Photo: Juha Kääriä
Background
During the Visby Summit in May 1996, Heads of Governments of the Baltic Sea States expressed, inter alia, their wish to update and strenghten the JCP. As requested in the document, "Action Programmes for the Baltic Sea States Co-operation", adopted at the Visby Summit: "The JCP will be updated and strengthened and the pace of its implementation increased on the basis of the HELCOM report presented to the Baltic Sea States Summit."Following this decision, the Ninth Meeting of the HELCOM (PITF) held on October 2-4, 1996 in Hel, Poland approved the Terms of Reference for the HELCOM PITF Project "Updating and Strengthening of the JCP" (JCP-UP). It also welcomed Poland's offer to act as a Lead Party for the Project and to provide both the Project Manager and the Project Secretary.
Aim of the project
The aim of the project is to provide an overview of progress achieved to date in implementation of the JCP, reviewing lessons learned from this process, and to provide a proposal for updating and strengthening of the programme, taking into account economic and technological developments as well as changes in the environmental status of the Baltic Sea. A report currently under preparation will propose the principles for updating the JCP. It will also recommend priority actions to be undertaken by HELCOM and other cooperating parties, in order to enhance and accelerate programme implementation.
Main elements of JCP-Up
It can be envisaged that the initiative of updating and strengthening of the JCP will require a wide range of activities to be taken by PITF Members and Observers, including, but not limited to:• overview of JCP implementation, including identification of weaknesses and strengths as well as opportunities and constraints
• analysis of present and future trends since 1992
•elaboration of proposals for changes in the JCP, including the range of the Programme, its goals, strategy and financing as well as proposals for deletion and designation of hot-spots.
Welcome to contribute to the process
Given the fact that the Union of the Baltic Cities takes part in the coordination of the Programme as a Member of the PITF and, at the same time, a Co-Lead Party for one of the JCP's elements, all UBC members are wholeheartedly invited to take an active role in updating and strengthening the JCP. Expertise and experience gained in the international cooperation at all levels will certainly make an important contribution to this process.For more information, please contact Mr Marek Maciejowski, the JCP-UP Project Secretary or fax: +48 58 414754. You are also welcome to visit the HELCOM homepage.
