2016, for nutrient content in manure.  “Many projects cooperate with Russian experts on agricultural issues. Terminology is sometimes very technical and small nuances can even change the meaning of a concept. We are grateful to the original authors for the permission to translate the Glossary and benefit a wider group of experts”, says Saija Vuola, BASE Project Manager. The translation was made as part of a larger cooperation between HELCOM BASE Project (Implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan in Russia) and the State Scientific Institution North-West Research Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Electrification (SZNIIMESH) of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences. SZNIIMESH is preparing a long-term manure management plan for Kaliningrad region as commissioned by BASE.  The Glossary was first compiled in 2003 at the request of Kuratorium für Technik und Bauwesen in der Landwirtschaft (KBTL) and Research Network on Recycling of Agricultural and Industrial Residues in Agriculture (RAMIRAN). The editorial work was conducted by Brian Pain of Creedy Associates, United Kingdom and Harald Menzi of Swiss College of Agriculture (SHL), Switzerland, with assistance from various experts from across Europe.  The is freely available on the RAMIRAN website. The of the Glossary is freely available on the BASE website.  * Note for editors: (2012-2014) supports the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan () in Russia.  BASE addresses altogether three priority areas of the HELCOM BSAP: eutrophication, hazardous substances, and biodiversity and nature protection. Within BASE, monitoring activities to support and measure the progress within the abovementioned segments are also being carried out. The pilot projects (See: ) are implemented by experts from Russia with the support of EU experts, while the overall Project, funded by EU, is managed by the HELCOM Secretariat and St. Petersburg Public Organization “” 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 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:Saija Vuola Project Manager HELCOM BASE Tel: +358 40 668 4657  Skype: helcom48 E-mail: saija.vuola(at)helcom.fi Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Less ambiguity in international cooperation regarding agriculture, livestock and manure management is now possible, thanks to the new translation of a large glossary in Russian by HELCOM BASE Project.

​For the first time, the joint management plans of the Vistula Lagoon, located between Poland and Russia, is discussed by such a wide array of stakeholders, representing transport, tourism, fisheries management, environmental protection, maritime spatial planning and business sectors.  The 2-day Forum in Kaliningrad, Russia is organized by and projects and brings together Polish, Russian and international stakeholders to agree upon the baseline situation and start the plans. The initiative contributes to the achievement of good environmental status for the Baltic Sea, sustaining a wide range of human, economic and social activities in the region, as an overall goal of Baltic Sea Action Plan istula Lagoon is separated from the Gulf of Gdansk by a long sandy Spit, forming a variety of landscapes. The Lagoon has unique natural features and it provides a shallow-water sink for a large catchment area, making the ecosystem of the Lagoon very sensitive to any human disturbances. The waterbody remains one of 52 HELCOM “hot spots”, as the pollution load being accumulated in the lagoon for years from its vast catchment significantly influences the water quality of the Baltic Sea. quot;There is a strong need to develop a shared comprehensive management plan for the lagoon basin and its watershed by Poland and Russia in order to counteract the water pollution. Better management will reduce concerns also for other environmental aspects, e.g. nature conservation and sustainable use of the lagoon’s resources. Meanwhile, the lagoon is an attractive area for development of various human activities, e.g. shipping, fishery and tourism, which, if environmental limitations are not considered, may compromise sustainable development of the region. By and large, water management issues deserve more attention from the general public, authorities and decision-makers in the region, and this is exactly what the new initiative aims to create,” says Saija Vuola, BASE Project Manager, HELCOM. he Vistula Lagoon and its basin will continue to be the most important area for development within the sub-region. Many local, regional, national, and international bodies and projects are already cooperating on related issues to better jointly manage the Lagoon. However, cooperation has often structured around one specific issue thus missing a more holistic, cross-sectorial approach  * Note for editors: (2012-2014) supports the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) in Russia.  BASE addresses altogether three priority areas of the HELCOM BSAP: eutrophication, hazardous substances, and biodiversity and nature protection. Within BASE, monitoring activities to support and measure the progress within the abovementioned segments are also being carried out. The pilot projects (See: ) are implemented by experts from Russia with the support of EU experts, while the overall Project, funded by EU, is managed by the HELCOM Secretariat and St. Petersburg Public Organization “”.  aims to identify the development potential of the Vistula Lagoon region as well as Polish- Russian socio-economic cooperation. The project will analyse the process of sustainable development on regional level, as well as the natural conditions of the lagoon and the possibilities for socio-economic growth. The project should also answer to questions about the potential forms of Polish-Russian cooperation in this area and define the regional development directions for future 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 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:Saija VuolaProject ManagerHELCOM BASETel: +358 40 668 4657 Skype: helcom48E-mail: saija.vuola(@)helcom.fi Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70 E-mail: johanna.laurila(@)helcom.fi

First time for such a wide array of sector representatives to discuss the joint management plans of the Vistula Lagoon, taking place today and tomorrow.

The strategic direction for
HELCOM internal and external communication has been set and adopted by the
HELCOM Annual Meeting last Friday. The new has been prepared to better
reflect the main priorities of HELCOM work and to support its key function as
the provider of reliable and timely information, and it describes the basic
elements of HELCOM strategic communication such as goals and objectives, target
audience and messages.  mportantly, the new Strategy responds to the needs of streamlined HELCOM activities in reaction to inevitable changes in the realities surrounding and interacting with HELCOM key working areas. The achievements of the streamlining process will ensure an up-to-date, more efficient HELCOM in both internal processes and in its plentiful external relations. >

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* * *>>For further information, please contact:>>Johanna Laurila>
Information Secretary>
HELCOM>
Tel: +358 40 523 8988>
Skype: helcom70>
E-mail: >>

The strategic direction for HELCOM internal and external communication was adopted by the HELCOM Annual Meeting.

The first part of a more modern HELCOM is ready and agreed on, describing a plan for major deliverables by the organization until 2021. Since 2012 HELCOM has been streamlining itself to better cope with increasing changes in marine and maritime governance, to maintain and strengthen the inter-linkage with other international frameworks, and to ensure a forward-looking and focused agenda well reflecting priorities of HELCOM’s ten Contracting Parties. The result is a more efficient and effective HELCOM, better equipped to address the identified challenges of the Baltic Sea area. The 35th Annual Meeting of the Helsinki Commission agreed to go ahead with the plan “Directions and solutions for streamlined HELCOM activities”. HELCOM’s strengths and challenges have now been identified, along with possible solutions to overcome the challenges and a procedure for establishing priorities. The starting point for planning future actions is the constantly updated Roadmap of HELCOM activities on ecosystem approach, which contains all major deliverables and their timelines in HELCOM work. The next streamlining step will be a new working structure for HELCOM.

The first part of a more modern, streamlined HELCOM is ready and agreed on.

​Statement by the Executive Secretary of HELCOM, Mrs. Monika Stankiewicz, giving her account on the activities of the Commission in 2013 at HELCOM 35/2014 013 was first and foremost the year of the Copenhagen Ministerial Meeting. Work in the HELCOM Secretariat and with and among the Contracting Parties concentrated very much on preparations for the Ministerial Meeting during the first three quarters of the year. It was important to get all the important deliverables ready by the meeting; therefore we made extra efforts together at all working levels as well as each and every one individually. As an example we had altogether five HOD meetings in 2013 – in normal years there are two, maybe threeThe hard work paid off: we can be proud of the successful Ministerial Meeting. From the Secretariat’s side I would like to thank Denmark for excellent cooperation in the preparations and arrangements of the meeting as part of the Danish chairmanship. But all the Contracting Party representatives, experts, staff, observers and other partners involved in the process deserve our gratitude for their contributions to the success of the meetingIn Copenhagen the Ministers and the High-Level Representatives of the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention negotiated in an open and constructive spirit the open questions and finally adopted a Declaration and some major deliverables, indicating the progress in all fields of the Baltic Sea Action Plan. These included new HELCOM Recommendations in the maritime and maritime special planning fields, amendment to the Helsinki Convention concerning shoreline response, joint HELCOM/OSPAR guidance on harmonized approach to the exemptions under the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention, and revised Monitoring and Assessment Strategy.The Ministerial discussions on the timing for the establishment of the Baltic Sea NOx Emission Control Area under Annex VI of MARPOL proved challenging. While we are awaiting the outcome of the IMO considerations on the same issue, I’m especially glad that the Platform on green technology and alternative fuels for shipping, supported by the Ministers, has already kick-started and the related draft roadmap for future actions is presented to this Meeting.Further, I am especially happy about the adoption of the updated and revised Nutrient Reduction Scheme, including  the sharing of the pollution reduction burden between HELCOM countries. By agreeing to this, the Contracting Parties showed their commitment to continue their efforts to fight eutrophication of the Baltic Sea. One last step is still to be made – we are awaiting the outcome of the national negotiations in Poland so also Poland fully signs up to the common schemeThe revised HELCOM nutrient reduction scheme includes also airborne nitrogen and explicitly extends to sources outside the coastal countries, in the Baltic Sea catchment area. This is important to be able to reduce inputs in a more cost-efficient and comprehensive way.With the funds allocated in the HELCOM budget, complemented by some special contributions, and with the dedication of numerous HELCOM experts around the Baltic Sea we were able to finalize major projects, which delivered important inputs for the Ministerial Meeting. The Red List project did a huge job, an unprecedented effort, during five years to verify the conservation status of biodiversity. 1753 species and 209 biotopes were assessed for risk of extinction in the Red List reports. 69 of Baltic Sea species and 59 biotopes were found to be under such risk. The enormous amount of data collected and analyzed during this project – and also outcomes of other projects such as CORESET project on core-indicators – is in the HELCOM website available to the public openly and free of charge.And this brings me to the second big theme of last year: reform, or modernization, or streamlining, which was started in a very concrete way, by reforming the HELCOM website. The new face of HELCOM was revealed just before the Ministerial Meeting. You have seen the outcome, but what you have not seen are the extra efforts by everybody working in the Secretariat during the construction of the new website – all staff worked really hard in the web project on top of their regular responsibilities. The new meeting portal will soon follow. And as we all know, the whole HELCOM working structure is under review since last year. I’m sure that the streamlining process will lead to a more efficient HELCOMAs has been said many times, also during this meeting and the Jubilee Session, for HELCOM it is as important as the ambitious contents of the Ministerial Declaration to transform words into action, to ensure that the governments, HELCOM community and other stakeholders act together and make the change.  

Statement by the Executive Secretary of HELCOM, Mrs. Monika Stankiewicz, giving her account on the activities of the Commission in 2013 at HELCOM 35/2014.