Poland has assumed the chairship of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission for a two-year term ending on 30 June 2028, according to HELCOM. Marek Romsicki, counsellor in the water management department of Poland’s Ministry of Infrastructure, has been appointed chair, while Tomasz Wenecki, deputy director of the same department, will serve as vice-chair.
Poland took over the rotating chairship from Lithuania on 1 July 2026. Its priorities include accelerating implementation of the 2021 Baltic Sea Action Plan, strengthening HELCOM’s ability to address emerging environmental challenges and expanding the use of scientific evidence in decision-making.
The action plan sets out measures intended to restore the Baltic Sea to a healthy state by 2030. The first reporting cycle on its implementation has been completed, with progress and commitments due to be reviewed at the 2026 HELCOM Ministerial Meeting in Warsaw.
Poland will also support work on environmental risks associated with the so-called “shadow fleet” and measures intended to maintain HELCOM’s operational resilience. Scientific priorities include advancing the fourth holistic assessment of the Baltic Sea, known as HOLAS 4, and updating the HELCOM Science Agenda.
HELCOM is the intergovernmental body established under the Helsinki Convention to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea. Its contracting parties comprise Baltic coastal states and the European Union, with its work covering pollution prevention, biodiversity, maritime activities and environmental monitoring.
Poland’s Ministry of Infrastructure is the central government authority responsible for policy areas including transport, maritime administration, inland waterways and water management.