Presidency

The Benelux Parliament convened a crucial plenary session in The Hague on 14 June 2024, focusing on the vital issue of port security. High-level representatives from the three Benelux countries, along with representatives of several interparliamentary organisations and international experts, engaged in in-depth discussions on the challenges and opportunities related to protecting both physical and digital port infrastructure. BSPC President Henrik Møller addressed the Plenary Session. Ministerial Presentations and Expert Exchanges The session commenced with presentations outlining each country’s national policies on port security. Dutch State Secretary for Customs, Aukje De Vries, emphasised the importance of international cooperation in combating organised crime and drug trafficking. Luxembourg’s Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Yuricko Backes, highlighted the need to include inland ports in the overall security strategy. Geert Vandervelden, representing the Belgian National Drugs Commissioner, stressed the vulnerability of port personnel and the necessity for enhanced training. The discussions then shifted to the security of physical and digital infrastructure. The harbormasters of Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges shared their experiences and called for modernised legislation and improved coordination between countries. Cybersecurity experts addressed the risks and opportunities associated with the use of artificial intelligence and big data in port security. BSPC President’s Address: A Call for Enhanced Cooperation and Concrete Action BSPC President Henrik Møller expressed in his speech the BSPC’s solidarity with the Benelux Parliament, emphasising the importance of unity among democratic states, especially in challenging times. He stressed the need for intensified efforts to protect critical port infrastructure from both physical and digital threats, drawing upon the BSPC’s recent discussions on enhancing infrastructure, military mobility, and cooperation in the Baltic Sea region. The President also addressed ports’ evolving challenges, stressing the importance of continuously adapting security strategies to meet new threats. He also underlined the necessity to develop joint and coordinated actions in all our countries, as was done with the Hamburg Declaration of the coalition of European countries against serious and organised crime . His speech aimed to foster further collaboration and innovation among like-minded democratic countries of the Baltic Sea and North Sea in improving port security measures. The BSPC President outlined key measures to bolster port security, including: Enhanced Coordination and Cooperation: A unified approach among countries to safeguard critical infrastructure and ensure a coordinated emergency response. Improvements to International Maritime Law: Strengthening legal frameworks to better address emerging threats. Strengthening Surveillance and Response Coordination: Investing in advanced technologies and building regional capabilities for rapid response and repair. He concluded his address by inviting a delegation from the Benelux Parliament to the BSPC’s annual conference in Helsingør, fostering further dialogue and collaboration on port security. Adoption of Recommendations and Insightful Visit to the Port of Rotterdam Following the plenary session, three recommendations were adopted on cycling policy, the Benelux railway agenda, and the future of agriculture. The following day, the session participants embarked on a working visit to the Port of Rotterdam. This visit provided valuable insights into the port’s operations, security measures, and ambitious development projects, complementing the discussions of the previous day. Participants toured Maasvlakte 2 and received a comprehensive overview of the port’s key figures and strategic initiatives from Mark Dijk, Director of External Affairs at the Port of Rotterdam. This plenary session of the Benelux Parliament highlighted the critical issues surrounding port security and strengthened cooperation between the Benelux countries and their international partners. For further information: https://www.beneluxparl.eu/fr/2024/06/18/securite-portuaire-session-pleniere https://www.beneluxparl.eu/fr/2024/06/27/visite-de-travail-port-de-rotterdam https://we.tl/t-ijyG8zsnm8

At the 41 st Session of the Baltic Assembly in Riga, Johannes Schraps, President of the BSPC, underscored how vital it was in the wake of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine for democratic societies to stand together. In particular, he highlighted the long-standing cooperation between the BSPC and the Baltic Assembly that would continue to deepen ties and build trust when unity was most needed. President Schraps noted the personal connections between the two organisations. During a time of fundamental challenges, such close togetherness was of great value. He pointed out how important it was that the democratic states of the Baltic Sea region and their institutions underlined the continuation of their close cooperation and sent signs of unity and commonality. BSPC President Schraps stressed the great importance of signals of such close cooperation to be sent by freely elected parliaments representing the people in their countries to strengthen the parliamentary dimension and the democratic foundations. An even more intensive and open exchange of views and joint results in the current cruel situation was crucial, he said. Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, the ongoing war, the shameful referendums in Ukrainian regions along the Russian border, the renewed, deeply shocking bombing of cities and infrastructure across Ukraine without any regard for civilians and the associated blatant Russian threats of an escalation of the war were a threat to democratic values as a whole and would mark a watershed for cooperation in the Baltic Sea region. Mr Schraps fully supported the statement by the Baltic Assembly from 22 nd September regarding the recent outrageous activities of the Russian Federation. In line with that, the BSPC had from the start strongly condemned the cruel and horrible war in the middle of Europe and suspended the Russian parliaments. The organisation had strengthened its Rules of Procedure to underline the BSPS’s united ambition to continue to fight for peace and democracy as well as environmental sustainability. More vital than ever, the BSPC had maintained and intensified the parliamentary dimension of international cooperation in the Baltic Sea region. Mr Schraps offered his hope that the new situation would allow the democratic countries and regions to work on issues which could not be addressed before, particularly security issues. However, this was a fundamental turning point in history, confronting this generation with its most significant challenges and their consequences: first the pandemic; now the cruel war in the middle of Europe; an upcoming catastrophic global famine; and before that, alongside it and in the future, the climate crisis and its effects were becoming ever stronger and were now additionally combined with a fundamental energy crisis. That required long-standing, close, reliable and trusting cooperation to find adequate solutions for such demanding challenges. President Schraps underscored the intensive and efficient cooperation between the Baltic Assembly and the BSPC for many years. Their cooperation was based on mutual trust, on reliability and friendship. That was exemplified by the same people in both organisations, their common goals and similar priorities. Both enriched each other and delivered synergy effects on a broader level. The keywords of the Baltic Assembly’s presidency – partnership, prosperity, protection – suited the work of the BSPC: The guiding principles of the current BSPC Presidency of the German Bundestag were strengthening democracy and promoting peace. The BSPC saw it as indispensable to continue to cooperate as intensively as it is possible on the international level and to keep up the dialogue with each other, frankly and trustfully. Despite growing polarization in societies and party groups, dialogue among each other must not be cut. Disunity and permanent dissent between the democratic states weakened them and would only favour the aggressor. For that reason, Europe’s most important answer to this turning point of history was: unity. Therefore, collaboration and trust had to be deepened, dialogue and cooperation had to be maintained and intensified – for the benefit of the people whom the parliaments were representing. In the margins of the session, BSPC President and BSPC Secretary General discussed a range of issues with representatives of the Baltic Assembly, the Nordic Council, the Parliamentary Assembly of the OECD, the Benelux Parliament, members of the attending parliaments, the European Commissioner for the Environment, government members, as well as with laureates of the Baltic Assembly prizes.

Valerijus Simulik addressed the 54 th plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation in his capacity as President of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference and at the same time in his position as Vice-President of the Baltic Assembly. He underlined the close cooperation between the BSPC and the PABSEC – marked by the joint memorandum of understanding, the regular mutual participation in each other Parliamentary Assemblies in recent years, as well as the intensive consultation of both Standing Committees on safeguarding the oceans in April this year in Istanbul. In particular, Valerijus Simulik emphasised: “Our Baltic and Black Seas are distant by geographical location, but the efforts of our organisations are close in aims and mission. We share a similar vision that parliaments have a significant role in ensuring peace and security in the region, the rule of law, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as promoting economic, cultural and educational cooperation between states. Our regional organisations are an excellent platform for discussions and problem solving for a long-term perspective. We have proven to be an effective framework for promoting development and growth in our regions. I firmly believe that regional institutions have a significant role in solving regional and global problems, as well as promoting economic growth. We all know that quite often the answer for single country challenges can be solved with a regional approach. We cannot mitigate climate change, and we cannot fight against organised crime, and we cannot deal with cyber threats only with the resources of a single country. Joining of forces is very important.” He furthermore informed the PABSEC about the main topics of the 28 th BSPC in Oslo: The visions of the Baltic Sea countries on the future of working life and the jointly discussed issue of safeguarding the oceans: ”We addressed far-reaching calls for action to our governments on these issues and also discussed migration and integration°. He also pointed out the main BSPC issues for the upcoming year: “Our Lithuanian presidency isgrounded on four main priorities: First, Innovation drift by science and technology; Second, Improving digital cooperation: On the way to Digital Baltic; Third, Peaceful and reliable neighbourliness as well as intense cooperation; And fourthly, Migration and integration, finding solutions based on mutual information and best practices. We will work to boost innovation through science and technology to achieve better-added value in economic and social development. We need innovative impulses not only to increase our prosperity but also to protect our climate.” In the margins of the session, BSPC President and BSPC Secretary General discussed possibilities for joint consultations and further activities with PABSEC representatives.

BSPC Vice-President Jorodd Asphjell from Norway points out the crucial importance of further measures to reach the 2030 United Nations sustainable development goals as soon as possible before 2030. The European Conference of Presidents of Parliaments brought together Speakers and Presidents of the parliaments of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe; of parliaments enjoying observer and partner for democracy status with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and of international parliamentary assemblies. The parliaments of central Asian and Maghreb countries were also represented. On the occasion of the 70 th anniversary of the Council of Europe, the conference initially dealt with the topic of “Our Common European Home: The Next 70 Years”. The 2 nd thematic area dealt with “Implementing the UN 2030 Agenda and Its Sustainable Development Goals: Contribution by Parliaments”. The conference concluded by discussing the topic: Women in politics and in the public discourse. What role can national parliaments play in combating the increasing level of harassment and hate speech towards female politicians and parliamentarians? As the first speaker in the debate concerning the second theme, namely contributions by parliaments to the implementation of the 2030 goals of the United Nations, Jorodd Asphjell – referring to the intensive discussion of Agenda 2030 development goals during the last two Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conferences – stressed the urgent need for further far-reaching measures to which the BSPC had called and urged governments and pointed out the decisive role of parliaments in this regard. In detail, he stated: The 2030 Agenda of the United Nations is of concern to all of us. The sustainable development goals have become central topics at the national level in many countries. Reaching them means securing our future for generations to come. That is why we, as parliaments and representatives of the people, must keep focusing on these issues – both individually and in our parliamentary organisations. Regarding SDG 13 on Climate action, we must urge our governments to act; to do more and to do it quickly. The future of our children and grandchildren is at stake. And we have all seen how the young generations are losing patience. As parliamentarians, we have a responsibility to listen and to contribute to achieving the SDGs by 2030. Many countries have taken far-reaching measures over a long time to meet the objectives. Parliamentary cooperation could play a decisive role here. By cooperating, we will achieve a far greater impact and we will have a far better chance of success. We as parliamentarians are responsible for the future development in our countries. The Agenda 2030 was a main topic for the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference both in 2018 and this year. A special focus has been placed on removing plastic waste and restoring the oceans. In August, the Norwegian parliament hosted the annual BSPC meeting in Oslo. The City of Oslo has made a considerable effort to become more environmentally friendly over the past years. It has conserved its natural areas, cleaned up the Oslo Fjord and restored the city’s waterways. This was one of the reasons why Oslo proudly won the European Green Capital Award for 2019. The environmental aspects of the Baltic Sea are a hot topic in the BSPC. Industrial waste and fertilizer from farming have further increased pollution in the sea. In our resolutions, we urge our governments to take action and achieve the objectives of the Agenda 2030 as soon as possible. Appropriate strategies and measures must be pursued. On the executive side, the Council of the Baltic Sea States is making progress in this direction. We are also promoting, supporting and involving initiatives among young people to achieve the SDGs. An example are the activities implemented by the international network under the name Regeneration 2030. The BSPC has also taken new steps in interparliamentary cooperation when discussing the health of our seas with our colleagues from the Black Sea region. Together we can move forward through mutual cooperation and the exchange of best practice. We believe that parliamentary cooperation plays a key role in achieving the SDGs. Therefore, let’s continue to work together on this in the future. Only then will the next generation pay tribute to what we have done. Let’s get to work, Let’s get involved, Let us develop ideas and visions to help both the people who elected us and future generations to live in a peaceful and sustainable world. Meetings in the margins of the conference The BSPC Vice-President also met the President of the Council of Europe, Presidents, Vice-Presidents and Secretaries Generals of several national parliaments and of interparliamentary organisations.

BSPC President Jorodd Asphjell stressed at the 53 rd plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation the close cooperation between the BSPC and the PABSEC – marked by the common memorandum of understanding and the recent meeting of both Standing Committees in Istanbul to increase the efforts for safeguarding our oceans and Marine Life. He stressed the collective interest to jointly develop more far-reaching measures and proposals for the United Nations Ocean Conference and to try to establish them together at the UN level and to reach more decisive action at the international level. He underlined it as essential that we make all efforts in both macro-regions to move towards healthy and clean seas. Pyry Niemi invited the Standing Committee of the PABSEC for another common meeting to Stockholm in 2020 on issues of the shores of the marine environments as well as refugees, migration and integration. In particular, Jorodd Asphjell emphasised: ‘In my capacity as President of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, let me thank you for the opportunity to address the Plenary Session of the PABSEC General Assembly for the second time in this capacity and to be here in the very impressive city of Kabul. May I most sincerely congratulate your Secretary General Asaf Hajiyev on his re-election, and I look forward to further deepening our close and successful cooperation. I bring you the best regards from the BSPC and once again the heartfelt thanks of all members of our Standing Committee for the joint and very fruitful meeting we held together in Istanbul at the beginning of April. This marks the eighth consecutive time that the BSPC is attending your plenary session. We have also deepened our cooperation through your participation in our annual conferences as well as bilateral visits and in the margins of a series of international parliamentary assemblies. We have additionally pointed out our common goals and visions in our Memorandum of Understanding, where we underlined the benefits of parliamentary cooperation based on the principles of respect of human rights and freedoms, social justice, the promotion of democracy, and the supremacy of law with regards to the interests of all states and peoples in our regions. Moreover, we have expanded our cooperation in a new dimension with the joint meeting of our Standing Committees in Istanbul and our intensive discussions on “Safeguarding our Oceans and Marine Life”. We have learnt a lot about the situation in the Black Sea and your countries regarding marine protection. I assume that the institutions responsible in our countries have thereby received further impetus for more in-depth cooperation. These are real steps for successful work on the development of peaceful and prosperous common regions. That is of particular interest for the development of maritime transport and the reduction of the emissions it causes, to achieving the 2030 development goals of the United Nations. The exchange of best practice examples in this area is of mutual interest. Such discussions also fulfil one of our fundamental concerns: achieving and safeguarding peace through dialogue to ensure peaceful and close neighbourliness and close cooperation based on democratic values, the rule of law, human rights and equal opportunities for all. For my home country, Norway, and my home city of Trondheim, the sea is a central lifeline and living space. For us, it is fundamental that the oceans are healthy and clean. That is why Norway wants to develop a roadmap for the transition to a sustainable ocean economy. We must stop destroying the world’s marine ecosystems. We must improve the environmental status of the oceans. It is in our collective interest to jointly develop more far-reaching measures and proposals for the UN Ocean Conference 2020 and to try to establish them together at the UN level and to reach more decisive action at the international level. The current situation shows us that appeals alone are not enough. We must act more widely and make more significant efforts. Therefore, we call for stricter action at the national level necessary to reinstate the health of the seas. Ladies and Gentlemen, It is important that we both address the increasing pollution and burden on the seas, in particular from plastic waste, calling for urgent global action in this area to achieve the UN’s 2030 development goals as quickly as possible. It is essential that we make all efforts in both macro-regions to move towards healthy and clean seas. The issue of plastic litter on a global scale, moreover, is a question of a progressive foreign and trade policy. Therefore, it is crucial that all our countries consistently implement the amendment ( to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal ), signed by 187 states in Geneva on 10 May 2019, as an essential step in the development of a legally-binding, globally-reaching mechanism for managing plastic waste. We must also think about how we will develop tourism under the aspect of sustainability. It is for the sake of our future if we promote, through appropriate measures, the accelerated digitalisation of vessel traffic and green shipping to achieve the 2030 objectives as soon as possible. It is for the sake of our future if we organize concerted action for appropriate regulation at the global level to strengthen e-navigation and pave the way for autonomous shipping. It is essential to develop or enhance joint and additional national and regional sustainability strategies to meet the United Nation’s Agenda 2030 goals: to achieve delivering the oceans we need for the future we want. We also discussed in our conference the main topic of this afternoon, the issue of sustainable energy. We enhance and want to efficiently use cross-border transmission connections by building and expanding fluent electricity networks to enable new energy markets and new forms of energy services and products to better integrate renewable energies, as well as use undersea electricity connection to integrate grids. Let us deepen our successful and close cooperation and go on working on the development of peaceful and prosperous common regions. Together, we are stronger!’ Pyry Niemi pointed out that ‘the Standing Committee of the BSPC has highly appreciated the joint meeting of both Standing Committees in Istanbul and the very fruitful discussions on “Safeguarding our Oceans and Marine Life”. The BSPC SC unanimously agreed to continue such common meetings. The Swedish parliament will take over the BSPC Presidency in September 2020. Therefore, we wholeheartedly invite you to a further meeting of both our Standing Committees to Stockholm. There are 2 topics which we would like to offer for our next deliberations: on the one hand, the topic of refugees, migration and integration and on the other hand, the topic of the marine environment. We think that both topics could be of mutual interest because these are special challenges for our macro-regions. Ladies and gentlemen, I think a discussion of both issues can strengthen our successful cooperation.’ In the margins of the session, possibilities for joint consultations and further activities were discussed.

The BSPC at the XX International Environmental Forum “Baltic Sea Day” in St. Petersburg : Asphjell calls for stricter action on national level BSPC President Jorodd Asphjell and the representative of the delegation of the Finnish Parliament to the BSPC, Maria Tolppanen, attended the XX International Environmental Forum “Baltic Sea Day” on 21-22 March in St. Petersburg. In his address to the Forum, Jorodd Asphjell underlined the importance of a constructive dialogue and close cooperation especially in politically difficult times as well as the crucial need for stricter action at national and regional levels to reinstate the health of the Baltic Sea and to meet the UN’s 2030 development goals as quickly as possible. In particular, he said: “In my capacity as President of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, I bring the warmest congratulations to you for celebrating 20 years of successful joint efforts for sustainable development and improving the environment in the Baltic Sea Region. Especially in politically difficult times, constructive dialogue and close cooperation are very important. From the very beginning, the BSPC has dealt intensively with environmental issues. We aim to be progressive and to urge governments to act. And we try to convince those who are still hesitant. For my home country, Norway, the sea is a central lifeline and living space. That is why we also have a vital interest in the well-being of the Baltic Sea. That is why Norway invited leaders from coastal states across the world to develop a roadmap for the transition to a sustainable ocean economy and will report to the UN Ocean Conference next year. We want to build a sustainable ocean economy. We must stop destroying the world’s marine ecosystems. We must improve the environmental status of the oceans. Even if my home country, Norway, is not a member of HELCOM, we are involved in the HELCOM work through the support you get from the BSPC and also from the Nordic Council. The BSPC placed an additional focus in its Strategy and Work programme on the issue of sustainable management of the oceans and will continue to work on this aspect during our next conference in Oslo. This added focus especially involves a sustainable ocean economy, blue entrepreneurship as well as research and innovation for a healthy ocean, which includes fighting the plastic waste in the seas. In the BSPC work programme and at our next conference in Oslo, we will focus on: Sustainable ocean management and economy Research and innovation for a healthy ocean The fight against plastic waste HELCOM has done much successful work in that direction. However, we need more action at the national and regional level. As you know: Since the beginning of our cooperation – and during 17 years as an official observer –, the 27 parliaments and parliamentary organisations of the BSPC have actively supported the work of HELCOM and called on our governments to give HELCOM the political support it needs to do what must be done. Apart from all the progress made by HELCOM in the meantime, the current situation shows us that appeals alone are not enough. We must act more widely and make more significant efforts. The HELCOM Ministerial meeting last year in Brussels realized this. We support the agreements in the new ministerial declaration. At the same time, however, we call for stricter action at the national level necessary to reinstate the health of the Baltic Sea. In our current resolution, we have paid particular attention to urgent measures in the field of environmental protection: We addressed the increasing pollution and burden on the seas, in particular from plastic waste, we called for urgent action in this area, both for the Baltic Sea region and beyond, to meet the UN’s 2030 development goals as quickly as possible. We welcomed all efforts to move towards a healthy and clean Baltic Sea; We called urgently on the governments to develop national and regional strategies to achieve the UN’s Agenda 2030 goals to clear marine litter from the Baltic Sea to promote sustainable agricultural practices to promote more sustainable shipping to tackle eutrophication and underwater noise to halt untreated discharges without delay and to show determination to clean up the heavily polluted sea to take urgent, efficient action against the worrying levels of plastics and microplastics in the seas to support and implement the regulations on reducing or banning single-use plastic as quickly as possible to promote public awareness of microplastic pollution throughout the Baltic ecosystem to encourage customers to avoid personal care products containing micro plastics to further strengthen the interaction between the UN Sustainable Development Goals and human rights while recognising their close relationship I was looking forward to the results of your expert seminars yesterday and your joint efforts and proposals. We support such activities as far as possible. The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Oslo on 25-27 August 2019 will offer dialogue, debate, solutions, friendship and a strong will to increase cooperation for a healthy Baltic Sea!” In the margins of the conference, the representatives of the BSPC had talks with representatives of the CBSS, HELCOM, the BSSSC and the Finnish government.