20 BSPC Resolution ENG

Conference ResolutionAdopted by the 20th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC)The participants, elected representatives from the Baltic Sea States*, assembling in Helsinki, Finland, 28 - 30 August 2011,discussing Co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region, Integrated Maritime Policy, Civil Safety and Security, and Green Growth and Energy Efficiency,A. reconfirming their commitment to act persistently for a positive and pluralistic political, social and economic development of the Baltic Sea Region, rooted in environmental concerns and sustainability, by listening to and giving voice to the grassroots of their constituencies, by driving political issues in their parliaments and relevant committees, and by exerting political pressure on governments to fulfill the commitments and obligations they have undertaken for the benefit of the Region;B. restating the mutual usefulness of close collaboration between BSPC and CBSS, for instance by a growing and continuous exchange between the various working bodies of the organizations, and by pursuing a closer synchronization of political priorities and target issues, thereby strengthening their individual as well as combined capacity to deal successfully with the challenges of the Baltic Sea Region;C. commending the comprehensive Declaration of the 16th CBSS Ministerial Session in Oslo 7 June, which, i.a., welcomes the efforts under way in establishing cooperation between Iceland, Norway, Russia and the EU in areas where common objectives could be identified under the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, and which also expresses appreciation of the work of BSPC within the CBSS priority areas maritime policy and counter-trafficking in human beings;D. reiterating their strong support to the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan, and expressing their collective expectation that all HELCOM Governments will implement and successfully fulfill their National Implementation Plans in order to achieve good environmental status of the Baltic Sea by 2021;E. maintaining that the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region must be aligned with the Northern Dimension, which brings together EU- and non-EU- countries of the Region on an equal footing, because credible long-term solutions to the challenges of the Region require participation and commitment by all of its central stakeholders;F. recognizing that the review of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea, which will take place under Polish Presidency of the EU Council, will give an opportunity to obtain better synergy effects between the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea and the key existing cooperation structures within the Baltic Sea Region;G. welcoming the establishment of a parliamentary tier of the Northern Dimension, as embodied in a recurrent Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum, the latest of which was held in Norway in 2011 and the next to be convened in Russia in 2013;H. welcoming also the continuation and resource allocation to concrete projects under the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership, the operation of the two new partnerships under the Northern Dimension, on Transport and Logistics and on Culture, and appreciating the mutually beneficial exchange between BSPC and the Northern Dimension Partnership in Health and Social Well-being;I. acknowledging the work of organizations and activities at sub-regional level – such as the Committee of the Regions (CoR), Baltic Sea States Sub-Regional Cooperation (BSSSC), the Union of Baltic Cities (UBC), and the Parliamentary Forum of the Southern Baltic Sea (PFSBS) – and recognizing their experiences and capacities to identify problems in the Region and implementing concrete measures against them;J. welcoming the joint event of the Working Group on Integrated Maritime Policy of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference with the Expert Group on Maritime Policy of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) and the Working Group on Maritime Policy of the Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-operation (BSSSC) during the European Maritime Day in Gdańsk on May 20th 2011, and supporting the further coordination and joint activities between these and other institutions and organizations;K. emphasizing that citizens should be kept informed and involved in the planning and implementation of strategies and projects that influence the development of the Baltic Sea Region; NGOs play an invaluable role both as opinion-makers and independent experts, and their views, warnings and advice should be taken seriously;call on the governments in the Baltic Sea Region, the CBSS and the EU,Regarding Co-operation in the Region, to1. support the further development and activities of the CBSS by providing long-term resources for its project-based and target-oriented approach in dealing with specific issues of central importance for the Baltic Sea Region, and encourage an ongoing collaboration and convergence of priorities with the BSPC;2. allocate sufficient resources and speed up the work to develop, monitor and implement the National Implementations Plans under HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan, aimed at achieving good ecological status of the Baltic Sea by 2021;3. work for a continued coordination of the priorities and concrete activities of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and the Northern Dimension, thereby promoting that all stakeholders of the Baltic Sea Region can cooperate on an equal footing;4. fulfill existing and encourage new commitments to the Baltic Sea Action Summit;5. solicit an overview to bring sharper clarity over the availability of various funding channels and other resources for projects and investments in the Baltic Sea Region, to ensure that they are used efficiently and that access to funds is widened and facilitated for all stakeholders of the Region;6. provide financial contributions to the BSAP Technical Assistance Fund, jointly managed by NiB and NEFCO with the purpose of granting assistance to projects that support the implementation of the HELCOM BSAP;7. encourage and support initiatives, events and mechanisms to bring stakeholders of the Baltic Sea Region together to exchange information and coordinate priorities and activities for the purpose of avoiding duplication and boosting their collective impact; the Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum and the Forum on the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region are commendable examples;8. promote the development of civil society and support NGOs by financial and administrative resources;9. promote cooperation on countering proliferation of threats of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) in the Baltic Sea Region;Regarding Integrated Maritime Policy in the Baltic Sea Region, to10. revisit the political recommendations concerning Integrated Maritime Policy contained in the 19th BSPC Resolution from 2010;11. to intensify research and to promote the use of alternative marine fuels such as – for example - Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in the Baltic Sea Region and others by supporting innovative emission reduction technologies and by creating incentives for investments in the development of the necessary port infrastructure with a well developed distribution network and uniform industry- and usage standards;12. against the background of new studies on the implications of the intended reduction of the sulphur content of ship fuels to 0.1 % from the year 2015 in the framework of the international MARPOL convention, take precautions and to start initiatives to prevent a modal backshift in traffic from sea to land;13. to support incentives for the modification of existing ships, and to work actively within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for a speedy designation of further sea areas, such as the Mediterranean Sea, as Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA), thereby abolishing competitive disadvantages for the Baltic Sea Region;14. to work for a reduction of administrative obstacles for cross-border maritime traffic;15. to develop maritime spatial planning as an important instrument for an optimized interaction between the actors in the various maritime sectors in the interest of a more efficient and sustainable usage of sea waters and coastal regions, and to create national, compatible spatial planning concepts, thereby promoting a stronger cross-border cooperation between the Baltic Sea countries;16. to support a sustainable port development by the development of environmental port services, for instance by building sewage recipient facilities in all important ports in the Baltic Sea by 2015 at the latest, in order to reduce environmental pollution for port residents and simultaneously strengthen the competitiveness of the ports;17. to further implement an integrated maritime policy with regard to its economic and ecological significance for the entire Baltic Sea Area, particularly by- developing and promoting integrated maritime lead projects for the entire Baltic Sea Area (e.g. Clean Baltic Shipping, Galileo Research Port Rostock, SUCBAS – Sea Surveillance Co-operation Baltic Sea) also in the areas of “green, safe transport and a clean environment” for the strengthening of environmentally friendly goods traffic and the port cooperation in the whole Baltic Sea Area in order to further promote the maritime policy in the consciousness on the European level,- promoting and facilitating the cooperation on all levels of maritime governance and by- the development of national integrated maritime policies of the member states;18. to support integrated activities of the Baltic Sea Region in the areas of maritime research, technology and innovation, in order to use the growth potential of new maritime sectors such as energy generation in offshore installations and offshore technologies, the security and surveillance technique as well as maritime environmental technology and to enhance access to future markets; for this purpose, create necessary political and judicial framework and disseminate best practices;19. to further develop environmentally sustainable cruise tourism as a maritime growth industry against the background of its importance for the whole Baltic Sea Region, for example by attractive inland tourist offers and concepts of common marketing in this field of tourism;20. to proceed with the development and implementation of measures for safe operation of ships in severe and icy winter conditions;21. to support projects and activities focusing on safety of navigation, such as a Baltic Sea- wide Ship Reporting System (SRS) and Vessel Traffic Service (VTS), and promoting the development of the Baltic Sea Region as a pilot region for e-navigation;Regarding Civil Safety and Security in the Baltic Sea Region, to22. jointly develop trans-boundary scenarios and identify gaps for all natural and man-made hazards and threats of the Baltic Sea Region, in order to identify potential disasters and disruption, to build a comprehensive regional risk register, and to strengthen the combined regional capacity to prevent and manage hazards, by capacity-building, training and exercises;23. to support the HELCOM ad hoc Expert Group “Munitions” in order to compile all kinds of additional information on dumping activities after World War II and check whether the general conclusions of the “CHEMU-report” are still valid;24. against lessons learned from the nuclear disaster in Fukushima started in March 2011, to step up regional cooperation for the purpose of elaborating and adopting stringent conditions and regulations for construction, operation and decommissioning of nuclear power plants, as well as for the storage and processing of spent fuel, but also for grasping the opportunity to intensify efforts to promote the development of renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and green technologies;Regarding Trafficking in Human Beings, to25. revisit the political recommendations concerning Trafficking contained in the 19th BSPC Resolution from 2010;26. initiate and support extended analyses of the economic aspects of trafficking in human beings, promote coordination between relevant authorities and institutions to detect money flows stemming from trafficking in human beings (THB), enhance the capabilities and cooperation of police, tax authorities and other relevant institutions to track money emanating from THB and strengthen the legal and administrative means to confiscate proceeds from, as well as imposing stern fines on, those engaged in THB;27. promote efforts to gain more extensive knowledge of the nature and scope of trafficking in human beings for forced labour, taking into account the gender dimension; initiate and support the development of joint strategies in cooperation with trade unions and employer’s organizations and relevant authorities; strengthen legislative and operational means of identifying and combating trafficking in human beings for forced labour; and conduct public information campaigns about trafficking in human beings for forced labour;28. address the special problems of trafficked children in legislation and in administrative guidelines, employing a multi-disciplinary approach and multi-sectoral coordination with the child’s best interest as an overarching priority; this includes e.g. that a child should not be detained as a matter of principle, a formal policy of non-punishment, and a guaranteed provision of shelters with suitable facilities tailored to the needs of the children, including professional personnel trained in building trust with children in order to prevent their disappearances from the shelters;29. investigate, e.g. by requests to responsible authorities, the efficiency and relevance of existing legislation and legal measures against trafficking in human beings, and develop and adapt, where appropriate, legislation to adequately respond to current and developing forms of trafficking in human beings and strengthen coordination between various sectors of the political and judicial system;30. make efforts to raise awareness of trafficking in human beings, e.g. by supporting and conducting public information campaigns and outreach activities, such as the “Safe Trip” campaign by CBSS (www.safetrip.se) as well as similar initiatives by e g private companies and NGOs, and also support measures to facilitate the reporting to authorities of suspect cases of trafficking in human beings, e g by means of hotlines;31. initiate and support measures to enhance the joint perception and understanding of THB among all actors in the region, thereby advocating a closer cooperation and coordination among them, and furthermore expand exchange and cooperation with international organizations active in the fight against trafficking in human beings, such as UN, IPU, OSCE, Council of Europe, ILO, IOM and others;32. present continuous evaluation and reporting of the progress and results in the fight against trafficking in human beings, based on jointly developed and agreed success criteria on factors such as e.g. the number of convictions, safe returns of victims, and the like; they should also monitor that programmes and strategies are continuously updated and adapted to new and changing forms of trafficking in human beings;33. promote the development of favourable working conditions for those active in the fight against trafficking in human beings, for the purpose of reducing the drainage of experienced personnel and enabling continuity of work and accumulation of competencies;34. promote actions to strengthen the capacity to identify and incriminate the middlemen in trafficking in human beings, meaning persons indirectly profiting from trafficking in human beings by e g facilitating contacts between potential buyers and traffickers and/or trafficked persons, e g in the taxi, hotel or ferry industries;Regarding Health and Social Well-being in the Baltic Sea Region, to35. allocate sufficient and long-term resources for joint regional activities and endeavours to improve health and social well-being, recognizing the crucial role of The Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being (NDPHS) in regional work in this area and the necessity to maintain support to its project facilitation and promotion activities, aimed at helping the Baltic Sea Region make progress towards the achievement of objectives of relevant global and European strategies and policies;36. take concerted action to complement national responses to public health problems, taking into account the gender dimension, caused by avoidable unhealthy lifestyles in general and the harmful use of alcohol and substance abuse in particular, leading into non-communicable diseases, and threatening social cohesion and socio-economic development;37. encourage consideration of health and social well-being issues in other relevant policy areas, consistent with the health in all policies approach;Regarding Green Growth and Energy Efficiency in the Baltic Sea Region, to38. adopt policies and undertake measures to turn the Baltic Sea Region into an Eco-Region, in which economic growth goes hand in hand with environmental integrity and social justice, by promoting eco-innovations, sustainable consumption and production and waste treatment, and sustainable urban and rural development strategies;39. facilitate research, innovation and business development in green technologies and energy efficiency, including research of the potential to develop renewable energy sources in the Region, for instance by providing legal and other incentives to SMEs in order to encourage capacity-building for sustainable production and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR);40. promote an integrated approach to improving energy efficiency in households, public authorities, industry and transport, for instance by putting in place legal conditions and physical planning requirements that encourage investments in and conversion to energy-saving devices and methods, as well as building public-private partnerships to encourage more green-tech investments in the future of the Region;41. provide incentives and conditions for green public procurement and practices among public authorities at all levels, for instance by introducing sustainability as a criterion in tendering and purchasing procedures;42. take note of the work of the Baltic Sea Region Energy Co-operation (BASREC) and the conclusions of its upcoming meeting of Ministers of Energy in Berlin in spring 2012;43. launch information campaigns and activities to raise awareness of green growth and energy efficiency and its individual as well as collective economic and ecological benefits with a focus on demonstrating available practical solutions for increasing energy efficiency;44. provide continued support to the activities of Baltic 21, and to establish a four-year project on "Green Growth for a Bluer Baltic Sea" in order to define common priority areas within e.g. energy, water, transport and tourism, to develop strategies for enhancing the development and use of renewable energies and increasing energy efficiency, and to provide for an exchange of best practices among actors and stakeholders;Furthermore the Conference Decides to45. urge the BSPC members to establish networks of parliamentarians on the fight against trafficking in human beings, in order to secure continuity of commitment and visibility of the issue, to continuously monitor progress of various activities in the fight against trafficking in human beings, and to develop the relations between the executive and legislative powers concerning the fight against trafficking in human beings; in this endeavour, the networks should make use of handbooks and guidelines produced by e.g. UN, IPU, PACE, ILO, and others;46. grant Observer status to the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being;47. support the transformation and follow-up of the Baltic Sea Labour Network (BSLN), by establishing a permanent Forum for Social Dialogue in the Baltic Sea Region in order to secure public support in the field of labour rights;48. establish a Working Group on Green Growth and Energy Efficiency, to submit a report at the 21st BSPC;49. adopt the BSPC Work Programme for 2011-2012;50. adopt the revised BSPC Rules of Procedure, to take effect after the closure of the 20th BSPC;51. welcome with gratitude the kind offer of the Federal Assembly of Russia to host the 21st Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in the Mariinsky Palace, the Legislative Assembly of St Petersburg, on 26 – 28 August 2012.*Parliaments of Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, Denmark, Finland, Federal Republic of Germany, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Republic of Karelia, Latvia, Leningrad, Lithuania, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Norway, Poland, Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, City of St. Petersburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Sweden, Åland Islands, Baltic Assembly, European Parliament, Nordic Council, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.