Brussels, 16/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 16 June, the European Parliament adopted a report by Lena Ek (ALDE, Sweden) by 630 to 14 with 6 abstentions agreeing that the EU should participate in the joint R&D Baltic Sea programme known as BONUS-169. The EU will co-finance BONUS-169 that was set up by the eight EU member states bordering on the Baltic (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden), providing €50 million in total for the duration of the project. BONUS will involve research in the Baltic region to reduce the negative impact of pollution, climate change, acidification, overexploitation and loss of biodiversity in the Baltic Sea. Although focussed on environmental research, BONUS also covers EU programmes on other human activity and the combined impact on the ecosystem of fish farming, fishing, farming and energy infrastructure. The rapporteur says the BONUS programme will result in sustainable creation in the resource-rich EU. BONUS has been set up by a Helsinki-based group of Baltic Sea bodies for the funding of science (GEIE BONUS) and will last for 7 years. The EU will provide €50 million for the duration of the project and total costs are expected to be around €1.25 million for planning and €48.75 million in the operational phase. The eight member states in question will also contribute €50 million between them. The European Commission will make a mid-term review of BONUS before 31 December 2014, with the final assessment being made before the end of 2017. (B.C./transl.fl)