The great expectations raised by the EU’s planned Baltic Sea strategy, are leading to something of a disappointment. It looks as if the project is not getting sufficient funding, a working leadership, or a focus of action.
Sweden’s Minister of European Affairs Cecilia Malmström confirmed on Wednesday in the European Parliament that no new EU money would be forthcoming for the strategy.
Sweden holds the EU Presidency through the end of the year. The Baltic Sea is one of its focal points.
The fresh Regional Commissioner Pawel Samecki called on member states to open up their purse strings. It was also reported that it would be possible to apply for finding for the Baltic Sea strategy from the development banks.
Samecki also urged member states to shape up in matters related to the Baltic Sea.
“The Commission does not have the capacity or the desire to make plans of action. The matter is now in the hands of the member states”, he said.
Several Members of the European Parliament who spoke on Wednesday expressed frustration at the Commission’s tight-fisted policy toward the Baltic.
German Socialist Cobstabze Krehl wondered how the Baltic Sea region can be developed if local officials have no money.
Finnish Conservative MEP Ville Itälä was concerned about the lack of funding, and Satu Hassi (Green) wanted more concrete content to the Baltic Sea programme.
Researcher Rikard Bengtsson takes up the same problems in his fresh report on the Baltic Sea, which he drafted for the Sieps think-tank.
Bengtson criticises the Commission’s proposal for action on the Baltic for being too broad and vague. He says that the Commission is trying to please everybody.
The danger is that the added value of the strategy for the region’s environment and development will be small. The member states are expected to approve the Baltic Sea strategy this year.
The Baltic Sea debate in the European Parliament also touched upon the natural gas pipeline that is being planned to run under the sea from Russia to Germany.
“Unfortunately, Finland has already approved the pipeline project”, said Danish MEP Anna Rosbach of the Euro-sceptic Free and Democratic Europe group.
Some Finnish MEPs representing parties that are in the Finnish national government called on the Finnish government to take a firm stand toward Russia when it decides on whether or not to give a go-ahead for the pipeline.
The MEPs fel that Finland should demand that Russia ratify the Treaty of Espoo on reporting cross-border environmental impact, before it makes its decision on the pipeline.
The MEPs sent a letter on their demands to Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen.
Centre Party MEPs Riikka Manner and Hannu Takkula were not among the signatories.
Christian Democratic Party chairwoman Päivi Räsänen agreed with the signatories that the government should not rush in the gas pipeline matter.
Räsänen said that Finland should take advantage of the situation in which it is possible to demand commitment from Russia to a responsible Baltic Sea policy.
