Issues paper for Germany's HELCOM Chairmanship 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2022

On 1 July 2020, Germany, represented by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), will assume the Chairmanship of the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) for the Protection of the Baltic Sea. HELCOM brings together all the countries bordering the Baltic Sea (Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden) and the EU based on an international agreement. The Federal Environment Agency will take over the Chairmanship and the federal states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein will each hold the Vice-Chairmanship for one year.