Sinkevicius speech at 29 BSPC

29 BSPCYEARSBaltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceOPENINGVision 2030: Safeguarding our Environment,Seas and Oceans for Future GenerationsMr. Virginijus SinkevičiusEuropean Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and FisheriesYour excellency Speaker of Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, Dear Ministers, Members of Parliaments,dear Participants to the 29th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, I would like to welcome the settingof the conference and the very high level of participation which should enable discussions of quality andfruitful debates.This setting is a unique parliamentary bridge between all the EU and non-EU countries of the Baltic SeaRegion and an important guide for political actions. It can thus play an important role to achieve a clean,healthy and productive Baltic Sea, which is a core objective of the EU’s work for this regional sea.The state of the Baltic Sea, like that of all other European Seas, is one the Commission pays particularattention to. Much is said about its condition, little is said about what is being done.As outlined in the Commission’s recent report adopted just last June – the picture portraying state of ourseas is rather mixed. There are some positive stories, such as the white-tailed eagles here in the Baltic Sea.But we have others stories that are gloomier. The State of the Environment Report 2020 of the EuropeanEnvironmental Agency (EEA), and the 2018 HELCOM report on the state of the Baltic Sea (HOLASreport) shows that there are still too many nutrient run-offs choking the Baltic Sea. Unsustainable fishingpractices that bycatch for example harbour purpoise and dumping contaminants and other pollutantssuch as marine litter makes the situation worse.Ladies and gentlemen, our biodiversity remains at risk, pollution is ever present.We do however have marine strategies in place – thanks to EU legislation that protects and conserves themarine environment – that has led to important progress towards reducing marine pollution, in particularsince the entry into force of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in 2008.This directive was indeed the first EU’s holistic tool to analyse the health of our seas and oceans and to takeaction where it is most needed. It is a unique tool in the world and is often mentioned as a best practice.The report published a few weeks ago on its implementation provides an honest assessment of both itsachievements and its challenges.It has improved regional coordination within and across the regional seas. It helped deliver key internationalcommitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals. Thanks to the directive, an effective monitoringof ecosystems’ condition and pressures on them is now in place.As a policy tool, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive has made significant inroads. But we recognisethat actual implementation across the EU is lacking. The 2020 deadline to achieve good environmentalstatus in all our seas will not be achieved everywhere.In that regard the work we do with our Member States through HELCOM is also an important contributionto the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and importantly towards goodenvironmental status of the Baltic Sea as whole. We share the same objective.This is an excellent example of ocean governance at regional level. The coordinated regional work isparticularly relevant now in light of our overarching European Green Deal that guides all our policy-making in the EU.Work is done for example at regional level to reduce nutrient inputs in the Baltic Sea, for examplethrough launching a joint nutrient reduction scheme. Together with the countries bordering the NorthSea, HELCOM also contributed to better overall air and water quality by creating some of the first SulfurOxides and Nitrogen Oxides Emission Control Areas in European waters.Over the last decade, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) has also supported theseefforts by mobilising and coordinating public funding under EU Cohesion Policy as well as EuropeanNeighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI). The work launched under the EUSBSR offers agood basis for further development of initiatives aimed at preservation of the marine environment andclimate change.In addition, The Sustainable Blue Growth Agenda for the Baltic Sea Region, adopted by the EuropeanCommission in 2014 highlighted the extraordinary potential for developing sustainable blue economyin the Baltic Sea Region. Thematic areas such as green shipping, blue bio-economy, coastal and maritimetourism, and environmental and monitoring technology offer tremendous opportunities for new valuecreation which can benefit from coordinated action and joint investment to get new promising developmentoff the ground.I see that the latest HELCOM Ministerial Declaration of March 2018, adopted under EU Chairmanship,is being implemented with the on-going update of the Baltic Sea Action Plan. Consideration of new issuesnot yet or partially tackled, such as marine litter, underwater noise, nutrient recycling, and regional oceangovernance is of particular importance. I do hope to see these issues reflected in the updated Baltic SeaAction Plan.As you can see, we all need to act together, and here I call on all coastal EU member States to cooperateand coordinate their strategies more closely. And I think more needs to be done. The Marine StrategyFramework Directive report that I mentioned earlier, shows that there is indeed need for will, ambitionand dedication to reach Good Environmental Status. And we need to do this across the board – inreducing pollution and litter, in addressing unsustainable fishing and other extractive industries. We needto treat the seas with respect.That is why I will organise a conference this September 28th to tackle these issues together and gather supportand commitments to reduce the pressures affecting the state of the Baltic Sea, in particular eutrophication,fisheries and pollution (with a focus on litter). It will gather EU Ministers from Fisheries, Agriculture andEnvironment, with a parallel stakeholder conference aiming at trigger substantial discussions on the issuesat stake and on the solutions to implement, based on existing policies and best practices. I hope to adoptan ambitious declaration aiming at presenting the ways forward and commitments to accelerate efforts toachieve a clean and healthy Baltic Sea.This means first of all that European policies such as Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) and CommonFisheries Policy (CFP) should be used to reduce key pressures on the Baltic Sea. This is my number onepriority and it fits very well with the EU objectives set out in the European Green Deal, Biodiversitystrategy, zero pollution ambition, Farm to Fork, Chemicals Strategy, that are relevant for the wellbeing ofour seas and oceans.In particular, the new Biodiversity Strategy sets out an ambitious agenda for the protection of our seasand oceans. And it is a necessary ambition. We need to tackle the current biodiversity crisis in the marineenvironment. We need to strengthen our efforts to protect and restore marine ecosystems, based on anecosystem-based approach.The Commission is about to adopt its proposal for fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2021. Thisproposal is as always based on the latest best available scientific advice and our legislation in force. Theproposal will reflect the overall approach I described earlier with a prudent approach for struggling stocksand additional accompanying measures to support the rapid recovery of the stocks.We have a shared responsibility to protect the Baltic; through our agricultural practices, through ourfishing methods and through the way we take care of its environment. And as these issues do not knowany borders, it is important that EU and non-EU countries of the Baltic Sea Region work together; forexample through the regional organisations that protect the marine environment, or those that managefisheries issues.A coordinated and comprehensive response is what the Baltic needs. I will personally see that this is done.