BALTIC SEAENVIRONMENT PROCEEDINGS No. 59 - Helcom

SECTION TC
ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM OF NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF HELCOM RECOMMEN-
DATIONS
Chem.eng. Emelie Enckell, National Board of Waters and the Environ-
ment, Finland
1. General
The enforcement mechanism of national implementation of international
regulations and recommendations vary from country to country depen-
ding on national legislation, administration, structure of the
society and economy and on cultural factors. Exchange of information
on different systems gives good advice for the development at the
national level and helps the cooperation at the international level.
Concern about the national welfare, nature and recources is normally
the main motive behind international agreements like the Helsinki
Convention. Thus also the implementation of international recom-
mendations will follow national needs and motives. Within one country
policy instruments, administration and reporting systems for national
and international activities should be integrated as far as possible.
Naturally, the choice of enforcement mechanism is often bound to the
nature and level of the international agreement. A new Convention
usually provides for amendments in the national legislation and
statutory orders while recommendations may be implemented by sta-
tutory orders or Decisions by the Council of State (e.g. norms) or
less binding but still effective control instruments.
2. The importance of preparatory work and common engagement
In Finland much attention is paid to the preparatory phase of a new
international agreementor recommendation. Normally this phase covers
both investigations and negotiations, during which the involved
parties like polluters, authorities and research institutes.have a
222