Brussels, 17/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - The worrying condition of the Mediterranean and the urgent measures need to remedy the poor environmental state of the coast, which is a threat to the health of those living there, as well as to fishing and tourism, will mobilise Mediterranean region environment ministers in Cairo on 20 November. Some twenty ministers, from EU Member States and third countries with Mediterranean coastlines, are expected to attend the meeting, which will be co-chaired by Egyptian environment minister Maged George, Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas and Jan Erik Enestam, Finnish environment minister and President of the EU Environment Council. The meeting aims to agree on a timetable for implementing measures to which Mediterranean countries have committed themselves as part of the “Horizon 2020” programme for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea, which was approved in Cairo a year ago. Deadlines are to be set for the four areas for action of the programme: reducing polluting emissions from industry and waste water, and the related funding; tightening environmental legislation and administration in Mediterranean countries; intensifying research; and setting indicators which will help in assessing the impact of the Horizon 2020 programme.
The Cairo declaration, with which the conference will close, is expected to urge all the countries of the region to redouble their efforts to protect the Mediterranean.
At this Euro-Mediterranean meeting, Mr Enestam intends to emphasis that, despite the water quality in the different seas varying greatly, the countries which share a single sea can benefit from the experiences of countries bordering other seas. He will, therefore, present Finland's own experiences working to protect another important, but troubled, European sea - the Baltic. (an)