Mr President, this report is concerned with developing and improving international cooperation with regard to the marine environment in the Baltic. In 1974, the States around the Baltic got together to form what is known as the Helsinki Convention in order to safeguard the marine environment. The Convention was developed further after 1992 following the extensive political transformations which had occurred at that time. Of the European Union countries, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Germany at present subscribe to the Convention. Moreover, the European Union is itself one of its signatories. The three Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – together with Russia and Poland are also involved in the work. The Baltic is an inland sea with very significant environmental problems. The areas in which the rivers that run into the Baltic originate are extensive and are located in several different countries. The outlets into the North Sea and the Atlantic are small, and discharges from agriculture, industry and private households are significant. The salt content of the Baltic is relatively low compared with that of other seas. What is more, there are major problems involving low oxygen content in large parts of the Baltic. This creates a special environment, and it also creates quite a few problems for marine life. One example is the very large variation to be found in fish stocks from year to year. Very extensive work is already being done to clean up various sources of discharges around the Baltic. In particular, clean-up facilities are at present being constructed in a variety of locations in Eastern Europe. These are largely being financed by the European Union. This report is about revising two of the Helsinki Convention’s Annexes, namely Annexes 3 and 4. Annex 3 concerns agricultural discharges. The changes which come about through this revision are to be implemented partly in order to reduce discharges of nitrogen, phosphorus and pesticides. This can have a big effect, especially upon the situation regarding eutrophication and lack of oxygen in the Baltic. Annex 4 is aimed at reducing discharges from boats and ships. This part regulates, among other things, equipment for gathering up oil, waste and waste water in various harbours. Both these changes are very welcome, and it has been self-evident to me as rapporteur that we should support them and say that we should vote for them. When it comes to dealing with waste from ships, work is in progress within the European Union on a proposed Directive concerning plant for receiving waste in harbours. It is, however, important to appreciate that there remain a very great many problems within the framework of Annex 4. This especially applies to the monitoring of waste at sea. Even when such monitoring in fact takes place, for example from the air, it has proved to be very difficult indeed to hold those responsible to account and to penalise them for the offences against the environment which are in fact being committed in the Baltic. Where agriculture is concerned, I have looked for some kind of description of the effects which the new requirements are having upon the European Union’s sets of regulations, partly in relation to the expected enlargement of the EU to include a number of countries bordering the Baltic. I have not found any such descriptive report at the Commission, but I believe it would have been useful to see one. The changes to these Annexes will come into force at the end of the year. It is therefore high time to take the decision in question. It would have been an advantage if the European Parliament had been involved in this work earlier.

Political group: GUE-NGL