Chairlady of the Helsinki Commission 

1 July 2010 - 30 June 2012

 Ms. Gabriella Lindholm                       Overall priorities of the Swedish Chairmanship of HELCOM

Sweden will make it a priority to facilitate the Implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan

Statement by Ms. Lindholm upon assuming the Chairmanship of HELCOM  

The Swedish Chairmanship of HELCOM will make it a priority to facilitate the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan to radically reduce pollution to the marine environment and restore its good ecological status by 2021. The outcome of the Moscow HELCOM Ministerial Meeting held in May 2010 reinforced the joint commitment of the coastal countries to recreate a healthy Baltic Sea. It has created a momentum for regional action to carry out the National Implementation Programmes to achieve the objective of the plan.

The success of the programmes will largely depend on the availability and allocation of administrative and financial resources. However, in order to ensure sufficient and timely funding national funding could be combined with resources from international and regional financing institutions, such as the NIB and NEFCO technical assistance funds. Sweden will also prioritize continued and increased involvement of stakeholders in the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan.

The Swedish Chairmanship would like to see continued support from the highest political level for the effective implementation of the Baltic Sea action Plan. The Baltic Sea Action Summit held in Helsinki in February 2010 provided a crucial boost to the common efforts to rescue the troubled sea, and confirmed that HELCOM and the Baltic Sea Action Plan stand high on the political agenda. As countries are going into the implementation phase of the actions to achieve the goals of the Baltic Sea Action Plan, Sweden would like to see more regular attention from the highest political level.

The Swedish Chairmanship of HELCOM will give priority to strengthening the role of HELCOM as the Baltic Sea environmental focal point and policy-maker in the region. HELCOM should reconfirm itself as a strong, powerful and modern regional organization. Close involvement of different sectors such as agriculture, fisheries and shipping as well as the business and civil society in the HELCOM work will be on top of the list.

Sweden will work to strengthen the role of HELCOM in the implementation of the EU policies relevant for the Baltic Sea region. The EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, adopted during the Swedish presidency of the EU, is a major policy initiative to give more EU attention to the Baltic Sea region. The strategy aims at strengthening the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan. Regional marine commissions, like HELCOM, will also play a key role in the implementation of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. During the Swedish Chairmanship of HELCOM priority will be given to ensure that the Baltic Sea Action Plan and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive go hand in hand.

Additionally, Sweden will work to ensure that HELCOM’s decisions are based on the best available scientific knowledge. Good monitoring efforts are crucial. Solid scientific data is the point of departure for the future work of HELCOM and for the analysis of the results of the member countries’ activities and efforts. The credibility of HELCOM should be based on reliable data, good sampling methods and analysis, as well as models to be used by authorities in assessing the environmental situation. Strengthened cooperation in this field will benefit the results of HELCOM’s activities.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Ms. Maria Gabriella Lindholm, born in Stockholm 9 March 1951.

1. Education

Bachelor of Arts, University of Uppsala, Sweden (Political Science and Economic History) - 1975

Master, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Fed. Republic of Germany (Political Science and History) - 1977

2. Career

Ministry for Foreign Affairs - 1978

Second Secretary, Swedish Embassy, Havana - 1979-81

Second Secretary, Swedish Embassy, Brasilia - 1981-82

Second Secretary, Swedish Embassy, Buenos Aires - 1983

Head of Section for Latin America, Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) - 1986-88

Head of Department for Latin America, Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) 1986-88

Private Secretary to the Minister for Int. Development Cooperation, MFA - 1988-90

Deputy Director, Department of Intern. Development Cooperation, MFA - 1990-92

Counsellor, Political Department, Swedish Embassy, Bonn - 1992-94

Director, Department for Central and Eastern Europe, MFA - 1994-95

Private Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs - 1995-99

Deputy Director General, American Department, MFA - 1999-2000

Ambassador and Permanent Representatives to the UN, Swedish Embassy, Vienna - 2000-2005      

Ambassador, Swedish Embassy, Lisbon - 2005-2008

Ambassador for Marine Environment - 2008-2010                  

3. Languages

English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese