Presentation of the Estonian ambassador "Marine Environment Protection Act"

10.02.2011

BALTIC SEA ACTION SUMMIT
Follow Up 2011

Estonian commitment on the last year’s Baltic Sea Action Summit was given by the Prime Minister Andrus Ansip.

The need for a new marine environment protection law comes from the necessity to have adequate and contemporary legal basis for the protection and sustainable use of the marine environment and its resources. Considering the growing economic activities in the Baltic Sea and especially in our marine waters the new legal act should take into account and provide legal framework for the resolution of potential conflicts between the protection of marine ecosystems and different usage of marine areas as well as potential cumulative impact on the marine environment of simultaneously occurring usages.

At present we are analysing different existing laws dealing with the marine environment with the aim of identifying possible inconsistencies and non-conformities with international obligations. Parallel to the process of drafting a new law, which is planned to be adopted in 2013 the latest Estonia has incorporated one of the most important EU directives in the field of marine protection – the Marine Strategy Framework Directive into our national Water Act. The Marine Strategy Framework Directive imposes a legal obligation to develop National Marine Strategies. The first step and a cornerstone towards building an efficient Marine Strategy is the initial assessment of the current environmental status of our national marine waters. This process is already ongoing and will be completed by the end of 2011.

I would like to call your attention also to other important and very practical steps for improving the environmental conditions of the Baltic Sea. The Helsinki Convention, one of the most efficient regional conventions in the world has provided legal framework for the protection of the Baltic Sea already for decades. This is one of the best examples of international cooperation between all countries around the Baltic Sea. At the HELCOM Moscow Ministerial Meeting on 20 May last year the Ministers of Environment, including also the Estonian Minister adopted the Moscow Declaration where all countries committed to take further concrete important and very practical steps towards a cleaner and safer Baltic Sea. At the Ministerial Meeting almost all countries including Estonia presented their National Implementation Programmes of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan, which was agreed by the HELCOM member states in Krakow in 2007. As most of the measures for the period of 2008-2011 have been taken and targets successfully reached, Estonia is currently preparing the next four-year plan for the period of 2012-2015.

To conclude, I would take the opportunity to inform colleagues about the London Convention and Protocol Scientific Group Annual Meeting, which will be held in Tallinn in April. Dumping related activities and regulations as well as other important marine environment protection issues will be the main focus of this international event and accompanying regional workshop. All parties interested are invited and welcome.