The event was attended by the signatories of the Ministerial Declaration on the causes of the bad state of the Baltic Sea environment, the challenges facing the Baltic Sea States and the need to take remedial measures under Our Baltic. The meeting was organised by Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius, EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.

The actions implemented on the Baltic Sea

The Conference was an opportunity to review the implementation of the Our Baltic Declaration adopted in 2020. The Ministers present at the Conference discussed progress in the exploration of the potential of the Baltic Sea to support the sustainable blue economy and summed up the actions to address the munitions submerged on the bed of the Baltic Sea. All the participants were able to share their views and outlooks.

Plans for future cooperation

The invited representatives of the Baltic Sea States reached a common conclusion as to need to take further, very sustainable actions which would take into account both the environmental aspect and food security, which is so important in present times. 

The Ministers also noted the need for cooperation with other sectors of administration responsible for the environment and agriculture. They pointed out that water management and the launch of surveys at EU level to limit waste pollution and to curb eutrophication of the Baltic Sea were particularly important.

A bilateral meeting

During his meeting with Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius, Undersecretary of State Krzysztof Ciecióra expressed his deep concern with the proposal of the European Commission for the fishing quota levels for 2024 on the Baltic Sea and, in particular the proposal for the imposition of a ban on targeted fishing of herring from the central stock.

“Fishermen must not be the only entities to experience the consequences of the bad state of the fish stocks in the Baltic Sea,” Deputy Minister Krzysztof Ciecióra stressed. At the same time, he expressed his hopes for increased flexibility of the EU regulations on the allowed aid to fishermen affected by possible restrictions and for the elaboration of a strategy enabling the recovery of fish stocks.

The position of Poland

During his meeting with Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius, Deputy Minister Krzysztof Ciecióra  stressed the need to apply sustainable measures to manage porpoise conservation.

In the opinion of the Polish Minister of Agriculture, the conservation measures imposed on the areas of the Pomeranian Bay should correspond to those imposed on the area of the Puck Bay.

The Deputy Minister was assured by the Commissioner of his actions on the proposed amendments concerning the possibility of using the technological process of so-called stiffening (Regulation 853/2004).

Secretary of State Krzysztof Ciecióra announced that he would additionally submit in written form his request for minimising the consequences of the use of conservation measures in the Pomeranian Bay and concerning so-called stiffening.