Report on Sea-Dumped Munitions for the 30th BSPC

BSPCBaltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceReport onSea-Dumped Munitionsfor the 30th BSPCBSPCBaltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceReport onSea-Dumped Munitionsfor the 30th BSPC2Report on Sea-Dumped Munitions The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) was established in 1991 as afor the 30th BSPC forum for political dialogue between parliamentarians from the Baltic SeaRegion. BSPC aims at raising awareness and opinion on issues of current© Berlin, Rostock, Schwerin 2021 political interest and relevance for the Baltic Sea Region. It promotes anddrives various initiatives and efforts to support a sustainable environmental,Text: Peter Stein social and economic development of the Baltic Sea Region. It strives at en-Layout: produktionsbüro TINUS hancing the visibility of the Baltic Sea Region and its issues in a wider Eu-Editing: Bodo Bahr, Mathias Rinck ropean context.Photos: BSPC Secretariat BSPC gathers parliamentarians from 11 national parliaments, 11 region-al parliaments and 5 parliamentary organisations around the Baltic Sea. TheBSPC thus constitutes a unique parliamentary bridge between all the EU-and non-EU countries of the Baltic Sea Region.BSPC external interfaces include parliamentary, governmental, sub-re-gional and other organizations in the Baltic Sea Region and the NorthernDimension area, among them CBSS, HELCOM, the Northern DimensionPartnership in Health and Social Well-Being (NDPHS), the Baltic Sea La-bour Forum (BSLF), the Baltic Sea States Sub-regional Cooperation(BSSSC) and the Baltic Development Forum.BSPC shall initiate and guide political activities in the region; supportBaltic Sea Parliamentary Conference and strengthen democratic institutions in the participating states; improveBodo Bahr dialogue between governments, parliaments and civil society; strengthenSecretary General the common identity of the Baltic Sea Region by means of close co-opera-+49 171 5512557 tion between national and regional parliaments on the basis of equality; andbodo.bahr@bspcmail.net initiate and guide political activities in the Baltic Sea Region, endowingwww.bspc.net them with additional democratic legitimacy and parliamentary authority.The political recommendations of the annual Parliamentary Conferencesare expressed in a Conference Resolution adopted by consensus by the Con-BSPC Secretariat ference. The adopted Resolution shall be submitted to the governments ofSchlossgartenallee 15 the Baltic Sea Region, the CBSS and the EU, and disseminated to other rel-19061 Schwerin evant national, regional and local stakeholders in the Baltic Sea Region andGermany its neighbourhood.Contents 3Contents1. Introduction ...................................................................... 52. Resolution of the 29th BSPC of 24 August 2020 – item 15 ................................. 63. Implementation of the 29th BSPC resolution in and by the states ............................ 74. Questionnaire on sea-dumped munitions in the Baltic Sea .................................. 75. Motion in the German Bundestag ..................................................... 86. Activities at the EU level ............................................................. 96.1. Correspondence with the European Commission ...................................... 96.2. European Parliament resolution .................................................. 107. Presentation of DAIMON 2 outcomes in September 2021 ................................. 108. HELCOM Ministerial Meeting on 20 October 2021 – updating the BSAP .................... 119. Kiel Munition Clearance Week ....................................................... 1210. Joint Programming Initiative Oceans – JPI Oceans ...................................... 1311. Recommendations for action ........................................................ 1412. Summary ....................................................................... 1613. References ...................................................................... 1714. Annexes ........................................................................ 1914.1. Statements on item 15 of the 29th BSPC resolution ................................... 1914.1.1. Denmark ............................................................. 1914.1.2. Estonia .............................................................. 1914.1.3. German Bundestag ..................................................... 1914.1.4. Hamburg ............................................................. 1914.1.5. Latvia ............................................................... 2014.1.6. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ............................................... 2014.1.7. Poland ............................................................... 2014.1.8. Schleswig-Holstein ..................................................... 2014.1.9. Sweden .............................................................. 2214.2. Letter to European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius ............................... 2314.3. Reply from European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius ............................. 2614.4. Letters from MEPs to the Commission President ..................................... 2814.5. Letter from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen ............................... 3114.6. European Parliament resolution .................................................. 3314.7. Questionnaire on sea-dumped munitions in the Baltic Sea to the BSPC members ............ 3714.8. Replies to the questionnaire ..................................................... 3914.8.1. Poland ............................................................... 3914.8.2. Russia ............................................................... 4214.8.3. Sweden .............................................................. 4314.9. Motion of the German Bundestag ................................................ 451. Introduction 51. IntroductionThis report on my activities as the BSPC Rapporteur on Sea-DumpedMunitions builds on my interim report from last year and should beread as a second instalment.1 The fundamental aspects of the issue werealready covered in the first instalment and are largely still current, al-though there have been new developments and findings in technologi-cal and scientific terms. With regard to the problem as described andthe urgent need for action, nothing has changed. On the contrary, an-other year has gone by. This report gives me a chance to detail the latestdevelopments and again to explicitly highlight the most crucial points.This is especially important in view of the HELCOM Ministerial Meet-Peter Steining to be held in Lübeck, Germany, on 20 October 2021.Almost all of the time since my November 2019 election as Rapporteuron Sea-Dumped Munitions has been coloured by the COVID19 pan-demic. In the end, international contact with experts across the BalticSea region could not be conducted in the way I would have preferred.Thanks to digital meetings, telephone calls and written communica-tions, however, it was nevertheless possible to maintain regular and inpart very intensive dialogue with various experts from the spheres of sci-ence and research, associations, politics and public administration, andbusiness and industry.I can attest that many specialists working in science and research, in theBaltic Sea region and beyond, enjoy an outstanding network of ties toone another. There is a munitions community spanning multiple coun-tries and sectors, in which people have come to know one another andshare a common goal. I must also attest, however, that the scientificfindings which have been accumulating rapidly in recent years, the lat-est technological developments and the rising urgency have not yet beensuccessfully embedded on the political agenda in a sustained and com-prehensive manner. The reasons for this are manifold. They lie not in alack of effort on the part of scientists and associations but in the need tomake the knowledge that exists among specialists accessible to a wideraudience. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those play-ers who have generously deployed their expertise to support me andwillingly shared information with me over the last two years. My sincerethanks also go to our Secretary General, Bodo Bahr, who gave me allmanner of help and advice and so made my reporting job considerablyeasier.1 https://www.bspc.net/bspc_interim-report-on-sea-dumped-munitions-for-the-29th-bspc/6 2.Resolution of the 29th BSPC of 24 August 2020 – item 15 | 3. Implementation of the 29th BSPC resolution in and by the statesAs a BSPC member and Rapporteur and as a Member of the German Bundestag, I have always understoodit as part of my job in the area of legacy munitions to raise awareness of the urgency with which hazardousremnants of war need to be salvaged and neutralised. To judge by current developments, this seems to havebeen achieved, with greater attention being paid to the issue in the political sphere. Without a doubt, theresolutions we unanimously agreed at the 28th and 29th BSPCs and the interim report played a role in thatsuccess. As members of the BSPC, we should see it as our joint achievement. With the completion of thepresent report, I consider my task as Rapporteur fulfilled for now – but the job itself remains to be done, andit needs to be done in the 20 years that lie ahead. I look forward to tackling it alongside you all.Peter Stein2. Resolution of the 29th BSPC of24 August 2020 – item 15The 29th annual BSPC was held in a digital format on 24 August 2020. The participants, elected and second-ed representatives of the states in the Baltic Sea region, unanimously agreed a resolution which, in item 15, con-tains a call relating to legacy munitions in the Baltic Sea and thereby builds on the 28th resolution. Underitem 15 of the 29th resolution, the governments in the Baltic Sea region, the Council of the Baltic Sea States(CBSS) and the European Union are called upon, with regard to the safeguarding of our environment, seas andoceans for future generations and acknowledging the priorities of Germany’s HELCOM Chairmanship, to in-tensify efforts to monitor and to treat the problem of dumped munitions, wrecks and ghost nets in the BalticSea on a common international approach supporting the existing national and international efforts and respon-sibilities, moreover to strengthen existing political structures and scientific projects, also thus to make the Bal-tic Sea region become a global leader in the field of solving problems associated with dumped munitions andunexploded ordnance located underwater as well as in the field of wrecks and ghost nets.22 https://www.bspc.net/29th-bspc-resolution-final-adopted/4. Questionnaire on sea-dumped munitions in the Baltic Sea 73. Implementation of the 29th BSPC resolution inand by the statesBy the specified date of 16 July 2021, the BSPC Secretariat had received statements from 13 of the 22 re-gional and national governments. This participation by more than half of the states which provide BSPCmembers was gratifying, particularly given that some of the statements were very extensive and detailed. Itshould be noted that four of the 13 statements received do not highlight the part which is of relevance here,item 15. However, some of them did provide responses to the Rapporteur’s questionnaire on sea-dumpedmunitions in the Baltic Sea instead.4. Questionnaire on sea-dumped munitions in theBaltic SeaThe aims of this report included creating an overview of actual national activities dealing with legacy munitionsin the Baltic Sea that have taken place in the countries around its coast since last summer and of how currentdevelopments are perceived at the international level. I therefore decided, since I was unable to visit the BSPCmember states because of the pandemic, to put together a small questionnaire on sea-dumped munitions in theBaltic Sea, which was sent to the BSPC members via the relevant secretariats in various countries and regions.3My great thanks go to Secretary General Bodo Bahr and all the staff of the regional and national BSPC secre-tariats for all their support with that project. I would also like to express my gratitude for the responses.Analysis of the replies received firstly confirms that the legacy munitions in the Baltic Sea are seen as a ma-jor joint challenge. Secondly, it reveals that assorted national activities have been happening in the differentcoastal states and – even more importantly – a regular reckoning with the dangerous remnants of war hasbeen documented.Although the idea of a voluntary donor fund has been hailed as welcome, no concrete proposals for its prac-tical implementation have been put forward. Understandably, the need to sort out historical and legal re-sponsibility remains a factor, and I agree that this issue is of particular import. Clearing up these special is-sues must not generate disagreement at the wrong time or be taken as a reason to put off taking action. Theadvancing corrosion of the munitions means we have no time left to play with. The only prerequisite forstarting the necessary measures must be the desire to undertake an immediate joint effort. Otherwise, we willrun out of time.As we only received several responses to my questionnaire, they are not at first glance representative.Taken in combination, however, especially the responses from Germany, Poland, Russia and Swedenand the statements on the 29th BSPC resolution together provide a cohesive overall picture that allowsfor at least some cautious conclusions about the general state of opinion.3 Annex 14.78 5.Motion in the German Bundestag5. Motion in the German BundestagBeing the BSPC delegate from the German Bundestag, I have also been addressing the issue of legacy muni-tions in my role as a member of that parliament during the reporting period. My goal was the introductionof a motion in the Bundestag aiming for far-reaching national measures in dealing with sea-dumped muni-tions. I experienced a great deal of support in pursuing that endeavour and am delighted that a motion bythe governing coalition was adopted on 6 May 2021.4 Its subject is the responsible handling of munitions inthe North and Baltic Seas and the more widespread use of maritime technologies. The core elements of themotion include a call to construct a waterborne platform, as a testing and pilot project, which can be usedto salvage munitions in an effective and environmentally friendly manner and neutralise them while still outat sea. The Federal Government is moreover called upon both to introduce measures in its own territory andto engage in more extensive international cooperation with other states around the coast. This includes thecreation of a permanent donor fund fed on a voluntary basis by the coastal states (with the involvement ofthe EU), from which a group of experts, for example attached to HELCOM, can finance the monitoring andthe procurement procedures for the detection and ecologically responsible salvaging of legacy munitions inthe North and Baltic Seas. Additionally, the motion calls on the Federal Government to campaign for all cur-rent research, findings and outcomes relating to legacy munitions in the North and Baltic Seas to be collat-ed multinationally and for databases to be standardised.A similar motion in this area was introduced by the opposition and formed the basis of a public hearing be-fore the Bundestag Committee on the Environment on 17 May 2021. A video recording of the hearing isavailable on the Bundestag website, alongside the presentations that were made.5 The nine experts includeda Russian, Dr Mikhail Maistrenko. The hearing was a success, and all the experts and other participantsacross all parties were agreed that, in view of the advancing corrosion and the associated increase in the threatto the ecosystem, salvaging these remnants must not be put off any longer, especially in the Baltic.I would also like to mention at this point that the environment ministers of Germany’s Länder have been in-tensively working on the topic of sea-dumped munitions at their biannual Conference of Environment Min-isters in recent years and, among other things, have adopted a decision for a stronger approach to solving theproblem.4 Annex 14.95 https://www.bundestag.de/ausschuesse/a16_umwelt/oeffentliche_anhoerungen#url=L2F1c3NjaHVlc3NlL2ExNl91bXdlbH-Qvb2VmZmVudGxpY2hlX2FuaG9lcnVuZ2VuLzgzOTkxMC04Mzk5MTA=&mod=mod5444266.Activities at the EU level 96. Activities at the EU levelAlongside the Baltic Sea states and other multinational organisations in the Baltic Sea area, the EuropeanUnion plays a pivotal role when it comes to dealing with legacy munitions in the Baltic Sea. The reason forthis lies not only in the fact that many Baltic Sea states are members of the EU but also in the various pro-grammes that the EU has co-financed or is still co-financing in this field, such as CHEMSEA, DAIMONand DAIMON 2. Added to this is the European Commission’s seat on HELCOM, an organisation whichthe Rapporteur’s surveys found to be key to tackling the shared challenge.6.1. Correspondence with the European CommissionThe recommendations contained in the interim report raised the idea of a voluntary donor fund of at leastEUR 500 million to facilitate swift action. It is intended to take effect before and while historical and legalissues are still being cleared up. The proposal met with a lot of approval behind the scenes, but no officialsources have yet actually announced an intention to participate, nor has the budget been set.In that context, it was necessary to seek the support of the German politician Niclas Herbst, Member of theEuropean Parliament, Vice-Chair of its Committee on Budgets and member of its Committee on Fisheries,and jointly approach Virginijus Sinkevičius, the European Commissioner responsible for these matters. Ajoint letter sent in November 2020 put forward the idea of a voluntary donor fund and requested the Euro-pean Commission’s support.6In his reply of December 2020, Commissioner Sinkevičius welcomed the initiative, expressed openness tothe idea of a voluntary donor fund and mentioned that the Commission had launched a study relating tolegacy munitions in the Baltic Sea.7 Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also addressed the topic inher letter of 19 April 2021, in which she encouraged the EU member states to undertake national and inter-national action to tackle the problem of legacy munitions.8 She moreover suggests that the above-mentionedstudy, to be completed by the end of the year, could leave room for assisting member states with follow-upactivities. I take all this as encouragement to develop our Baltic Sea area as a pilot region for dealing with thisglobally acute problem.6 Annex 14.27 Annex 14.38 Annex 14.510 6.Activities at the EU level | 7. Presentation of DAIMON 2 outcomes in September 20216.2. European Parliament resolutionOn 27 April 2021, the European Parliament, by 660 of 668 votes, adopted an extensive petition fromamong its ranks on the subject of legacy munitions in the Baltic Sea.9 This had been preceded by a letter tothe Commission President drafted at the initiative of Polish MEPs, which had gained widespread support inthe European Parliament.10The text adopted by the European Parliament raises a whole series of important points and ultimately callson the Commission to devote greater efforts to dealing with the legacy munitions present in the Baltic Sea.Items K 10 to K 12 are particularly noteworthy, calling on the Commission to• engage all the relevant EU agencies and institutions, including the European Defence Agency, to uti-lise all the available resources and to make sure that the problem will be reflected in all the relevant EUpolicies and programming processes, including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and theMaritime Security Strategy Action Plan;• ensure that the issue of munitions dumped in European seas is included in the horizontal programmesin order to enable the submission of projects covering regions affected by the same problem (the Adri-atic and Ionian Seas, North Sea and Baltic Sea) and facilitate the exchange of experience and best prac-tices;• devote concerted efforts to tackling pollution in the Baltic Sea and to foster all types of regional, na-tional and international cooperation to this end, including through its partnership with NATO.117. Presentation of DAIMON 2 outcomes inSeptember 2021An initial presentation of DAIMON 2 outcomes was given at a digital meeting on 15 June 2021.12 The in-tention is to present them more fully at the DAIMON 2 conclusion session during Kiel Munition ClearanceWeek from 6 to 10 September. DAIMON 2 has demonstrated once again that advancing corrosion and theassociated leakage of compounds used in explosives are making the munitions present in the Baltic Sea a con-siderable threat to the ecosystem. One of the research project’s objectives was to make predictions about cor-rosion in the various types of munitions and to show not only on what a large scale compounds used in ex-plosives can be detected in fish and shellfish but also how quickly they make these completely unpalatablefor human consumption. It found that the first metal casings would be entirely corroded in as little as tenyears’ time.9 Annex 14.5, available online at https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0123_EN.html10 Annex 14.411 Annex 14.512 https://www.daimonproject.com/daimon2-final-meeting-1506.html8. HELCOM Ministerial Meeting on 20 October 2021 – updating the BSAP 118. HELCOM Ministerial Meeting on 20 October2021 – updating the BSAPUnder Germany’s Chairmanship from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting willbe held in the Hanseatic City of Lübeck in Germany on 20 October 2021.13 The plan is to update the Bal-tic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) there as well as to discuss the findings of the HELCOM Expert Group on Envi-ronmental Risks of Hazardous Submerged Objects (SUBMERGED).Reference was made in the interim report to the necessity of extending the mandate of SUBMERGED,which would normally have expired at the end of 2020, and to the group’s extensive report, which was at anadvanced stage of its production at the time. It is pleasing to see the statement from Schleswig-Holstein onitem 15 of the 29th BSPC resolution indicating that SUBMERGED has now become a permanent workinggroup.14 We should very much welcome that development.With regard to the update of the BSAP, the aim must be the explicit inclusion as a long-term environmentalpriority of salvaging and neutralising munitions and other hazardous products in the Baltic Sea.According to the Research Services Directorate of the German Bundestag, the Contracting Parties of theHelsinki Convention could assign that additional task to HELCOM.15 Under Article 20(1) of the Helsin-ki Convention, the explicitly formulated duties of HELCOM include keeping the implementation of theConvention under continuous observation, making recommendations on measures relating to the purposesof the Convention and promoting scientific research in a spirit of international understanding. Over andabove these duties, Article 20(2) provides for HELCOM – after negotiating and reaching unanimity inter-nally in accordance with Article 19(5) – to assume such other functions as it deems appropriate to furtherthe purposes of the Convention.It is therefore of great importance to adopt a resolution at the 30th BSPC which calls on the governments ofthe Baltic Sea region, the CBSS and the EU to that effect.13 https://helcom.fi/helcom-at-work/ministerial-meetings/2021-lubeck/14 Annex 14.1.8; link: https://www.bspc.net/implementation-of-the-29th-resolution-labor-issues1/15 Bundestag briefing notes: WD 2 - 3000 - 052/21 (12 July 2021)12 9. Kiel Munition Clearance Week9. Kiel Munition Clearance WeekIn the week from 6 to 10 September, Kiel Munition Clearance Week (KMCW) will be held in Kiel, Germa-ny.16 The man who initiated it, Jann Wendt, is also the founder of the munitions cadastre AmuCad men-tioned in the interim report and is internationally extremely well connected within the munitions commu-nity.17 One sign of the significance of the long-prepared KMCW is that Daniel Günther, Minister Presidentof Schleswig-Holstein, has become its patron. Many high-level representatives from the scientific, industrial,political and military spheres will attend and engage in intensive dialogue in the context of workshops, pres-entations and discussions.The special thing about KMCW is that it will bring together not only numerous players from the Baltic Searegion but also, under the aegis of the Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) Oceans, representatives of thoseparticularly affected by sea-dumped munitions on the North Sea and Mediterranean coasts.18According to the event organisers, the agenda will include the following topics:1. The state of research2. Environmental and societal impacts3. Legal aspects4. Detection and identification technologies5. Remediation solutions6. Stakeholder roles and responsibilities7. Economic opportunities8. Funding options16 https://munitionclearanceweek.org/17 https://www.amucad.org18 http://www.jpi-oceans.eu/10. Joint Programming Initiative Oceans – JPI Oceans 1310. Joint Programming Initiative Oceans –JPI OceansDue to the pandemic situation, it was not possible for the Rapporteur to establish contact in person with thesecretariat of JPI Oceans, which is located in Italy. Fortunately, the Rapporteur maintains intensive contactwith Claus Böttcher, the coordinator of the new Knowledge Hub, which was launched by the JPI OceansManagement Board in November 2020. Claus Böttcher is head of BLANO19 and one of the organisers ofKMCW and has been particularly recognized for his experience and his efforts not only with JPI Oceans butthroughout the munitions community around Europe.A better understanding of what exactly JPI Oceans does may be gained from the JPI Oceans homepage.20According to its own description, JPI Oceans is an intergovernmental platform that strives to increase theimpact of national investments in marine and maritime research and innovation. It focuses on long-term col-laboration between EU member states, associated countries and international partners. The platform pro-vides its member countries with a shared voice, a strategic agenda and an action plan to address complexocean-related challenges facing society that cannot be resolved at the national level.The JPI Oceans Action on munition in the sea21 was proposed by the Strategic Advisory Board in April 2014and approved by the JPI Oceans Management Board in November 2015. The aim of the joint action is tocoordinate research and innovation to assess risks, define priorities and suggest intervention options with re-gard to munitions in the marine environment. The outcomes of the action will be used to support the iden-tification, monitoring and elimination of threats through more systematic and sound approaches.The added value generated by this JPI Oceans Action consists of three aspects:1. Introducing and structuring interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral European scientific cooperation2. Providing an interface between scientific expertise and operators3. Contributing to cost and time efficient solutions19 Bund/Länder Working Group North and Baltic Sea; Link: https://www.meeresschutz.info/blano.html20 http://www.jpi-oceans.eu/21 http://www.jpi-oceans.eu/munitions-sea14 11. Recommendations for action11. Recommendations for actionAs mentioned in the introduction and documented in this report, there has been very gratifying progressmade on munitions clearance in the Baltic Sea since the interim report was issued – and I do not refer onlyto the increased political and public attention being directed towards the subject, which has been achievedin spite of the challenges of the COVID19 pandemic. It is regrettably the case, however, that key points ofthe recommendations for action set out in the 2020 interim report are yet to be implemented and thereforeappear again in the list below. A number of additional recommendations are given in light of the upcomingHELCOM Ministerial Meeting of 20 October and the impending update of the Baltic Sea Action Plan.Recommendations for action already included in the interim report:• All current research, findings and results on the topic should be collated multinationally, and datashould be standardised.• Comprehensive monitoring of the contaminated sites should be established and maintained.• Research into the use of bio-indicators should be intensified.• A joint, multinational group of experts (science and technology/processes) should be set up to issueannual recommendations based on constant evaluation for the targeted, necessary handling of sea-dumped munitions and unexploded ordnance.• Swift, environmentally friendly action must be possible. There must therefore be an option to omitlengthy discussions about responsibilities, establishment of legal consequences and identification ofperpetrators upfront when such activities would obstruct the necessary timeline.• To resolve this issue, a permanent multinational fund should be set up to finance the expert group, themonitoring and the relevant tendering procedures for the treatment of legacy munitions.• An example is provided by international donor funds like the development funds under the aegis ofthe United Nations, which have proved to work well. A stable framework for legacy munitions couldbe supplied by the EU institutions or preferably by the HELCOM structures.• In a corresponding voluntary donor conference (ideally with the involvement of the EU), the initialaim should be an amount of EUR 500 million to flexibly finance the measures that the experts recom-mend.• Current technical developments may lead to a reduction of around 80% in the costs of salvaging anddealing with munitions. At the same time, therefore, the private marine technology sector should beinvolved in the economic process by means of regular procurement procedures for the proposed meas-ures. This will support the steady continuation of technological development and value creation in ourregion as a whole.• The Baltic Sea area has the potential to become a pilot region for the sustainable, scientific, technologicaland value-creating resolution of the legacy problem of munitions throughout our waters. Similar contami-nation can be found in many seas, coastal waters, estuaries, harbour areas and lakes around the world.11. Recommendations for action 15The following recommendations for action are given in addition and as further specification, not least withan eye on the coming update of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) at the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting on20 October 2021:• Efforts to salvage and neutralise munitions in the Baltic Sea should be enhanced by means of measuresundertaken within the framework of multinational cooperation in accordance with the 28th and 29thBSPC resolutions as well as the recommendations for action issued by the BSPC Rapporteur on Sea-Dumped Munitions.• The various national findings, research results and data should be collated within a group of experts,preferably attached to HELCOM. Concrete measures to remove munitions from the Baltic Sea shouldbe prepared on that basis.• When it comes to implementing the financial instrument referred to in the 28th BSPC resolution, theaim should be an international, voluntary donor fund, and the possibility of HELCOM managingsuch a fund under Article 20(2) of the Helsinki Convention should be investigated.• The Baltic Sea area should be established as a global pilot region for the environmentally responsible,swiftest possible and cost-effective salvaging and decontamination of legacy munitions in marine wa-ters.• The governments of the Baltic Sea region, the CBSS and the EU should take all necessary steps to en-sure they can finish removing and neutralising munitions and other hazardous products from the Bal-tic Sea within the next 20 years.• The removal and neutralisation of munitions present in the Baltic Sea, and all the measures requiredfor that endeavour, should be explicitly included in the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) aslong-term environmental priorities. The same applies, in accordance with our 29th BSPC resolution,to hazardous substances in wrecks and ghost nets.16 12. Summary12. SummaryExperts keep telling me that there has never been such powerful impetus, such clear momentum and suchgreat readiness to finally undertake a systematic effort to salvage and destroy these hazardous munitions. Buta sustainable solution is only possible if we can maintain the current impetus and not only continue to ob-serve developments but scale up international collaborations and capabilities to industrial dimensions.It is up to us, as members of the regional and national parliaments, to induce our governments to take swiftcooperative action in the Baltic Sea region. The conditions are in place for immediate action: we have suffi-cient data, methods for risk analysis and decision-making, tried and tested technological solutions and thestructures provided by HELCOM.The Baltic Sea area has the potential to become a pilot region for research, development and application scal-able to the entire maritime industry. Other munitions dumping grounds will benefit; there are large num-bers of them around the world.13. References 1713. References• Link to the 28th BSPC resolution:https://www.bspc.net/conference-resolution-28-bspc-adopted-270819/• Link to the statements on the 28th BSPC resolution:https://www.bspc.net/bspc_statements_28thbspc_resolution/• BSPC Standing Committee November 11, 2019:https://www.bspc.net/valerijus-simulik-chairs-standing-committee-in-berlin/• Link to the 29th BSPC resolution:https://www.bspc.net/29th-bspc-resolution-final-adopted/• Link to the statements on the 29th BSPC resolution:https://www.bspc.net/implementation-of-the-29th-resolution-labor-issues1/• Link to the BSPC interim report on sea-dumped munitions for the 29th BSPC:https://www.bspc.net/bspc_interim-report-on-sea-dumped-munitions-for-the-29th-bspc/• Link to the European Parliament resolution:https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0123_EN.html• Link to the DAIMON project:https://www.daimonproject.com/• Link to the BASTA project:https://www.basta-munition.eu/• Link to the MUNITECT network:https://www.munitect.de/en/home• Link to the UDEMM project:https://udemm.geomar.de/• Link to the CBSS Bornholm Declaration:https://www.cbss.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Bornholm-Declaration.pdf• Link to HELCOM:https://helcom.fi• Link to the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting of 20 October 2021:https://helcom.fi/helcom-at-work/ministerial-meetings/2021-lubeck/18 13. References• Link to the report Munitions in German Marine Waters – Stocktaking and Recommendations (inGerman):https://www.schleswig-holstein.de/DE/UXO/Berichte/PDF/Berichte/ag_blano_fortschritt2018.pdf?__blob=-publicationFile&v=1• Link to the EUSBSR:https://www.balticsea-region-strategy.eu/• Link to AmuCad:https://www.amucad.org• Link to Kiel Munitions Clearance Week:https://munitionclearanceweek.org/• Link to Germany’s priorities for its Chairmanship of HELCOM:https://helcom.fi/about-us/chairmanship/germany-2020-2022/• Link to BLANO (in German):https://www.meeresschutz.info/blano.html• Link to JPI Oceans:http://www.jpi-oceans.eu/munitions-sea• Böttcher, et al. (2013 to 2020) annual reports from 2012 to 2019 – www.munition-im-meer.de• Frey, T. (2020) Quality Guideline for Explosive Ordnance Disposal. Beuth Verlag GmbH, Berlin• Cooper, Nick; Cooke, Simon (2015): Assessment and management of unexploded ordnance (UXO)risk in the marine environment. CIRIA, London• United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) (2014): Underwater Survey and Clearance of Explo-sive Ordnance (EO). New York• Carbon Trust (2020): Guidance for geophysical surveying for UXO and boulders supporting cable in-stallation• Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) (2016): A Guide to Survey andClearance of Underwater Explosive Ordnance. Geneva• Greinert, J. (2019) Practical Guide for Environmental Monitoring of Conventional Munitions in theSeas – Results from the BMBF-funded project UDEMM (environmental monitoring for the delabo-ration of munitions on the seabed). GEOMAR, Kiel• Bundestag briefing notes: WD 2 - 3000 - 052/21 (12 July 2021)14. Annexes 1914. Annexes14.1. Statements on item 15 of the 29th BSPC resolution14.1.1.D enmarkDenmark fully supports all relevant efforts to monitor and to treat the problem of dumped munitions,wrecks and ghost nets in the Baltic Sea. Such efforts should be developed and executed on the basis of com-plete risk assessments and without detriment to national security.14.1.2.E stoniaEstonia acknowledges that ammunition dumped at sea as well as wrecks and ghost nets constitute an envi-ronmental and safety issue in the Baltic Sea. These problems being of large-scale, widespread and trans-boundary character, require a joint approach by the Baltic Sea states. The issue of dumped munitions is ad-dressed within the HELCOM group on Environmental Risks of Hazardous Submerged Objects. The prob-lem of ghost nets will be addressed in the Revised HELCOM Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter as wellas in the updated Programme of measures of the Estonian Marine Strategy.14.1.3.G erman BundestagThe German Government reaffirms its intention to attach special political significance during its HELCOMChairmanship to the subject of maritime contamination and lost or discarded fishing equipment and to ad-vance the development of international and cross-institutional cooperation on the matter. The goal is also totranslate national approaches, strategies and procedures into the regional and supra-regional context.14.1.4.H amburgHamburg works together with its partners in the Federal Government and Länder Working Group on theNorth and Baltic Seas (BLANO) to implement the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (Document22/1694). The national programme of measures for the North and Baltic Seas is currently being updated. Amain focus, supported by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, is improving marine protection and sus-tainable use of the seas. The Senate welcomes the active role of the German Federal Minister as the currentchairwoman of HELCOM and the great commitment of the Federal Ministry of the Environment, NatureConservation and Nuclear Safety in the HELCOM working bodies. The Senate supports the Federal Gov-ernment in the priorities it has set for achieving its climate targets and for the protection of the Baltic Sea inrespect of:• reducing the pollution of the Baltic Sea with nutrients and maritime waste.• reworking the Baltic Sea Action Plan to take account of regionally important core topics by 2021 atthe latest.• including global developments such as the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Oceans).20 14. Annexes14.1.5.L atviaAt the moment the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic ofLatvia has no special projects regarding problems associated with dumped munitions and unexploded ord-nance located underwater, or wrecks and ghost nets. There are legal provisions in national legislation and theMaritime Spatial Plan limiting access and activities in such areas.14.1.6. Mecklenburg-VorpommernMecklenburg-Vorpommern has been part of the “Expert Network Munitions in the Sea” of the joint Bund-Länder Working Group North and Baltic Sea since its founding meeting in February 2012. The members ofthe Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, the Ministry of the Interior and Europe as well as the Mu-nitions Extraction Service Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Munitionsbergungsdienst Mecklenburg-Vorpom-mern, MBD MV) represent the Federal State at the relevant meetings. The MBD MV also provides expertconsultations on the threat of unexploded ordnance for NGOs organising the extraction of ghost nets. Exten-sive research conducted since 2017 has delivered comprehensive data on coastal military exercise locationsand thus supplements the documentation of marine areas, which have been increasingly used for firing prac-tice since 1871. This research revealed that dud from shooting practice could potentially be dispersed over amore than 15.000 km2 area stretching far beyond the coastal waters of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In addi-tion, the Munitions Extraction Service Mecklenburg-Vorpommern participates in other research projects asan associated partner or consulting body (e.g. within the framework of the DAIMON project). To this end,direct contacts with the BSPC Rapporteur on Sea-Dumped Munitions have also taken place.14.1.7. PolandLegislative work on the Order No. 150 of the Prime Minister of 25 September 2020 on the appointment of theInter-Ministerial Team on the risks arising from hazardous materials deposited in the maritime areas of the Re-public of Poland. The task of the team will be to assess the risks associated with the occurrence of hazards arisingfrom hazardous materials deposited in the maritime areas of the Republic of Poland, including the preparationand presentation for approval by the Council of Ministers of a detailed action plan of public administration andthe supervised and subordinate units on the subject of toxic warfare agents and their degradation products de-posited in the maritime areas of the Republic of Poland, conventional weapons and fuel and petroleum substanc-es deposited in wrecks, together with the identification of entities responsible for carrying out the tasks, theschedule of implementation of these tasks and the expected financial outlays for their implementation.14.1.8. Schleswig-HolsteinThe Baltic Sea region is the leading region on these topics all over the world. To which extent HELCOM’s ob-jectives can be reached under the German Presidency is not the responsibility of the state of Schleswig-Holsteinor Germany. However, the German Presidency and the respective vice-presidents of the countries have agreed onfurther proposals to deal with and solve the burdens, which also result in marine ammunition and ghost net-works, in order to advance these issues in the Baltic Sea region together with all the parties (see paragraph 14).With regard to ammunition loads in the sea, a particular challenge is to attract further contracting parties toparticipate in the issue in order to obtain as comprehensive a picture as possible of the conventional ammuni-tion in the Baltic Sea. A first success is visible. The work of the ad hoc working group HELCOM Submerged,14. Annexes 21which expires at the end of 2020, will continue as a submerged expert network at the request of Germany andPoland. The work can go on. The Heads of Delegation have to take a corresponding decision by 2021. Somemeasures asked for in point 24 of the 28th BSPC resolution are already on the way. The financing instrumentfor dealing with ammunition in the Baltic Sea region is still outstanding. Baltic Sea wide concepts for moni-toring and handling ammunition start by corresponding projects. The Kiel Munitions Clearance Week 2021- to take place on 10 September 2021- can form a special milestone here. The aim of this international eventis to provide a platform for politics, science, business and administration to inform and exchange informationon marine ammunition, the impacts and possibilities of handling. Schleswig-Holstein has developed over thelast 10 years a kind of knowledge region for ammunition in the Sea and has launched many projects and ini-tiatives.Kiel Munitions Clearance Week 2021 is an intermediate target, but also a starting point for the next step to-wards an orderly clearing concept for the Baltic Sea. This can function as starting point for concepts of othermarine areas. In addition to the previously described establishment of the expert network Submerged underHELCOM RESPONSE, Kiel Ammunition Clearance Week 2021 will also make a visible contribution topoint 15 of the 29th BSPC resolution. During this event, the two EU-funded projects DAIMON 2 and BAS-TA will organize project meetings under Polish and German coordination, thus underlining the importance ofthe Baltic Sea region for the topic. This will once again present the Baltic Sea region as an important examplein the handling of marine ammunition.On 01 January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations enteredinto force. Objective 14 (SDG-14) describes the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marineresources. The goals described are realistic by 2030 under the precondition that all actors will take the neces-sary measures. Regional cooperation such as HELCOM contribute to this, among other things, with the ob-jectives formulated for the German Presidency. The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference can take a responsi-ble position here in order to persuade its own governments to adopt at least a regionally coordinated strategyfor dealing with marine ammunition and, above all, to resolve the issue of a sustainable financial instrument.With regard to ghost networks, a wide range of initiatives, activities and research projects are on the way or inpreparation:At the political level, the 93. Conference of Environment Ministers on 15 November 2019 asked the Bund/Länder Working Group North and Baltic Sea (BLANO), including the fisheries industry, nature conservationassociations and, where appropriate, other actors, to identify appropriate measures for the MSFD programmeas well as targeted research and development needs to solve the ghost network problem in the North and Bal-tic Seas. It also asked BLANO to explore possible financial instruments and to report on the results to the Con-ference of Environment Ministers as soon as possible.As part of the updating of the MSFD Action Programmes, an existing measure continue under the new title“Prevention, Search, Recovery and Disposal of Ghost Networks”. It includes a comprehensive portfolio ofmeasures (avoidance, mapping, locating, collecting, discarding, recycling, eco-friendly materials, marking,producer responsibility, educational work), thereby contributing to the implementation of the HELCOMBSAP and the HELCOM Recommendation 36/1 (Regional Marine Litter Action Plan).In addition, the National Round Table on Sea Waste has treated the ghost network problem since 2016 in or-der to support and operationalize the implementation of the MSFD measures to achieve the national environ-mental objective “sea without exposure to waste”. Schleswig-Holstein has taken part in this discussion. In thiscontext, expertise from the relevant areas (fishing and port industry, public authorities, environmental associ-ations, etc.) will be brought together in order to define and operationalize concrete options for action.22 14. AnnexesDuring the ongoing German HELCOM presidency and the Schleswig-Holstein vicechairmanship, the follow-ing other thematic issues are focal points:I. Intensification of activities to prevent, search and salvage “ghost nets” in the Baltic Sea region:Up to now, the following measures exist for the German Baltic Sea waters:• Methods for mapping ghost nets;• Strategies to avoid loss of fishing gear Evaluation of marking systems for better retrieval of lost fish-ing gear;• Overview of options for the collection and handling of fishing gear out of service in ports;• Treatment scheme in ports from the design of reception facilities to recycling;• Explore recycling opportunities for fishing gear out of service;• Sonar technique for the recovery of lost fishing gear;• an environmental impact study on the impact of salvage operations and a risk assessment of am-munition loads in the sea.In this context, we have to make sure that new procedures do not create additional burdens on the marineenvironment. For this purpose, for example, we have to pay attention to the underwater sound inputs re-sulting from the sonar technology.II. Improving communication and knowledge-share between stakeholders:In particular, further improvement of communication with fishermen, various interest groups and otherorganizations is important with the aim of reducing prejudices (e.g. fears about stigmatization of fisher-ies), to learn from the many years of experience of fishermen, to raise awareness of problems and, if pos-sible, to jointly develop strategies for reducing or avoiding net losses.III. P reparation of a HELCOM Recommendation on Abandoned, Lost and Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG):From the findings already gained and with the help of the exchange with fishers and other stakeholders,the completion of the already planned HELCOM Recommendation on ALDFG is to tackle.14.1.9.S wedenRegarding sea mines from WW1 and WW2, Swedish naval units continue to support the Baltic states in un-derwater mine clearance. This support is conducted both for environmental reasons as well as to secure thesea lines of communications in the Baltic Sea.The Swedish government supports the priorities of the German chairmanship and is actively engaged in thediscussions on updating the Baltic Sea Action Plan. The Swedish government has initiated work on a nation-al programme on wrecks where several priority wrecks have been identified for which a decontaminationprogramme has been initiated. In addition, Sweden has an ambitious programme for decontamination ofcontaminated soil, mostly related to historic industrial activities, that also include harbour and marine areas.Regarding ghost nets, the Swedish government provides financial support to the fishing industry and otherstakeholders, who also participate in the work on retrieving lost fishing gear. This work also relates to the im-plementation of the EU plastics directive.14. Annexes 2314.2. Letter to European Commissioner Virginijus SinkevičiusPeter Stein, MdBMitglied des Deutschen BundestagesBSPC-rapporteur on sea-dumpedmunitionsPeter Stein, MdB, Platz der Republik 1, 11011 BerlinMr Virginijus SinkevičiuaCommissioner for Environment, Oceansand FisheriesBERL 08/204 CA 27Rue de la Loi 200, 1049 BrusselsBerlin, 12.11.2020 Establishment of a voluntary donor fund “munitions in the BalticBezug: Sea”; Request for supportAnlagen:Peter Stein, MdB Dear Commissioner Sinkevičius,Platz der Republik 111011 BerlinAs Commissioner for Environment, Seas and Fisheries you areBüro: Paul-Löbe-HausRaum: 3.133 certainly aware that more than 1.6 million tons of hazardousTelefon: +49 30 227-73310 warfare materials in the North Sea and Baltic Sea are a growingFax: +49 30 227-76580peter.stein@bundestag.de threat to human and the environment. They effect the economy bygrowing risks, in particular in the fisheries, shipping and theWahlkreisbüro:offshore sector.Wollenweberstr. 4518055 RostockTelefon: +49 381 377789-46 In the Baltic Sea, scientific data on risks an impacts on theFax: +49 381 377789-47peter.stein@bundestag.de ecosystem is now very well developed. In essence, the EU fundedresearch project DAIMON, which delivered important results inspring 2019, has contributed to this. The follow-up projectDAIMON 2 is already ongoing.It is to be welcomed that the European Commission takes thepollution-pressure on the seas very seriously. The current andplanned Interreg Baltic Sea Region program reflects that in anexcellent way. It is also to be welcomed that transnationalcooperation in the Baltic Sea Region will continue in the nextprogramming period 2021-2027 and that in the future MultiannualFinancial Framework (MFF) the fight against pollution will be apriority of the new Baltic Sea Region Program 2021-2027.In this context, the problem of munitions is one of the objectivesof the current HELCOM Presidency by Germany. In addition, atthe end of 2020, the HELCOM Working Group SUBMERGED willpresent a comprehensive report on lost packed chemical cargoes,dumped munitions, contaminated wrecks and dangerous24 14. AnnexesSeite 2waste loads in the Baltic Sea. As the European Commission is amember of HELCOM, you are certainly aware of this.The scientific findings, ongoing programs and the existingcommitments of individual EU Member States are not specificallyaddressed here. Instead, reference is made to the interim report byBSPC rapporteur Peter Stein on “sea-dumped munitions” ofAugust 2020.This report also contains a number of proposals to address thepressing problem outgoing from sea-dumped munitions. (link:https://www.bspc.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/BSPC_Interim-report-on-sea-dumped-munitions-for-the-29th-BSPC.pdf)A compelling element here is swift, collective, internationalaction, regardless of individual moral, historical or legalresponsibilities. A common, uniform approach to solving thisproblem would be an action in the best European sense!Bearing in mind that Covid-19 poses enormous economic andfinancial challenges to all EU countries, we believe that the settingup of a voluntary donor conference, modelled on the UN funds,from international cooperation, such as environmental andclimate protection, immunization or the fight against hunger, is animportant and effective first step.Under the constant technical supervision of an independentexpert group, the scientific findings must be brought together,standardized and expanded. Networked monitoring of the affectedsea areas and objects is to be set up and maintained. The objectivemust be the ability to carry out a sound risk assessment recognizedby all stakeholders. Following a regular recommendation from theexpert group, the most dangerous objects and areas can beprioritized and gradually made harmless with proposed measures.Adverse effects on the environment and risks to humans, materialsand animals shall be minimized.The measures proposed by the experts will be tenderedinternationally and will be financed flexibly from this fund. In thisway, the maritime industry, as well as waste managementspecialists, are addressed and involved. This leads to steadily14. Annexes 25Seite 3increasing efficiency, environmental protection and falling prices,but also to the creation of more capacity and jobs in this area.If successful in principle, the EU could become a global model andtechnology leader. There are numerous underwater munitionsdumps around the world, while at the same time having highpotential risks and pressure for action. As a result, Europe can playan important supporting role not only with know-how andexperience, but also with the world's leading technology and ourprofessionals.Dear Commissioner,We would very much appreciate your views on this issue, inparticular with regard to the BSPC interim report, and ask for yoursupport in setting up an international donor conference.With kind regardsNiclas HerbstMember of the European ParliamentPeter SteinMember of the German Bundestag, BSPC-rapporteur26 14. Annexes14.3. Reply from European Commissioner Virginijus SinkevičiusRef. Ares(2020)7709990 - 17/12/2020VIRGINIJUS SINKEVIČIUSCommissioner for EnvironmentOceansand FisheriesBrussels, 17/12/2020Ref. (2020)7983931Niclas HerbstMitglied des Europäischen ParlamentsParlement européen,60Rue WiertzB-1047,BruxellesBELGIUMniclas.herbst@europarl.europa.euPeter SteinMitglied des Deutschen BundestagesDeutscher BundestagPlatz der Republik, 111011,BerlinGERMANYpeter.stein@bundestag.deDear Mr Herbst,dear MrStein,Thank you for your letter of 12 November 2020.Your letter, as well as the “Interim report on sea-dumped munitions for the 29th Baltic SeaParliamentary Conference (BSPC)” reflects the extensive research you have carried out onsea-dumped munitions and the multitude of hazards they pose to human safety, environmentalhealth and to the normal execution of maritime economic activities including fishing,transport and offshore energy projects. I would like to commend you on this comprehensivework.The issue of dumped munitions and of various hazardous wrecks on the sea floor in Europeansea basins is indeed a large-scale problem that merits appropriate attention. I appreciate thatyour report for the 29th BSPC highlights the Commission’s actions to addresstheseissues, aswell as the actions of HELCOM and of various EU Member States, particularly those aroundthe Baltic Sea and the North Sea.14. Annexes 27I would like to inform you that the Commission has just launched a study that will producerelevant guidance to enhance cooperation between Member States’ authorities, private bodiesand regional organisations in dealing with accidental recovery or any encounter withunexploded ordnances and chemical munitions dumped at sea.Funding to address the problem of dumped munitions and hazardous wrecks can come fromthe European Territorial Cooperation programs, which work in shared management betweenthe European Commission and participating countries and are co-funded by the EuropeanRegional Development Fund (ERDF). The transnational Baltic Sea Region (BSR) programmeprovided funding for the CHEMSEA and DAIMON 1 and 2 projects, which you referred to inyour report. For the 2021-27 BSR programme, the Commission proposed in its orientationpaper that there should be a strong focus on tackling the pollution of the Baltic Sea.As regards your idea of an international donor conference, I look forward to learning moreabout the planned format and focusof such an event.Yours sincerely,Virginijus SinkevičiusElectronically signed on 16/12/2020 16:19 (UTC+01) in accordance with article 11 of Commission Decision C(2020) 448228 14. Annexes14.4. Letters from MEPs to the Commission PresidentTo:President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen12 March2021Dear President,We are deeply concerned about the risk still posed today by chemical and conventionalmunitionsdumped on the Baltic seabed after World War II.This isone of the most importantcausesof pollution intheBaltic andthemost dangerous one, since effects of eventual spillsand leakages go beyond the borders of one country and have economic,security,social, healthand environmental consequences. Therefore, we call on the European Commission for anurgent action and for the provision of adequate financial resources in the new financialperspective, not only in the Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme for the years 2021-2027,but also in other horizontal programs in which the issue of the munition dumped on the seabedshould be included.As a consequence ofWorld War IIdozens of tons of munitionsand chemical weaponsweresank in the BalticSea, which nowexperts considerto beone of the most polluted seas in theworld.Due to interaliaincomplete documentation on the number and places of dumps,it isimpossible to determine the exact amount of the chemical munitions lying on the seabed,containing toxic substances, such as mustard gas, and representing a serious hazard to theenvironment and tothepeople. Depending on thesource,it isestimated that itismore than50,000 tons. Apart from the munition itself, there are also hundreds of shipwrecks whichprogressive corrosion creates a risk of leakage of fuel, petroleum products and poisonouswarfare agents.This may cause an ecological disaster and poison large areas of the Baltic Sea,which is particularly concerning sincetheBalticis only connected tothe ocean by the DanishStraits, which results in a very low self-cleaning capacity.As an effect, it might resultinoneof the greatest environmentaldisasters, whichthen wewillhave tohandlewithfor decades.Chemicalmunitions and chemical agents leaking from the shipwrecksin the Baltic Sea mayaffect all human activities at sea: fishing boat crews, crews of ships performing underwaterengineering works, divers performing underwater works, crews of research vessels exploringthe seabed, crews of floating units, port workers servicing call ships to ports, crew of rescueunits andeventourists. The dangers resulting from contact witha released poison control agentis enormous, ranging fromthedirectharm tothe human body, tothe possibility oftransferringpoison control agents in the food chain.We welcome the EU’s successfulefforts and support formineaction worldwide, including intheBalkans, Africa and Asia.We believe that the pressing problem of dumped munitions inthe Baltic Sea and the Skagerrak calls for the similar engagement from the EU. Hence, wewelcome the fact that the EC hosted in 2019 a Colloquium on the Challenges of Unexploded14. Annexes 29Munitions in the Sea, which was an important step to share experience and knowledge betweenrelevant stakeholders.Therefore, we strongly call on the European Commissionto:1. ensure continuity of the actions undertaken in the previous years, such as CHEMSEA,DAIMON and the ongoing DAIMON 2 project,2. secure adequate financing of research and actions required at resolving the dangerscoming from the dumped munitions in the Baltic Sea, within the 2021-2027 InterregBaltic Sea Region programme and horizontal programmes,3. supporttheefforts on national levels,such as mapping of the location of the dumpedmunitions, as well as controlling and removing hazardous materials,4. secure adequate financing andsupportthe development of the environmentally friendlytechnology for disposal and destruction of the conventional and chemical munitions,5. ensure thathorizontal programmesallow the submission of projects coveringregionsaffected by the same problem (theAdriatic-Ionian,the NorthSea and theBalticSea)andwould enablethe exchange of experiences and bestpractices,6. make sure that the problem will be reflected in all the relevant EU policies and in theprogramming processes, including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and theEU Maritime Security Strategy Action Plan,7. initiate the work on the comprehensive plan of action for adisposal and removal of thehazardous remains of the World War II,8. include the problem as one of the fields oftheEU-NATO cooperation,9. engageall relevant European agencies and institutions to utilize all available resources,including the European Defence Agency.We areconvincedthat without tackling the problem of the dumped munitionsthe objectiveto‘Save the Sea’, as stated in the European Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, cannot beachieved.The work on the 2021-2027 Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme is currently onthe waywiththe next meeting of the Joint Programme Committee (JCP) planned for the endof March. Therefore, we call on the Commission to follow up conclusions of the 2019Colloquiumandaddressour recommendations, including within the next Interreg Baltic SeaRegion programme.Yours sincerely,Anna FOTYGA, ECR, PolandRasa JUKNEVIČIENĖ, EPP, LithuaniaUrmas PAET,Renew, EstoniaHenna VIRKKUNEN, EPP, FinlandViola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL, Greens/EFA, GermanyCharlie WEIMERS, ECR, SwedenRoberts ZĪLE, ECR, Latvia30 14. AnnexesAndris AMERIKS, S&D, LatviaKosma ZŁOTOWSKI, ECR, PolandNils TORVALDS, Renew, FinlandMiriam LEXMANN, EPP, SlovakiaSven MIKSER, S&D, EstoniaAdam JARUBAS, EPP, PolandPetras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Renew, LithuaniaGianna GANCIA, ID, ItalyElżbieta KRUK, ECR, PolandDorien ROOKMAKER, NI, NetherlandsAušra MALDEIKIENĖ, EPP, LithuaniaWitold Jan WASZCZYKOWSKI, ECR, PolandMartin BUSCHMANN, NI, GermanyJuozas OLEKAS, S&D, LithuaniaInese VAIDERE, EPP, LatviaHermann TERTSCH, ECR, SpainGünther SIDL, S&D, AustriaSergey LAGODINSKY,Greens/EFA, GermanyIvan Vilibor SINČIĆ, NI, CroatiaBeata SZYDŁO, ECR, PolandDace MELBĀRDE, ECR, LatviaFrançois-Xavier BELLAMY, EPP, FranceRyszard CZARNECKI, ECR, PolandAndrius KUBILIUS, EPP, LithuaniaJavier NART,Renew, SpainElżbieta RAFALSKA, ECR, PolandBeata MAZUREK, ECR, PolandHannah NEUMANN,Greens/EFA, GermanyMagdalena ADAMOWICZ, EPP, PolandAlviina ALAMETSÄ,Greens/EFA, FinlandKaren MELCHIOR, Renew, DenmarkTudor CIUHODARU, S&D, Romania14. Annexes 3114.5. Letter from Commission President Ursula von der LeyenRef. Ares(2021)2620459 - 19/04/202132 14. Annexes14. Annexes 3314.6. European Parliament resolutionEuropean Parliament2019-2024TEXTS ADOPTEDP9_TA(2021)0123Chemical residues in the Baltic Sea based on petitions 1328/2019 and0406/2020 under Rule 227(2){ TC"(B9-0224/2021)"\l3 \n> \* MERGEFORMAT }PE690.805European Parliament resolution of 27 April 2021 on chemical residues in the Baltic Sea,based on Petitions Nos 1328/2019 and 0406/2020 (2021/2567(RSP))The European Parliament,– having regard to Petitions Nos 1328/2019 and 0406/2020,– having regard to Article 3(3) of the Treaty on European Union, Articles 4 and 191 of theTreaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and Articles 35 and 37 of the Charter ofFundamental Rights of the European Union,– having regard to its resolution of 18 September 1997 on the ecological problem of theBaltic Sea1, the objective of Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of theCouncil of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the fieldof water policy2 to reduce pollution and hazardous substances, and the commitment of theMember States to monitor underwater chemical munitions under Directive 2008/56/EC ofthe European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework forcommunity action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine StrategyFramework Directive)3,– having regard to the commitments to ‘save the sea’ and make the Baltic Sea Region aworld leader in maritime security under the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, and thecommitment of the EU Member States to eliminate sea-dumped chemical munitions andunexploded ordnances under the EU Maritime Security Strategy Action Plan,– having regard to the Commission’s zero pollution ambition for a toxic-free environmentas set out in Chapter 2.1.8 of its communication of 11 December 2019 on the EuropeanGreen Deal (COM(2019)0640), and the EU’s commitment to halt biodiversity loss and1 OJ C 304, 6.10.1997, p. 147.2 OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1.3 OJ L 164, 25.6.2008, p. 19.34 14. Annexesbecome a world leader in addressing the global biodiversity crisis in accordance with itsBiodiversity Strategy to 2020 and Biodiversity Strategy for 2030,– having regard to the obligations undertaken by the states parties pursuant to Article 2 ofthe 1992 UN Economic Commission for Europe Convention on the Protection and Use ofTransboundary Watercourses and International Lakes and Article 4 of the 1999 Protocolon Water and Health thereto,– having regard to the Commission’s upcoming Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme for2021-2027,– having regard to the 1992 Helsinki Convention on the Protection of the MarineEnvironment of the Baltic Sea Area, the Baltic Sea Action Plan and the findings of theBaltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) on sea-dumped chemicalmunitions,– having regard to the commitments of states under the UN Sustainable Development Goals,namely target 3.9 to reduce deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals andcontamination, target 6.3 to improve water quality by eliminating dumping andminimising the release of hazardous chemicals, and targets 14.1 and 14.2 to preventmarine pollution and protect marine and coastal ecosystems,– having regard to resolution 1612(2008) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council ofEurope on chemical munitions buried in the Baltic Sea, and to the accompanying report of28 April 2008,– having regard to the deliberations on Petitions Nos 1328/2019 and 0406/2020 during themeeting of the Committee on Petitions held on 3 December 2020,– having regard to Rule 227(2) of its Rules of Procedure,A. whereas at least 50 000 tonnes of conventional and chemical weapons containinghazardous substances (such as mustard and tear gas and nerve and choking chemicalagents) have been dumped into the Baltic Sea since the end of the Second World War;B. whereas these munitions degrade slowly and leak toxic substances into the water, posing adanger to human health by contaminating food and causing severe burns and poisoningupon direct contact, damaging marine ecosystems and biodiversity, and jeopardising localeconomic activities such as fishing, the extraction of natural resources and the generationof renewable energy from power plants;C. whereas owing to its geographical situation, the Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed sea with aslow turnover of water and very low self-cleaning capacity; whereas it is considered oneof the most polluted seas in the world, with oxygen levels falling in its deep waters, whichis already putting marine life in danger;D. whereas valuable research has been carried out by the ad hoc HELCOM Working Groupon Dumped Chemical Munitions (CHEMU), the EU-funded project entitled ‘Modelling ofEcological Risks related to Sea-Dumped Chemical Weapons’ (MERCW), and the ad hocHELCOM expert groups to Update and Review the Existing Information on DumpedChemical Munitions in the Baltic Sea (MUNI) and on Environmental Risks of HazardousSubmerged Objects (SUBMERGED);14. Annexes 35E. whereas the need for greater cooperation was expressed during the Colloquium on theChallenges of Unexploded Munitions in the Sea held in Brussels on 20 February 2019;F. whereas the international community lacks reliable information about the volume, natureand locations of the disposed munitions owing to poor documentation of these activitiesand insufficient research on the seabed of the Baltic Sea;G. whereas no consensus has been reached on the current state of the munitions, the exactdanger they pose and the possible solutions to this problem;H. whereas the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme provided funding for the 2011-2014Chemical Munitions Search and Assessment (CHEMSEA), 2016-2019 Decision Aid forMarine Munitions (DAIMON) and 2019-2021 DAIMON 2 projects for a total ofEUR 10.13 million (EUR 7.8 million of which – 77 % – came from the EuropeanRegional Development Fund); whereas these projects studied the dumping locations andthe content and state of the munitions and how they react to Baltic conditions, andprovided administrations with decision-making tools and training in technologies used forrisk analysis, remediation methods and environmental impact assessment;I. whereas the issue of conventional and chemical munitions dumped in the sea is beingaddressed by NATO, which has adequate tools, instruments and experience to resolve thisproblem successfully;J. whereas the CHEMSEA project, which came to an end in 2014, concluded that whilechemical munition dumping sites do not represent an immediate threat, they will continueto be a problem for the Baltic Sea;K. whereas the high transport density and high rate of economic activity in the Baltic SeaRegion render this not only an environmental issue, but also one with considerableeconomic implications, including for the fishing industry;1. Underlines that the environmental and health dangers posed by the munitions disposed ofin the Baltic Sea after the Second World War is not only a regional, European issue, but aserious global problem with unpredictable short- and long-term transboundary effects;2. Urges the international community to embrace a spirit of cooperation and genuinesolidarity to step up its monitoring of dumped munitions in order to minimise the possiblerisks for the marine environment and activities; urges all sides party to classifiedinformation about the dumping activities and their exact locations to declassify thisinformation and to allow the countries affected, the Commission and the EuropeanParliament to access it as a matter of urgency;3. Calls on the Commission and the Joint Programming Committee of Interreg Baltic SeaRegion to secure adequate financing for research and actions required to resolve thedangers posed by the munitions dumped in the Baltic Sea; welcomes the dedicated effortsand constructive research undertaken by HELCOM and within the frameworks of theCHEMSEA, DAIMON and DAIMON 2 projects financed by the Interreg Baltic SeaRegion Programme;4. Calls on all sides involved to comply with international environmental law and provideadditional financial contributions to the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme for 2021-36 14. Annexes2027; welcomes the 2021-2027 transnational Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme,which will fund measures to reduce the pollution of the Baltic Sea;5. Stresses the necessity for regular monitoring of the state of corrosion of the munitions andan up-to-date environmental risk assessment on the impacts of the contaminants releasedon human health, marine ecosystems and the region’s biodiversity;6. Welcomes the efforts made at a national level, such as mapping the locations of thedumped munitions and monitoring and removing hazardous materials;7. Emphasises the importance, in this connection, of interstate and interregional cooperationmechanisms, free access to public information, and the efficient exchange of scientificknowledge and research;8. Calls on the Commission, for the purposes of its zero pollution ambition for a toxic-freeenvironment, to establish an expert group with the Member States affected and otherstakeholders and organisations, tasked with the following mandate: (i) studying andmapping the exact locations of contaminated areas; (ii) proposing suitableenvironmentally friendly and cost-effective solutions for monitoring and cleaning thepollution with the ultimate aim of removing or fully neutralising hazardous materialswhere extraction is impossible; (iii) developing reliable decision-making support tools;(iv) conducting an awareness-raising campaign to inform the groups affected (such asfishers, local residents, tourists and investors) of the potential health and economic risks;and (v) developing emergency response guidelines for environmental disasters;9. Regrets the fact that none of the EUR 8.8 million allotted under the EuropeanNeighbourhood Instrument was used for the DAIMON or DAIMON 2 projects under theInterreg Baltic Sea Region Programme;10. Calls on the Commission to engage all the relevant EU agencies and institutions,including the European Defence Agency, to utilise all the available resources and to makesure that the problem will be reflected in all the relevant EU policies and programmingprocesses, including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Maritime SecurityStrategy Action Plan;11. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the issue of munitions dumped in European seas isincluded in the horizontal programmes in order to enable the submission of projectscovering regions affected by the same problem (the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, North Seaand Baltic Sea) and facilitate the exchange of experience and best practices;12. Asks the Commission to devote concerted efforts to tackling pollution in the Baltic Seaand to foster all types of regional, national and international cooperation to this end,including through its partnership with NATO;13. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, and thegovernments and parliaments of the Member States and other states concerned.14. Annexes 3714.7. Questionnaire on sea-dumped munitions in the Baltic Sea to the BSPC membersPeter SteinMember of the German BundestagBSPC-rapporteur on sea-dumped munitionsPeter Stein, MdB, Platz der Republik 1, 11011 BerlinBSPC MembersBerlin, 07.05.2021 Sea-dumped munitions in the Baltic SeaBezug:Anlagen:Dear colleagues,Peter Stein, MdBPlatz der Republik 1 As the BSPC Rapporteur for Sea-dumped Munitions, I would like11011 Berlin to thank the Standing Committee of the BSPC for ensuring that theBüro: PLH topic of "unexploded ordnance and sea-dumped munitions"Raum: 3.133(UXO) has been dealt with in-depth by the BSPC for years.Telefon: +49 30 227-73310Fax: +49 30 227-76580peter.stein@bundestag.de It is also a success of the BSPC's activities that momentum on thisissue has now increased throughout Europe. In concrete terms,Wahlkreisbüro:this new momentum was also triggered by the unanimousWollenweberstr. 4518055 Rostock resolutions of the 28th and 29th BSPC Annual Conferences andTelefon: +49 381-37778946 the BSPC Interim Report on Sea-dumped Munitions from 2020.Fax: +49 381-37778947For the 30th Annual Conference, I will present my final report asrapporteur as planned. The report is intended to contain anoverview of the concrete national and regional activities that havetaken place since last summer in dealing with ammunition dumpsand how current developments are being assessed.It would be a great help if you could support the preparation of anoverview of the current status of activities in the individualmember countries of the BSPC by sending me a statement on theattached questions. I am particularly interested in activities at theparliamentary level and considerations from a parliamentaryperspective.If you could send me answers to the attached questions by the endof June, I would be very grateful.Yours sincerely,Peter Stein, MP38 14. AnnexesSeite 2Questionnaire on sea-dumped munitions:1. Do you have any recent remarks on the implementation ofNo. 15 in the 29th BSPC resolution?2. Do you have any comments on the proposals listed inchapter 11, "Next steps", of the Interim Report on Sea-dumped Munitions? (link)3. Which current or planned national/regionalactivities/initiatives from your country/region in the fieldof sea-dumped munitions in politics, science, economyand industry do you know?4. Are you in contact with representatives from government,research or industry on that?5. Do you know about cases/hazardous events with explosiveordinance in the territorial waters of your country since the29th BSPC?6. Do you have any comments on the measures mentioned inthe attached decision of the European Parliament from 26April 2021 from your point of view? (link)7. How forceful should the role of the BSPC, the CBSS,HELCOM, the EU and other international institutions be indealing with sea-dumped munitions in the future?8. Do you have any concrete proposals for a multinationalapproach to dealing with sea-dumped munitions?9. What are your views on a call for a voluntary, multinationaldonor fund to launch an "Ocean Munitions ClearanceInitiative"?14. Annexes 3914.8. Replies to the questionnaire14.8.1. PolandGdynia, 22 June 2021SENATOROF THE REPUBLIC OF POLANDSławomir RybickiMr Peter SteinMember of the German BundestagBSPC-rapporteur on sea-dumped munitionsDear Mr Stein,With reference to your letter, I include below the replies to your questions.1. Do you have any recent remarks on the implementation of No. 15 in the 29th BSPC resolution?I agree with the priorities of the German Presidency of HELCOM.2. Do you have any comments on the proposals listed in chapter 11, "Next steps", of the InterimReport on Sea-dumped Munitions? (link)I also agree with the “Next Steps”.It seems that the essential issue is to align on data, research methodology and the placefor information exchange. This is the key to a good planning. We should ensure thatthese bodies always have a wide range of experts. The good diagnosis will helpprepare a good strategy, and will ensure a sustainable and solid financing.I would like to add that the process must include studies on animals and plants –protected species and species obtained for various purposes as well.Let me also add that standardized procedures for handling hazardous materials shouldalso be recast in terms of the explosion impact on the ecosystem.3. Which current or planned national/regional activities/initiatives from your country/region inthe field of sea-dumped munitions in politics, science, economy and industry do you know?I have been receiving information about activities concerning dumped ammunition, inthe fields of politics, science, economy and industry.340 14. AnnexesIn the field of science, this concerns for instance DAIMON2 project or the study ofshipwrecks to detect dumped fuel.The government and the parliamentary majority plan to be active in this respect; Idon’t know about any specific details, though.4. Are you in contact with representatives from government, research or industry on that?I have put an official question to the government concerning this issue to clarify whatactions have been and will be taken by the government.As a member of the Senate Environment Committee I initiated the Committee’smeeting to discuss the issue (25.02.2020).On the recent government actions, I still wait for the minister’s reply on the results ofworks of the relevant inter-ministerial team established by the Prime Minister and onits plans for the future.5. Do you know about cases/hazardous events with explosive ordinance in the territorial watersof your country since the 29th BSPC?Shortly before the 29th BSPC, in June 2020, the mine laying near the entry to the Portof Gdynia was towed away far into the gulf where it was detonated (it weighed 987kg.).In September 2020, two sea mines which had laid at the bottom of the Śmiała WisłaCanal in Gdańsk (weight of approx. 1000 kg) were towed away and detonated.In October 2020, in Świnoujście, near Karsibór ferry crossing, the British Tallboybomb from World War II was discovered (total weight of almost 5,400 kg). Theunsuccessful deflagration process turned into an unplanned detonation. Nobody washurt.6. Do you have any comments on the measures mentioned in the attached decision of theEuropean Parliament from 27 April 2021 from your point of view? (link)Generally, I agree with the contents of the resolution.It is important that hazard monitoring is next translated into legislation (e.g. intonavigation maps or fishery maps) and into navigational warnings. It should also lead tothe exclusion of relevant zones from exploitation.7. How forceful should the role of the BSPC, the CBSS, HELCOM, the EU and other internationalinstitutions be in dealing with sea-dumped munitions in the future?International cooperation is a necessity. The role should be defined in a way (expertsshould develop optimal solutions which will be accepted by politicians to ensure314. Annexes 41agency) that will help us move forward effectively. Also we cannot forget aboutNATO in this project.8. Do you have any concrete proposals for a multinational approach to dealing with sea-dumped munitions?We cannot forget about regional authorities throughout the process – localgovernments need to be involved in the activities.It will be of prime importance to develop consensually the legal framework – forexample, procedures that define the ownership of specific dumped ammunition, andthat determine whether, and if so, when and how it would be possible to charge agiven country with relevant costs, etc.9. What are your views on a call for a voluntary, multinational donor fund to launch an "OceanMunitions Clearance Initiative"?This is a good idea provided that it will be effective.This is a great challenge and requires that stakeholders take sustained actions, hencethe need for stable and multiannual financing. I believe that this should be financedfrom several sources – such diversification gives prospects of stability and strengthensthe cooperation.Sincerely Yours,/- / Sławomir Rybicki342 14. Annexes14.8.2. RussiaMoscow, 28 June 2021INFORMATIONon the activities of the Russian Federation in relation to the problemof chemical weapons submerged in the Baltic SeaThe Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation on the issue ofchemical weapons sunk in the Baltic Sea during the Second World War (1941-1945), in its activities it is guided by the documents of the Commission for theProtection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Region (hereinafter -HELCOM). As it follows from the adopted in 2013 HELCOM report the dumpedchemical weapons do not cause significant harm to the environment of the BalticSea, since against the background of a large number of industrial, transport andagricultural pollutants, the chemical weapons impact into the current ecologicalstate of the Baltic Sea is not considerable.The Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies andElimination of the Consequences of Natural Disasters carries out the preventionand liquidation of emergency situations at underwater potentially dangerousobjects (hereinafter referred to as PDO) in the internal waters and territorial sea ofthe Russian Federation. It also maintains the register of PDO in the internal watersand territorial sea of the Russian Federation (except for underwater crossings ofpipeline transport) (hereinafter referred to as the Register).Currently, according to the data of the Register, there are 40 objectscontaining explosive objects in the Baltic Sea (hereinafter referred to as EO) (shipsand submarines sunk during the World War II of 1941-1945).The most dangerous object is a self–propelled dry cargo barge (hereinafterreferred to as the barge) sunk at a depth of 17 meters on the outer roadstead of theport of Baltiysk in the Kaliningrad region. During the planned work on the barge,since 2010, more than 10 thousand tons of EO were raised to the surface anddestroyed. In 2021, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia plans tocontinue work on the barge and survey 7 objects located in the Baltic Sea in thearea of responsibility of the Kaliningrad maritime rescue and coordination center.14. Annexes 4314.8.3. SwedenPeter SteinMember of the German BundestagBSPC-rapporteur on sea-dumped munitionsSea-dumped munitions in the Baltic SeaQuestionnaire in preparation of the BSPC-rapporteur’s report:1. Do you have any recent remarks on the implementation of No. 15 in the 29th BSPC resolution?The Swedish delegation has received a response from the Swedish Government in respect tothrecommendation number 15 in the 29 BSPC resolution, where the Swedish governmentcommunicates its support to the German HELCOM chairmanship and their efforts to monitor and totreat the problem of dumped munitions, wrecks and ghost nets. The Swedish government has alsoworked on national programmes where several wrecks have been identified for which adecontamination programme has been initiated. Other examples of actions taken is an ambitiousprogramme for decontamination of contaminated soil, mostly related to historic industrial activities,that also include harbour and marine areas and financial support to the fishing industry in their workto retrieve lost fishing gear. Regarding sea mines from WW1 and WW2, Swedish naval units continueto support the Baltic states in underwater mine clearance. This support is conducted both forenvironmental reasons and to secure the sea lines of communications in the Baltic Sea. The delegation2. sDuop pyoorut sh tahvee g aonvyer cnommemnte’sn etfsf oornts t ihne t hpirso fpieoldsa alns dli hstaesd n oin o cthhearp ftuerrt h1e1r, c"oNmexmte snttesp ast" t, hoifs tphoei nItn. t erimReport on Sea-dumped Munitions? (link)The Swedish delegation to the BSPC supports a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly destructionof the dumped munitions as well as the proposal of seeing the Baltic Sea Region as a pilot region.3. Which current or planned national/regional activities/initiatives from your country/region inthe field of sea-dumped munitions in politics, science, economy and industry do you know?Chalmers University of Technology is a participant in the research project DAIMON II. The projectaims to increase the knowledge base on how to evaluate the risks and benefits of various managementoptions and is focused on how to strengthen expert support in how to assess and manage the risk ofdumped ammunition.The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management is involved in a project close to the IslandMåseskär in Skagerrak. In 1992, low concentrations of sulphur mustard were detected in thesediments in the area, and in 2016 and 2017, low concentrations of the chemical warfare agent (CWA)Clark I was found in Norwegian lobster, flatfish and shrimps. The ongoing project aims to investigatewhich wrecks contain chemical warfare agents, the extent of the contamination and their potentialimpact on the environment and if they are a source of the spread of chemical munition substances.Other aspects are if and how to limit the maritime activities, like fishing, in the area to prevent the4. sAprree aydo uo fi nth ceo hnatzaacrtd wouitsh s ruebpstraensceenst. a tives from government, research or industry on that?The Swedish Delegation has had one meeting with experts from the S wedish Agency for Marine andWater Management and from the Swedish Armed Forces to discuss the issue with dumpedammunition, ongoing projects and priorities and research in the area.44 14. Annexes5. Do you know about cases/hazardous events with explosive ordinance in the territorial watersof your country since the 29th BSPC?One recent case is from June 17 this year, a drifting sea mine was observed outside the Coast ofHärnösand. The mine was found by a sailor and were destructed at the site. Another reported casewas a grenade found by people cleaning the beach in Fjällbacka on the West Coast in Sweden last year.The Police detonated the grenade. They concluded that it was an American hazardous phosphor6. gDroe nyaodue. have any comments on the measures mentioned in the attached decision of theEuropean Parliament from 27 April 2021 from your point of view? (link)’No.7. How forceful should the role of the BSPC, the CBSS, HELCOM, the EU and other internationalinstitutions be in dealing with sea-dumped munitions in the future?The Swedish delegations support the effort taken by the BSPC rapporteur. Chemical and conventionalammunition dumped in the Baltic Sea is a serious problem, and a problem that demands cross-bordercooperation to be handled. The Delegation therefore supports cooperation and coordination in the8. aDroe ay. o u have any concrete proposals for a multinational approach to dealing with sea-dumpedmunitions?9. NWoh. a t are your views on a call for a voluntary, multinational donor fund to launch an "OceanMunitions Clearance Initiative"?No specific opinion.14. Annexes 4514.9. Motion of the German BundestagGerman Bundestag Printed paper 19/2928319th electoral term 4 May 2021Motionof the CDU/CSU and SPD parliamentary groupsResponsible handling of munitions in the North and Baltic Seas – usingtechnologies from the maritime industryThe Bundestag is requested to adopt the following motion:I. The Bundestag notes:According to current estimates, there are still at least 1.63 million tonnes of munitions,including conventional ordnance and at least 300,000 tonnes of chemical agents, in theGerman waters of the North and Baltic Seas. In the Baltic, the estimated amounts areat least 300,000 tonnes of conventional ordnance and at least 50,000 tonnes of chemicalagents. Over and above this, 170,000 tonnes of chemical ammunition were sunk in theNorth Sea (Skagerrak, Norwegian Sea, German Bight), including around 90 tonnes inthe German waters off Heligoland. Some 50,000 tonnes of chemical ammunition weresunk in the Baltic Sea (Bornholm Basin, Gotland Basin, Little Belt), including some5,000 tonnes in German waters. Not least as a result of advancing corrosion, thesedangerous remnants of war represent an increasing and considerable hazard to themarine ecosystem and, consequently, to people. They moreover pose a risk to themaritime industry – to shipping, fisheries and offshore infrastructure – as well as totourism in coastal areas.Our knowledge of the presence of legacy munitions in the North and Baltic Seas, andof the significant environmental and economic damage and dangers resulting fromthem, is not new. In various countries’ historical archives, the locations wheremunitions were sunk from the end of the 19th century onwards, and what type theywere in each case, are in part very well documented. Archives of military history andnaval archives are an important source. Naturally, however, not everything has beenfully and correctly documented throughout the course of history, particularly since thelegacy munitions were not all deliberately dumped, many of them being unexplodedordnance, sea mines or the remains of ammunition in wrecked vessels, whose precisecargoes are in some cases classified. Through the Baltic Ordnance Safety Board, theNATO Allies as well as Sweden and Finland regularly discuss recent finds anddevelopments. However, additional measures to detect and document the ordnance areessential, especially in the area of amalgamating national data.46 14. AnnexesPrinted paper 19/29283 – 2 – German Bundestag – 19th electoral termOver the past several decades, the national players in the countries on the North Seaand Baltic coasts have gained a lot of experience in dealing with legacy munitions,thereby developing high levels of expertise. This applies not only to a large number ofresearchers, institutes and nationally as well as internationally funded projects but alsoto numerous private enterprises offering specialist solutions. There is also more of anetwork of ties among the various players. Of particular note is not only the outstandingexpertise of Germany’s scientific community but also the research and developmentconducted by Germany’s maritime industry, which are world-leading when it comes tolegacy munitions in the sea. They include various German and multinational researchprogrammes with German involvement examining the dangers and conducting riskassessments, securing evidence of the detrimental effects on humans and theenvironment in relation to trade and business, and issuing recommendations for action.The findings of the EU-funded Interreg Baltic Sea Region research project DecisionAid for Marine Munitions (DAIMON) were presented in February 2019. Theparticipating researchers came from Poland, Germany, Sweden, Finland and Norway.The extension project DAIMON 2 is currently under way (2019–2021). Anotherprominent multinational research project is that of the HELCOM Expert Group onEnvironmental Risks of Hazardous Submerged Objects (SUBMERGED), which isexpected to produce its final report soon.Likewise with German involvement from the scientific and business communities,BASTA, a project financed by the European Commission from the European Maritimeand Fisheries Fund (EMFF), is placing a stronger focus on the methods available todetect munitions and the chemicals that leach from them.Under German leadership, the initial national findings were incorporated into therelevant work of HELCOM back in 1993. In 1995, an ad hoc working group set up toaddress the topic submitted the CHEMU report. The HELCOM CHEMU report wasupdated until 2013, then superseded by HELCOM MUNI. In the same year, theHELCOM Expert Group SUBMERGED was deployed as part of the RESPONSEWorking Group, which has been continuing the work ever since. These efforts wereflanked by research conducted by or with the involvement of HELCOM, such asCHEMSEA, and the publication of guidelines on the risks and how fishermen shoulddeal with them.Another pivotal contribution to what we currently know was the UDEMM researchproject funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, which was broughtto a successful conclusion in August 2019. The RoBEMM project, funded by theFederal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy to develop and test a roboticunderwater salvage and disposal process including technology for the disassembly ofammunition in the sea, especially in coastal and shallow waters, is also particularlyworthy of note.On 1 July 2020, Germany assumed the Chairmanship of HELCOM for two years, withthe Länder Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania co-chairing forone year each. The Federal Government has made legacy munitions one of its priorities.The main aims here are to improve the available data and the basis on whichassessments are made, including by stocktaking, monitoring and modelling, andestimate the toxic effects of typical munitions compounds on the marine environmentof the Baltic Sea as well as accumulation via the food chain and possible consequencesfor humans. The use of bioindicators is also being investigated.Further options for action are to be drawn up on that basis in combination with socio-economic analysis. Following joint observation, priority setting and risk assessmentwith subsequent identification of hotspots, those options will include measures, pilotprojects at first, for salvaging and destroying legacy munitions.14. Annexes 47German Bundestag – 19th electoral term – 3 – Printed paper 19/29283In tandem with this, information is to be made available to the public, andinterdisciplinary as well as regional dialogue on procedure and approaches is to be heldamong the HELCOM Contracting Parties with regard to best monitoring practice. Anadditional risk assessment and recommendations for further measures are also to besubmitted. For Germany, the foundations for addressing the key topic of legacymunitions are the report Munitions in German Marine Waters – Stocktaking andRecommendations first published in 2011, and its annual updates, which are producedby the expert group on munitions in the sea of BLANO, the federal-Länder workinggroup for the North and Baltic Seas.The research findings, like those produced by DAIMON and in conjunction with theinitiative, instigated by Germany, to seek a resolution at the 28th Baltic SeaParliamentary Conference (BSPC), unleashed a fresh and welcome impetus to tacklethe problem of legacy munitions with renewed vigour. In Germany alone, there werearound fifty reports on the subject in regional and supra-regional print and online mediabetween the beginning of 2019 and the middle of 2020. Public interest reached atemporary peak in the late summer of 2019, when 39 British sea mines on the seabedwithin the Fehmarn Belt marine protected area had been detonated prior to a NATOexercise. After the detonations, autopsies were carried out on 24 porpoises that had beenfound dead and environmental concerns, particularly regarding the effects on porpoisesand the allocation of responsibilities, became a matter of public discourse.It remains to be noted that the field has been a subject of international research forseveral decades, which has resulted in numerous important findings particularly withregard to the deleterious effects of toxic munitions on the marine ecosystem. Detectionand salvage technologies have also improved greatly in recent years, especially withthe use of digital processes. Germany is a world leader in this area. These impressiveadvances are generally not known outside specialist circles. Isolated incidents oraccidents, with beach-goers on the Baltic coast mistaking white phosphorus for amberand suffering severe injuries, shine a spotlight onto the dangers of legacy munitions. Insuch incidents as mentioned, which reach a wider audience, it becomes clear that thepublic do have an awareness of the existing risks and fundamentally want the situationto be resolved.It is safe to assume that the public will become increasingly conscious of the dangers iftoxic substances that could significantly affect our fisheries are more frequently foundin fish and shellfish stocks. Protected areas and shipping routes are under threat, andthe expansion of offshore wind farms and pipelines, so vital to the pursuit of climategoals, is being severely hampered.A strategy to clear the North and Baltic Seas is needed without delay. The endeavourto clarify financial and organisational responsibilities must not be scuppered by a debateabout who bears historical responsibility for placing legacy munitions in the North andBaltic Seas. That endeavour, shared by the affected coastal states and other players onand in the North and Baltic Seas, is nonetheless a complicated task which will takesome time to complete. A swift outcome is not to be expected. The avoidance of risksto people must therefore remain the top priority. When munitions have been discoveredand there is a danger, the response often required is swift, environmentally sound andin every way sustainable action.However, it is not just emergency action for public safety that requires a sound basis.Known locations where munitions have been found, particularly in the larger dumpinggrounds, need an organised approach to prevent potential environmental damage in thelong term. Following triage of the environmental ramifications of such hotspots, theresponse needs to be coordinated not only at the national but also at the regional level,without foregrounding national interests. A voluntary donor conference of coastal statescould serve to break the impasse and facilitate the first joint steps towards salvaginglegacy munitions.48 14. AnnexesPrinted paper 19/29283 – 4 – German Bundestag – 19th electoral termUntil that stage is reached, Germany should undertake national measures anddemonstrate to its international partners that munitions in the sea can be salvaged andrendered harmless in an environmentally friendly and affordable manner. For onething, the new technological possibilities can contribute to the protection of the marineenvironment. In previous underwater detonations, the toxic substances that had beenenclosed within the corroding munitions were abruptly dispersed into the marineenvironment and marine lifeforms were injured or even killed by the explosions. Thenew technological options make it possible to safely remove legacy munitions fromthe sea floor and, using a platform, disassemble them out of the water. For anotherthing, the current technological possibilities can and will considerably cut the costs ofsalvaging and disassembling legacy munitions. Therefore, the private sector in thefield of marine technology has to be commercially involved in the process via regularprocurement procedures for the proposed necessary measures. This will support thesteady continuation of technological development and corresponding value creation inGermany.The North and Baltic Sea area can thus become a pilot region for the sustainable,scientific, technological, market-based and value-creating resolution of the legacyproblem of munitions and other hazardous substances dumped or lost at sea around theworld.II. The Bundestag welcomes1. the decision taken at the 96th Conference of Environmental Ministers on 23 April2021 to continue and update the stocktaking of munitions pollution in Germanmarine waters;2. the activities of BLANO, the federal-Länder working group for the North andBaltic Seas, and its expert group on munitions in the sea;3. the outcomes of the UDEMM research project funded by the Federal Ministry ofEducation and Research and the RoBEMM project funded by the Federal Ministryfor Economic Affairs and Energy;4. Germany’s participation in the international research project DAIMON;5. the building of ties between various players in the public sector as well as inscience, business and industry via platforms like the Munitect network for thedevelopment of economical underwater munitions detection systems and BASTA,the research project to boost applied munitions detection by means of smart dataintegration and AI workflows;6. the deployment of a working group on 11 March 2020, following interministerialcoordination among the Federal Ministry for the Environment, NatureConservation and Nuclear Safety, the Federal Ministry of Defence and the FederalMinistry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, with the involvement of allaffected federal and Land authorities, to swiftly conclude guidelines, under theleadership of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, on the legal andtechnical requirements of nature conservation that apply to the clearing of legacymunitions in the North and Baltic Seas;14. Annexes 49German Bundestag – 19th electoral term – 5 – Printed paper 19/292837. the assumption by the Federal Government of the HELCOM Chairmanship on1 July 2020 for a period of two years with the co-chairmanship for one year eachof the Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania LandGovernments – and their prioritisation of legacy munitions;8. the initiatives of the Bundestag delegation to the Baltic Sea ParliamentaryConference (BSPC) in 2019 and 2020 and the BSPC Interim Report on Sea-dumped Munitions of August 2020;9. the fact that the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs raised the subject of legacymunitions at the May 2020 Ministerial Meeting of the Council of the Baltic SeaStates (CBSS) and underscored the importance of close cooperation among all thecoastal states;10. Germany’s involvement in the JPI Oceans knowledge hub on munitions in the sea.III. The Bundestag calls on the Federal Government,within the parameters of the relevant funding remit and the available budget,at the national level,1. to work throughout the Federal Republic of Germany to generate lastingawareness of the problem in order to draw attention to the urgent need to resolveit, importantly taking a realistic approach grounded in scientific data and analysis;2. to bring about federal-Länder agreement on first collating a detailed situationreport;3. to align its actions with the requests of the Conference of Environment Ministersof 14 November 2019 (agenda item 27) and investigate to what extent nationalremits and financial resources can be pooled in order to made use of synergies;4. to push for the swift conclusion of the work of the working group deployed,following interministerial coordination among the Federal Ministry for theEnvironment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, the Federal Ministry ofDefence and the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure with theinvolvement of all affected federal and Land authorities, to draw up guidelines,under the leadership of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, on the legaland technical requirements of nature conservation that apply to the clearing oflegacy munitions in the North and Baltic Seas;5. to fund the development and implementation of technological solutions, such aslargely automated, cost-efficient underwater area clearance, and the constructionof a waterborne unit, with which conventional munitions can be salvaged withoutrisk to humans or ecosystems and rendered harmless while still at sea – which willmean examining suitable models for their operation in a manner open to differentsolutions and ultimately implementing the model selected with due regard for theeconomic feasibility study;6. in addition to funding the waterborne units, to expand the capabilities of theexisting land-based disposal facilities and, if necessary, adapt the Ordinance onthe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Sea (Gefahrgutverordnung See) for thepossible movement of legacy munitions disposed of on land;7. on the basis of the latest research findings and recommendations for action, todevelop a procurement procedure for the detection and salvaging of legacymunitions in national waters;50 14. AnnexesPrinted paper 19/29283 – 6 – German Bundestag – 19th electoral term8. to establish that, because of the blast impact unleashed by underwater detonationsof munitions as well as the subsequent marked increase in the distribution of toxicsubstances due to exposed explosives, underwater detonations are to be avoidedwherever possible and only to be used as a last resort, i.e. when the endangermentof humans cannot otherwise be ruled out;9. in view of the large quantity of legacy munitions, to examine the possibility ofdifferentiating between different priority levels and accordingly start with the mostdangerous or most badly eroded legacy munitions;10. to report to the German Bundestag at regular intervals on developments regardinglevels of danger and progress on technological and environmental development,detection and salvaging as well as national and international cooperation;11. to support research as well as the growth of national and international ties,including collaboration between science and industry on the subject of legacymunitions in the sea;12. to enable Germany’s maritime industry to explore new lines of business by meansof suitable procurement procedures and support structures and to uphold itsleading position in the technological sphere by means of research anddevelopment, thereby safeguarding and/or creating jobs;at the international level,13. to campaign for lasting awareness of how to deal with legacy munitions in theNorth and Baltic Seas safely in all the countries on their coasts;14. to champion alternatives to underwater detonation of munitions in the relevantinternational bodies;15. in collaboration with the NATO Allies and the NATO Science and TechnologyOrganization to develop joint procedures in such a direction that it becomesreasonable no longer to spontaneously detonate large munitions discovered in thesea;16. to campaign for all current research, findings and outcomes relating to legacymunitions in the North and Baltic Seas to be collated multinationally and fordatabases to be standardised;17. to advocate for the establishment and management of comprehensive and joined-up monitoring of the affected marine areas and objects in the North and BalticSeas, the necessary aim being the capability to produce well-founded riskassessments that are recognised by all involved, with the extensive spectrum oftechnologies to be used supplemented by bioindicators and toxicological ceilings;18. to campaign for the establishment of a joint multinational group of experts forscience and technology/processes which will, drawing on constant evaluation,issue regular recommendations for dealing with legacy munitions strategically –on the basis of which the most hazardous objects and the most severely endangeredareas in the North and Baltic Seas can be identified as priorities and, step by step,rendered harmless in an environmentally and ecologically sound manner using theproposed measures;19. as a preliminary to the measures and with the involvement of the EU, to advocatefor the creation of a permanent fund fed by coastal states on a voluntary basis,which would finance the group of experts, the monitoring and the procurementprocedure for the detection and ecologically responsible salvaging of legacymunitions in the North and Baltic Seas and would follow the example ofinternational donor funds like the development funds under the aegis of the UnitedNations which have proven to work well – with a stable framework for legacymunitions provided by the EU institutions or preferably by the HELCOMstructures and the measures proposed by the group of experts put out to tenderinternationally and financed flexibly from that donor fund;14. Annexes 51German Bundestag – 19th electoral term – 7 – Printed paper 19/2928320. by funding technological and scientific development, to support the capabilities ofGermany’s maritime businesses and, as an international contribution, to put thoseachievements out onto the world stage – including via knowledge transfer – as partof Germany’s export industry.Berlin, 4 May 2021Ralph Brinkhaus, Alexander Dobrindt and the CDU/CSU parliamentary groupDr Rolf Mützenich and the SPD parliamentary groupExplanatory memorandumThe risks posed by legacy munitions in the North and Baltic Seas can be significantly reduced by means ofsuitable measures. While it is fundamentally desirable for as many munitions as possible to be salvaged from thesea and rendered harmless as quickly as may be, it is imperative, in view of the large quantities of hazardoussubstances and the expected costs, to take an approach grounded in sensible prioritisation based on scientificmethods. Scientific risk assessments can serve to identify those objects which represent the greatest potentialdanger, and their removal can already significantly diminish the threat to humans and the environment. Salvaginglegacy munitions is of relevance to security, as the possibility cannot be ruled out that they could fall into thehands of extremists.The historical responsibility is multifaceted and does not lie with Germany alone. Since 1870, various states andbelligerents have dumped munitions in the North and Baltic Seas, deliberately mined marine areas and shippingroutes, and dropped large amounts of unexploded ordnance. Added to this is the ammunition that remained onboard vessels when they were wrecked. Many objects have been detected and catalogued in recent times, whileothers are well documented in historical archives. Matters become most difficult in places where possibledumping grounds are kept secret because of a lack of transparency in international cooperation.Amid these complexities, the objective must be, on the basis of the precautionary principle and without protractedattempts to attribute historical responsibility among the coastal states, to take the first steps to safely salvage andrender harmless legacy munitions in the North and Baltic Seas. Germany should assume a leading role on this.Alongside the positive effects of easing environmental pollution and preventing possible health hazards, thisapproach will also address and include the maritime industry and disposal specialists. This will result not only insteadily rising efficiency and falling prices but also in the creation of greater capabilities and jobs in the field.Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference Secretariatwww.bspc.netBSPC SecretariatSchlossgartenallee 1519061 SchwerinGermany