Support was also given for a free trade agreement between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and for the objective of establishing free trade between these countries and Poland. One of the difficulties regarding both economic development and international exchanges is the incidence of organized crime in the area. The Visby Summit was seriously determined to fight crime forcefully. It was therefore decided to establish a task force of measures for immediate implementation and other concrete proposals to reinforce the regional cooperation. To this end, they also agreed on a reinforcement of cooperation between police, border, customs, immigration and coast guard authorities as well as search and rescue services of the Baltic Sea States with the aim of enhancing their citizens' security and stepping up the fight against organized crime.
Environmental problems round the Baltic Sea are extensive.
Cooperation in this field between the Baltic Sea States started before the fall of the Berlin Wall and this work is now being gradually intensified. The Visby Summit pointed above all to the need for cooperation in the areas of energy and nuclear safety and also for the achievement of ecological balance in the Baltic Sea. Sweden's commitment to Baltic Sea issues goes without saying. Our own security and opportunities for economic exchanges will increase if the area round the Baltic Sea is characterized by cooperation, confidence and economic development. Sweden has therefore planned extensive programme for assistance to the countries to the east.