Countries discuss Baltic and Elbe environments

Environment Daily 1833, 03/03/05

Russia and the eight EU countries bordering the Baltic Sea agreed three new anti-pollution resolutions at the annual meeting of the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) this week.  The resolutions deal with radioactivity, waterborne pollution, and measures to discourage dumping ship-source garbage and sewage at sea.

HELCOM also announced that it will lead efforts to draw up a regional action plan for Baltic waters, as part of the EU's forthcoming marine environment strategy.

Representatives of the coastal countries discussed the need for EU-level action to target pollutants such as dioxins, which are found at particularly high levels in this area.  Concerns were raised that specific Helcom measures may be needed to supplement EU legislation for various Baltic environmental concerns.

* Meanwhile, Germany, Austria, Poland and the Czech Republic on Thursday agreed to draw up a common strategy for the management of areas along the Elbe river by 2009 so as to ensure compliance with the EU water framework directive.

As part of their cooperation, the four countries will, by 2006, establish monitoring programmes for pollutants entering the Elbe. "The overall goal of the strategy is to restore and guarantee the river as a natural resource", the German ministry said in a statement.

Follow-up:

HELCOM http://www.helcom.fi/, tel: +358 9 622 0220,

plus press release http://www.helcom.fi/press_office/news_helcom/en_GB/HELCOM26Outcome/ and speech by HELCOM Chair http://www.helcom.fi/press_office/news_helcom/en_GB/SpeechAD/.  See also German environment ministry press release http://www.bmu.de/pressemitteilungen/pressemitteilungen_ab_01_11_2004/pm/35165.php and ministerial declaration http://www.bmu.de/gewaesserschutz/hochwasserschutz/doc/35166.php.