BALTIC SEAENVIRONMENT PROCEEDINGS No. 59 - Helcom

HELCOM SEMINAR FOR EXPERTS FROM ESTONIA,
LATVIA, LITHUANIA AND RUSSIA ON THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF HELCOM ARRANGEMENTS,
OTHER INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS
AND RELATED MATTERS
Riga, Latvia 30 August - 3 September 1993
COORDINATION OF NATIONAL ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE SCOPE OF
THE HELSINKI COMMISSION WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON MATTERS
RELATED TO THE TECHNOLOGICAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMISSION
Mirja Siltanen
Inspector
Ministry of the Environment, Finland
Background history in Finland
The 1974 Helsinki Convention entered into force in 1980.
Prior to this, matters related to the implementation of the
convention were co-ordinated by the Interim Helsinki
Commission and its Working Groups. Thus, ever since 1974
there has been a need to find ways and means of coordinating
national activities related to the work of the
Helsinki Commission (HELCOM).
In Finland, establishment of a national ad hoc Committee for
- -
Marine Environment (later the Advisory Board for the Marine
Environment) has proved out to be the most efficient way of
co-ordinating the numerous questions at issue - not only
within the Helsinki Commission but also within other
international fora dealing with marine environment
protection.
Particularly during the pioneer period, when no Ministry of
the Environment existed in Finland and when new challenges
and varying situations called for a prompt response, this
arrangement proved out to be an excellent one due to its
wide coverage and minimum bureaucracy.
Naturally, since the establishment of the Ministry of the
Environment in 1983, and along with the experience gained by
all authorities and their representatives concerned, the
emphasis of preparation and decision making has gradually
been more and more within the authorities. However, the
existence of the Advisory Board for the Marine Environment
is still deemed to be of utmost importance since it provides
a forum for exchange of various views and ideas and
negotiation of the position to be taken.
Finnish Advisory Board for the Marine Environment
The Finnish Advisory Board for the Marine Environment is
established by a Presidential Decree and it works in
connection with the Ministry of the Environment (see
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