BALTIC SEAENVIRONMENT PROCEEDINGS No. 59 - Helcom

type of processes, discharges of different substances etc. has been collected
by the questionnaires. A draft recommendation is prepared containing
average target figures which offers easier acceptance of the Contracting
Parties. On the other hand the Lead Country or a country with good experi-
ence in the branch concerned can prepare a draft recommendation based on
the existing information and nowadays on best available technology. This
procedure saves time but may easier create problems with rapid adoption and
with implementation.
The basic criteria for a draft recommendation is that every Contracting Party
can adopt it and, what is most important, can implement it within the settled
timeschedule. In the 1980’s the target figures were quite easily reached by
the Federal Republic of Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Finland. At the
same time other Contracting Parties had difficulties with the implementation.
In the 1990’s the target values and deadlines for implementation demands
special national measures for every Contracting Party.
When adopting HELCOM recommendations the Contracting Parties primar-
ily want to reduce the pollution load but sometimes recommendations are
also supporting and activating national environmental protection policy.
The main idea of the recommendations has been to set the same target
figures and timeschedule for each Contracting Party. Due to the changes in
Central and Eastern Europe during the last 3-4 years with the new countries
in transition becoming Contracting Parties of the Helsinki Convention, the
3rd meeting of the Technological Committee in 1992 was ready first time to
propose to the Commission for adoption a recommendation with three years
longer time of implementation for countries in transition (Draft HELCOM
Recommendation concerning restriction of discharges from the production of
wood-containing and woodfree paper and paperboard). The obstacle to final
adoption were the different opinion as to the area of implementation.
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