Doc. 9470

27 May 2002

State of the environment of the Baltic Sea

Report

Committee on the Environment and Agriculture

Rapporteur: Mr Martti Tiuri, Finland, Group of the European People's Party

Summary

The Baltic Sea is one of the largest brackish water systems in the world, almost totally embraced by the European continent. Thirteen member countries of the Council of Europe and Belarus belong to its water catchment area.

Realisation that national measures are not sufficient to protect the marine environment led the Baltic Sea States to adopt the Helsinki Convention, which was signed in 1974 and came into force in 1980. Regional cooperation in the field of environmental protection (HELCOM) was initiated.

One of the most serious threats is eutrophication caused by the presence of excess nutrients in the sea water, introduced into the Baltic Sea by waste waters of municipalities, by agriculture on the shores, by pollution from factories and by airborne deposits.

The Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme (JCP) has listed 132 especially polluting sites and areas within the Baltic Sea catchment area. Since 1992, investments and actions have cleaned up some 25 of these sites. Some of these, such as Copenhagen, Gdansk and Rostock, have now been deleted from the list after successful implementation of pollution control measures.

The Baltic Sea has some of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Oil spills, ship accidents and especially oil tanker accidents can cause severe pollution. The danger of large oil discharges is increasing due to growing shipment of oil, particularly for the Gulf of Finland.

With the aim to improve the safety of navigation in the Baltic Sea Area, especially by ships carrying hazardous or polluting substances, and thereby in the future to reduce the risk of accidents, an Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting, held in September 2001, adopted a new extensive package of measures – the Copenhagen Declaration.

I.       Draft resolution

1. The Baltic Sea is one of the largest brackish water systems in the world. Due to the highly variable hydro-physical conditions concerning oxygen and salinity, specially adapted species have developed in the Baltic Sea. These unique characteristics cause the marine system of the Baltic Sea to be very sensitive. Any human activity that causes conflicts with the environment can have a severe impact on the ecosystem. The pressure from the activities of the 85 million people living and working in the catchment area of the Baltic Sea is taking its toll.

2. One of the most serious environmental problems of the Baltic Sea is eutrophication caused by the presence of excess nutrients in the sea water, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. Excessive nutrients are introduced by waste waters of the municipalities, by agriculture on the shores, by pollution from factories and by airborne deposits. Excessive nutrients can lead to dense algal growth, some of it poisonous. Sinking dead organisms deplete the bottom waters of oxygen and cause an internal nutrient load by dissolving nutrients from the sediment back to the water. Storms can bring these nutrients to the surface.

3.       Some of the busiest shipping routes in the world are to be found in the Baltic Sea and maritime traffic is increasing at an alarming rate. Groundings and collisions are frequent and the danger of large oil discharges is increasing due to growing shipment of oil. However, the biggest source of pollution from shipping currently comes from illegal oil discharges. The growth in marine transport is also increasing the risk of the introduction of non-indigenous species, which are potentially harmful for the Baltic Sea ecosystem.

4.       Serious problems are caused by discharges of hazardous substances. Of particular concern is the threat to health and the environment of the Baltic Sea posed by munitions and chemical weapons dumped after the Second World War. Continuous monitoring and necessary action are needed to prevent these causing damage.

5.       The Assembly notes with satisfaction that regional co-operation in the field of environment of the Helsinki Convention (HELCOM), has since 1992, through the Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme, reduced pollution from several major cities discharging into the Baltic directly or via rivers and set up programmes for regulating and monitoring shipping.

6.       The Assembly urges the member states around the Baltic Sea to:

i.       engage their environment authorities in long-term environment protection measures that will support sustainable development in the Baltic region,

ii. increase their efforts in environment projects, including projects related to the conservation of the biodiversity and sustainable use of natural resources,

iii. support studies and projects concerning the Baltic Sea region that aim at including environmental considerations in sectors of co-operation such as energy and transport (support development of integrated coastal zone management practices with conservation of nature and biodiversity as a central goal),

iv. implement, timely and effectively, the outcome of the Extraordinary HELCOM Ministerial Meeting 2001, thereby tackling issues related to the growing number of ships in the Baltic Sea,

v. fully implement the HELCOM Strategy for Port Reception Facilities for Ship-generated Wastes and Associated Issues (the Baltic Strategy) in order to halt illegal discharges by ships into the Baltic Sea,

vi. make use of the established network of Prosecutors General in the Baltic Sea Region to improve the enforcement of deliberate illegal discharges by ships,

vii. promote scientific studies on the effects of hazardous substances, especially concerning:

viii. improve knowledge on the chemicals market and stocks of outdated hazardous chemicals in the Baltic States, Poland and Russia,

ix. promote environmental management investments aimed at small and medium sized enterprises and municipalities.

7.       The Assembly also calls on all member states that have dumped munitions, chemical weapons or other toxic substances in the Baltic Sea to provide HELCOM with exact information on the dumping.

8.       The Assembly calls on HELCOM to:

i.       monitor the introduction of alien (non-indigenous) species including setting up an information system for early warning,

ii.       update the current Baltic Sea database on alien species,

iii.       consider measures to prevent the introduction of alien species, taking into account the ongoing work within organisations such as the International Maritime Organization and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

9.       The Assembly calls on the European Union and the member states around the Baltic Sea to:

i.       promote the application of an ecosystem approach in fisheries management including sustainable fishing practices in order to reduce by-catches of non-commercial fish, birds and mammals, and overexploitation of fish stocks,

ii. support research and financing of acute environmental projects in the Baltic Sea region, inter alia within the framework of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme (JCP) and the Northern Dimension;

iii. improve water supply and sewage treatment systems in cities where they are not satisfactory to the highest possible standards and technologies.

II. Explanatory memorandum by Mr Tiuri

Contents

1 . Special characteristics of the Baltic Sea

2. Main environmental problems

3. The Helsinki Convention and its aims

4. Main pollution sources and their reduction

5. Pollution from urban areas, "List of Hot Spots"

6. Hazardous substances

7. Dumping of munitions

8. Shipping accidents and oil spillages

9. Improving the safety of navigation

10. Acknowledgements

11. References

1. Special characteristics of the Baltic Sea

1. The Baltic Sea is one of the largest brackish water system in the world, totally embraced by the European continent. The surrounding countries Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden are all members of the Council of Europe. Parts of Belarus, Ukraine, Slovak Republic, Czech Republic and Norway belong to the water catchment area of the Baltic Sea.

2. There exist several extraordinary features which are found only in the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is young. Its evolution was initiated by the melting of the ice sheet of the last glacial period and the associated sea level rise. Its natural history has been remarkable, the area having variously been a strait, a large bay, a lake and now an inland sea. As an after-effect of a heavy glacier upheaval rates up to 9 millimetres per annum can be observed in the northern parts of the Baltic Sea and coastal erosion is there much weaker than in the southern parts.

3. The Baltic Sea bottom consists of a series of large basins separated by several submarine elevations, so-called sills. This, and the very narrow and shallow connections between the Belt Sea, Öresund and Kattegat, restrict the exchange of water between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. A permanent halocline is situated between an upper water body with low salinity and a lower water body of distinctly higher salinity. The halocline prevents vertical mixing and thus the transport of oxygen to the lower water body.

4. Major inflows of higher salinity water that strengthen the halocline layer and bring oxygen to the lower water body occur irregularly at intervals of a few to several years. In periods between these inflows, oxygen deficiency increases and spreads to large areas in water masses below the halocline.

5. Due to highly variable hydro-physical conditions with respect to oxygen as well as to salinity, specific biotopes and a flora and fauna consisting of few but specially adapted species have developed in the Baltic Sea area. This causes the marine ecosystem of the Baltic Sea to be very sensitive. Any human activity that causes conflicts with the environment can have a severe impact on the ecosystem.

6. The Baltic Sea has been exploited by people living and trading in the area since early times, both as a source of fish, mainly cod and herring, and for the transport of goods from one coast to another. Now the Baltic Sea has also to meet new demands such as recreation and tourism.

7. The pressure from the activities of the 85 million people living and working in the Baltic Sea catchment area is starting to take its toll. Over the past few decades, pollution of the Baltic Sea has become increasingly evident, as have the threats to it. For instance the nutrient pollution causes excessive algal growth and threatens to deplete the bottom waters of oxygen. Oil spills threaten birds and mammals, hazardous pollutants can persist for generations harming animals and man alike etc.

2.        Main environmental problems

8.       One of the most serious threats is eutrophication caused by the presence of excess nutrients in the sea water, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. The presence of nutrients in the water is vital for marine life. But excessive nutrient inputs can change the functioning of marine ecosystems through eutrophication. This process makes a visible difference to the water, which becomes murky and is more often clogged up during warm summers with dense algal blooms - some of them poisonous. Eutrophication can seriously affect the entire marine food web, including valuable fish stocks.

9.       Excessive nutrients are introduced into the Baltic Sea by waste waters from municipalities, by agriculture on the shores, by pollution from factories and by airborne depositions.

10.       Additional eutrophication is caused by an internal nutrient load. Due to the increased eutrophication more dead organisms (detritus) will reach the bottom leading to oxygen deficiency. As a consequence, nutrients accumulated to the sediment can dissolve back into the water. Severe autumn and winter storms can bring these nutrients to the surface layers of the sea. This internal nutrient load occasionally exceeds the external nutrient load.

11.        Serious problems are caused by discharges of hazardous substances. The physical conditions of the Baltic Sea are likely to retard the degradation of these. Concentrations of PCBs and DDT are still much higher in the Baltic than in the North Sea or the open Atlantic Ocean.

12.        Navigation in the Baltic Sea can be tricky due to narrow straits, winding passages, limited depths, archipelagos and busy waters where shipping lanes cross and fishing vessels operate. Many northern waters freeze over each winter. The Baltic Sea has some of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Oil spills, ship accidents and especially oil tanker accidents can cause severe pollution. The danger of large oil discharges is increasing due to growing shipment of oil.

13.        Growing marine transport increases threats for introduction of non-indigenous species by the ship’s ballast waters. These alien species may be very harmful for the Baltic Sea ecosystem.

14.        The fish populations of the Baltic Sea are burdened by overfishing, oxygen depletion and high levels of hazardous substances, as well as by natural challenges like cold winter temperatures and varying levels of salinity. Many Baltic fish populations are now thought to be dangerously low. Some 30-40 of the approximately 100 fish species found in the Baltic Sea are usually considered as freshwater species.

15.        Some of the present fishing practices are not sustainable and are causing high amounts of by-catches of non-commercial fish species, birds, harbour porpoises and seals.

3. The Helsinki Convention and its aims

16.        Growing awareness that national measures alone are not sufficient to protect this highly sensitive marine environment led the Baltic Sea States to adopt the Helsinki Convention, which was signed in 1974 and came into force in 1980. Regional cooperation in the field of environmental protection (HELCOM) was initiated. The Convention was the first international agreement to take into account all aspects of marine environment protection. The Convention aims to prevent pollution from ships (including dumping), pollution from land-based sources, and pollution resulting from the exploration of the seabed and its subsoil. The Convention also regulates the co-operation to combat marine pollution by oil and other harmful substances.

17. A new Convention was signed in 1992 in order to extend, strengthen and modernize the legal regime for the protection of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area. The 1992 Helsinki Convention entered into force on 17 January 2000.

18. In 1992 HELCOM adopted the Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme (JCP) for the Baltic Sea Area, which identified the main problem areas ("the hot spots"). These include inter alia municipal waste water treatment and industrial pollution mainly from eastern shores of the Sea. HELCOM´s Programme Implementation Task Force (HELCOM PITF) coordinates the implementation of the JPC. The PITF includes representatives from EU and every country in the Baltic Sea drainage basin as well as international financial institutions and governmental and non-governmental organisations.

19. To ensure the safety of navigation and a swift national and trans-national response to maritime pollution incidents, various measures have been adopted at the global level by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), at the regional level by HELCOM and at the national level.

4. Main pollution sources and their reduction

20.       In 1988 environment ministers set targets for 50% reductions in nutrient discharges. A report published by the Finnish Environment Institute has summarised the results on the key nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus from 1987 to 1995.

21.       The 50% reduction target was achieved for phosphorus from point sources by almost all Baltic Sea countries, while most countries did not reach the target for nitrogen. The total loads of phosphorus and nitrogen decreased by 39% and 30%, respectively, from municipalities and industries to the Baltic Sea from the end of the 1980s to 1995. The diffuse nitrogen loads from agriculture decreased in all Baltic Sea Countries, while decreases in phosphorus remained smaller or negligible. In Finland, Germany and Sweden, no decrease could be found in agricultural phosphorus loading, despite strong reductions in the use of P-fertilisers.

22.       In 1995 agriculture caused about 60%, municipalities 37% and direct discharges from industry 3-4% from the total nitrogen anthropogenic load to the Baltic. Phosphorus loads from agriculture constituted more than 25%, loads from municipalities about 65% and loads from industry less than 10% of the total anthropogenic phosphorous load to the Baltic. The figures for municipalities includes also industrial discharges which are connected to municipal sewers. More than 50% of the nitrogen load and 70% of the phosphorus load from municipalities came from Poland in 1995.

5. Pollution from urban areas, "List of Hot Spots"

23.       The Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme (JCP) under the HELCOM umbrella has listed 132 especially polluting sites and areas within the Baltic Sea catchment area in the so-called "List of Hot Spots". Since 1992 investments and actions have cleaned up some 25 of these Hot Spots.

24.       Many combined municipal and industrial polluting sources are found on the List encompassing several capitals and other major cities, which discharge into the Baltic Sea either directly or indirectly via rivers. Some of these, such as Copenhagen, Gdansk and Rostock, have now been deleted from the List of Hot Spots after successful implementation of pollution control measures.

25.       Several German and Polish cities and the capital Stockholm are expected to be deleted from the List very soon. At many other sites major investments are being implemented at the moment, which will possibly lead to proposals for deletion within the next few years.

26.       St. Petersburg is a major polluter of the Baltic Sea. Large ongoing investments and construction of sewer systems and treatment plants are expected to lead to sufficient treatment of the wastewater from the city within the coming years. Efforts to implement measures in order to comply with HELCOM and EU requirements should still be strengthened.

27.        There is also a need to support measures for environmental management investments in small and medium sized enterprises and municipalities because of the cumulative impact they could have on the Baltic Sea.

6. Hazardous substances

28. Large, densely populated catchment areas in connection with high inflow of fresh water and high atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic contaminants cause high input of hazardous substances. Low temperature slows hydrolysis and degradation of organing compounds and increases concentrations of slowly degradable chemicals. Hazardous substances, such as metals, PCB and PAH, are often found in sediments under hypoxic or anoxic conditions. The improved oxygen conditions may temporary increase the mobilisation of some metals from sediments.

29. Based on a list of numerous substances of concern, HELCOM has selected 42 hazardous substances for immediate priority action. These include pesticides and biocides such as Lindane and Pentachlorophenol, metals and metal compounds such as mercury and lead, and industrial substances including short-chained chlorinated paraffins and nonylphenol.

30. To reduce discharges, emissions and losses of hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea drainage basin up to their cessation by the year 2020, the HELCOM Hazardous Substances Project team has taken up its work in 1998. Members come from HELCOM's Contracting Parties and NGOs like CEFIC, EuroChlor and WWF.

7. Dumping of munitions

31.       With relative certainty, around 40,000 tonnes of chemical munitions have been dumped in the Helsinki Convention Area. It is estimated that the chemical munitions contained no more than 13,000 tonnes of chemical warfare agents. This figure does not take into account the dilution and degradation which have taken place.

32.       The following dumping areas in the Convention Area have been identified: south-east of Gotland (south-west of Liepaja), east of Bornholm and south of Little Belt. There are indications that during transport to the dumping areas east of Bornholm and south-east of Gotland munitions have been thrown overboard while ships were en route. As some munitions were dumped in wooden cases some have drifted outside the area where they were dumped.

33.       Investigations have shown that intact munitions and completely corroded casings not containing warfare agents are found. Almost all warfare agents are broken down at varying rates into less toxic, water-soluble substances.

34.       Some compounds, however, show an extremely low solubility and slow degradability (viscous mustard gas, Clark I and II, and Adamsite). These, however, cannot occur in higher concentrations in the water, therefore a wide-scale threat to the marine environment from dissolved chemical warfare agents can be ruled out.

35.       Insufficient ecotoxicological data is available for most of the chemical warfare agents. Further investigations should be carried out with a special emphasis to mustard gas, chlorinated additives and arsenic compounds.

36.       A relocation by hydrographic conditions is unlikely. Therefore, a threat to coastal areas of the Helsinki Convention Area from residues of warfare agents or chemical munitions washed ashore is unlikely.

37.       The crews of fishing vessels operating in the dumping areas or in their immediate vicinities could be in danger from the chemical munitions and chemical warfare agents dumped there, if lumps of viscous mustard gas or chemical munitions are caught in bottom trawls and hauled on board. Crews then risk being contaminated. In some countries fishing activities in those areas are regulated through national legislation, including that fishing vessels have to bring along protective and chemical warfare agents first aid equipment.

38.       Contracting Parties have control procedures for fish and other types of seafood, before they reach consumers. No mustard gas or other chemical warfare agents have been found in edible fish or other types of seafood. With the present knowledge, the chemical warfare agents do not constitute a problem in terms of food toxicology.

8.        Shipping accidents and oil spillages

39. To protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area from pollution, every ship entering the Area is urged to comply with the anti-pollution regulations of the Helsinki Convention. This applies to all ships.

40.       The maritime traffic has increased by 20% in the Baltic Sea Area from 1990 to 1995, mainly due to a 60 % growth in the annual cargo turnover in the major harbours on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. By 2017 a 90% growth in the volume of trade, compared to 1995 figures, has been estimated. The highest concentrations of accidents are found in the Danish Straits, Kattegat, especially near Gothenburg and in the archipelago of Stockholm. Also the southern part of the Baltic is considered as a high risk area. Groundings and collisions are the most frequent types of accidents.

41.       Apart from the accidental oil spillages deliberate illegal oil discharges are among the most acknowledged impacts from maritime transport. Despite the fact that often only minor amounts of oil are discharged deliberately into the sea (viz. less than 1 m³) it is estimated that this constitutes a bigger source of sea-based oil input than the accidental oil spillages.

42.       Every year between 500 to 700 illegal oil discharges are observed in the Baltic Sea Area by aerial surveillance. Each of these constitutes a violation of the global regulations adopted by the International Maritime Organization as well as of the Baltic Strategy adopted by HELCOM, obliging all ships to dispose in Baltic ports of their oily residues and mixtures.

43.       A 50% increase in the risk for oil spills of less than 1,000 tonnes and a 25% increase in the risk for oil spills of more than 1,000 tonnes have been predicted on the basis of the increase in the traffic from 1997 to 2017. The construction of the Baltic Pipeline System, whereby oil is transferred from Tmimano-Perchiera in Russia to the Gulf of Finland (inter alia via the Port of Porvoo, Finland, and the Primorsk Oil Terminal, Russia) is further expected to lead to an overall increase of 40% in the risk for oil spills in the whole Baltic Sea Area, although a 100% risk increase is expected for the Gulf of Finland.

44.       During two joint aerial surveillance operations the Baltic Sea States detected more than 20 illegal oil spills when continuously surveying for 24 hours specific parts of the Baltic Sea Area.

45.       In order to improve the numbers of convictions when catching a suspected offender of anti-pollution regulations at sea HELCOM has teamed up with the Prosecutors General Expert Group in the Baltic Sea Region.

9.        Improving the safety of navigation

46.       With the aim to improve the safety of navigation in the Baltic Sea Area, especially by ships carrying hazardous or polluting substances, and thereby in the future to reduce the risk for accidents an Extraordinary HELCOM Ministerial Meeting was arranged on 10 September 2001. The ministers adopted a new extensive package of measures – the HELCOM Copenhagen Declaration.

47.       Hydrographic surveys of the main shipping routes will be regularly carried out to avoid groundings by providing ships with most actual updated information on water depths.

48.       The use of the state-of-the-art navigational tool ECDIS (electronic charts display and information system) will be promoted, especially on ships whose cargoes pose a particular risk to the marine environment. Electronic navigational charts will cover all major shipping routes by the end of 2002 and all secondary shipping routes by the end of 2004 and will be accepted as equivalent to paper charts.

49.       Land-based monitoring systems, based on automatic identification system (AIS) signals, will be installed to monitor shipping. Denmark and Germany will set up 24-hour AIS monitoring for the Kadetrenden.

50.       The Baltic Sea States will phase out single hull oil tankers at the earliest date possible under the IMO regime. This means that single hull oil tankers will be phased out between 2003-2015, depending on the age and type of the ship.

51.       Furthermore, the Baltic Sea States will intensify the co-operation on adequate emergency capacity (fire fighting, emergency lightering and towing capacities)

- by drawing up plans to ensure that ships in distress may go to a place of refuge;

- by developing further response methods in ice; and

52.       To make the measures binding under international law, the Ministers decided to amend the Helsinki Convention accordingly. The relevant amendments will enter into force 1 December 2002.

53.       To get a reliable picture of the maritime traffic situation HELCOM will compile an inventory of all traffic in the whole Baltic Sea Area and on the basis hereof define probable areas of risk. Computerized modelling techniques will be used for picturing various spill scenarios throughout the main oil transportation route in the Baltic Sea Area as well as in the entrances to major oil terminals. This is of vital importance in order to be able to make timely and correct decisions during response operations.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks go to the HELCOM and its professional secretary Juha-Markku Leppänen.

References

1. HELCOM's Baltic Sea Environment Proceedings, BSEP 83 Thematic reports on HELCOM PITF Regional Workshops held in the Baltic Republics (2001)

2. The specific conditions in the Baltic Sea Region, Finland & WWF

3. Environment of the Baltic Sea area 1994-1998 (http://www.baltic.vtt.fi/pdfs/bsep82a.pdf), Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission,2001. Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission - HELCOM, Helsinki. - 23 p.

4. Baltic Legal Manual - Information on anti-pollution regulations at sea and the prosecution of violations thereof in the Baltic Sea Area(http://www.helcom.fi/proceedings/Bsep-77.pdf), Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, 2000. Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission - HELCOM, Helsinki. - 67 p.

5. Marine Sediment Extraction in the Baltic Sea - Status report (http://www.baltic.vtt.fi/pdfs/bsep76.pdf), Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, 1999, Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission - HELCOM, Helsinki. - 31 p.

Reporting committee: Committee on the Environment and Agriculture.

Reference to committee: Doc. 8772 and Reference No. 2519 of 30 June 2000.

Draft resolution adopted unanimously by the committee on 21 May 2002

Members of the committee: Mr Martinez Casañ (Chairman), MM. Behrendt, Hornung, Stankevic (Vice-Chairmen), Mr Agius, Mrs Agudo, MM. Akçali, Akselsen, Mrs Angelovicova, MM. Annemans, Apostoli, Bartos, Bockel (Alternate: Goulet), Briane, Browne, Carvalho, Sir Sydney Chapman, MM. Churkin (Alternate: Sudarenkov), Ciemniak, Cosarciuc, Duivesteijn, von der Esch, Etherington, Frunda, Giovanelli, Gonzalez de Txabarri (Alternate: de Puig), Graas (Alternate: Calmes), Grachev, Grignon, Grissemann, Gubert, Hajiyeva, Haraldsson, Ilascu, Janowski, Juric, Kalkan, Mrs Kanelli, MM. Kharitonov, Lord Kilclooney, MM. Kostenko, Kostytsky, Kurucsai, Kurykin, Lachat (Alternate: Mrs Fehr), Libicki, van der Linden, Lotz, Manukyan, Mariot, Mauro, Meale, Monteiro, Müller, Oliverio (Alternate: Crema), Podobnik, Pollozhani, Popov (Alternate: Bakulin), Salaridze, Mrs Schicker, MM. Schmied, Skopal, Skoularikis, Ms Stoejberg, Mr Stoica (Alternate: Coifan), Ms Stoyanova, MM. Theodorou, Timmermans, Tiuri, Truu, Vakilov, Velikov, Volpinari, Yürür, Mrs Zetterberg, Mr Zierer.

N.B. The names of those members present at the meeting are printed in italics.

Secretariat to the committee: Mrs Cagnolati, Mr Sixto and Ms Odrats.