BALTIC SEAENVIRONMENT PROCEEDINGS No. 59 - Helcom

MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN FINLAND
East Europe Project
Jaakko HENTTONEN
Project Coordinator
National Board of Waters and the Environment
BALTIC SEA WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE UTILITIES WORKSHOP
Riga 16.-18.2.1993
ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION BETWEEN FINLAND AND HER
NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES IN EASTERN EUROPE
1. Project History
A Brief Summary on Selected Aspects
Based on earlier HELCOM recommendations and finally on
the Baltic Sea Declaration adopted at the prime ministers'
meeting of the HELCOM countries in September 1990 a
special project was established in the Finnish Ministry
of the Environment by governmental decree in October 1990
to promote environmental issues in the Baltic Region.
As part of the overall action programme of Finland for
cooperation with Eastern European countries the environmental
programme forms an essential aspect. The primary
aim of the Project is to reduce the amount of environmental
pollution in the Baltic Sea basin area with the main
focus on the areas adjoining Finland.
The project implementation will take place in very close
cooperation with the environmental authorities in the
respective countries through frequent meetings. and exchange
of documents (presently Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania,
Poland and Russia). Moreover, direct cooperation of
authorities, institutes and companies active near state
boundaries is being encouraged. However, all activities
receiving project support are jointly coordinated.
Initially a survey was carried out in order to define the
"hottest" pollution sources in the vicinity of the Gulf
of Finland. A total of sixteen priority targets was
ultimately agreed upon. Practically all of them coincide
with the HELCOM list of the "hottest spots".
The Project has three main lines of action, namely:
- Support to investments aiming at the set targets
through partial funding of joint commercial contracts;
- Promotion of training, research, appropriate administration
and application of relevant technologies;
- Active participation in preparation comprehensive
sector or feasibility studies with international financial
institutions.
Financing of various actions depends on the basic approach
i.e. investments up to a maximum of 50% of the foreign
(Finnish) contribution; training,various studies
and application of non-conventional technologies etc.
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