Potential threats to the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea arising from the chemical munitions buried in its seabed during the Second World War

Doc. 10701

4 October 2005

Potential threats to the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea arising from the chemical munitions buried in its seabed during the Second World War

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Jakavonis and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

Intensifying exploitation of the Baltic seabed for the implementation of joint economic projects of the states increases the pollution risk of this sea distinguished for its vulnerable ecosystem. On 29 April 2005, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a Resolution (1439) on sea pollution, which invites the governments of member states to fully implement the existing international rules in the field of maritime shipping. However, the chemical munitions dumped in the Baltic Sea during the Second World War (about 292,000 tons) are causing increasing worries among the citizens watching the growing inclination of the states to lay gas pipelines across the Baltic seabed.

1. The chemical munitions buried in the Baltic seabed during the Second World War create an increasingly pressing problem for the international community as the exploitation of the seabed is constantly intensifying when the states pursue their economic purposes.

2. As the international community lacks a definite resolve on the future of the chemical munitions buried in the Baltic seabed during the Second World War, the threat for the preservation of the sea ecosystem is growing and already causing an increasingly greater worry among the citizens.

The Assembly is determined to analyse this situation and to adopt specific decisions.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed ¹:

JAKAVONIS, Gediminas, Lithuania, ALDE

ALATALU, Toomas, Estonia, EDG

ANTTILA, Sirkka-Liisa, Finland, ALDE

BARGHOLTZ, Helena, Sweden, ALDE

BĒRZINŠ, Andris, Latvia, ALDE

BUCEVIČIUS, Saulius, Lithuania, ALDE

ČEKUOLIS, Jonas, Lithuania, ALDE

CIRCENE, Ingrīda, Latvia, EPP/CD

DORIĆ, Miljenko, Croatia, ALDE

DUIVESTEIJN, Adri, Netherlands, SOC

DUPRAZ, John, Switzerland, ALDE

ERTSBORN, Jan, Sweden, ALDE

GUBERT, Renzo, Italy, EPP/CD

HERKEL, Andres, Estonia, EPP/CD

IWIŃSKI, Tadeusz, Poland, SOC

LAUKKANEN, Markku, Finland, ALDE

MEALE, Alan, United Kingdom, SOC

MIHKELSON, Marko, Estonia, EPP/CD

RUGĀTE, Anta, Latvia, EPP/CD

SCHMIED, Walter, Switzerland, ALDE

SEVERINSEN, Hanne, Denmark, ALDE

SLUTSKY, Leonid, Russia, SOC

VAREIKIS, Egidijus, Lithuania, EPP/CD

VĖSAITĖ, Birutė, Lithuania, SOC

¹ SOC: Socialist Group

EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

EDG: European Democratic Group

UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

NR: not registered in a group