Sweden increases support for the Baltic Sea Action Plan Fund with additional SEK 9 million contribution

Established by Sweden and Finland in 2010, the BSAP Fund continues to be an important mechanism for financing projects that address the key challenges facing the Baltic Sea.

The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (Havs- och vattenmyndigheten) has announced a further contribution of SEK 9 million (approximately EUR 765,500) to the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) Fund, reinforcing its commitment to addressing the environmental challenges facing the Baltic Sea. The announcement was made by Jacob Hagberg, Head of the Swedish Delegation, during HELCOM’s Heads of Delegation meeting held 11-12 December.

“The BSAP Fund delivers on all parts of the Baltic Sea Action Plan and has become an important instrument for triggering engagement and financing for innovative projects. The Swedish Parliament recently adopted the Government’s bill ‘A living sea – Increased protection, reduced eutrophication and sustainable fishing’. Regional action and cooperation are vital for a healthy Baltic Sea,” said Jacob Hagberg, Head of the Swedish Delegation.

Established by Sweden and Finland in 2010, the BSAP Fund is an early-stage financing mechanism dedicated to expediting the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. The Fund was initiated to facilitate the preparation and execution of projects that tackle key challenges in the region, providing financial support for both private and public sector initiatives, including cross-boundary projects.

“Although the Baltic Sea is still severely affected by eutrophication, there have been substantial reductions in pressure from nutrient loads. The additional contribution from the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management will enable the BSAP Fund to continue mobilising financial and human resources to expedite the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan to improve the health of the Baltic Sea,” stated Mia Dahlström, Sweden’s representative on the steering committee of the BSAP Fund.

To date, contributions from Sweden and Finland have totalled EUR 15 million, enabling the Fund to finance more than 70 projects, whereof 80% address biodiversity conservation and pollution prevention. These projects include nutrient recycling, small-scale sanitation plants and several wastewater treatment facilities, all aimed at improving the health of the Baltic Sea.

“We are very grateful for this additional funding to the BSAP Fund, which will enable a new call for proposals in 2025. With funding from Sweden and other contributors committed to taking joint action for a healthier Baltic Sea, the BSAP Fund will continue to be an important mechanism for financing projects with clear demonstration effects,” says Dennis Hamro-Drotz, Fund Manager for the BSAP Fund at Nefco.

The BSAP Fund is co-managed by the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) and Nefco – the Nordic Green Bank, and welcomes new donors to support the HELCOM commitment to achieving a good environmental status of the Baltic Sea.

For more information, please contact:

Dennis Hamro-Drotz, BSAP Fund Manager/Senior Programme Manager, Nefco
dennis.hamro-drotz@nefco.int, +358 10 6180 641

About the Baltic Sea Action Plan Fund

The Baltic Sea Action Plan Fund (the BSAP Fund) was set up in 2010 to help speed up the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan, which is a roadmap to improve the ecological state of the Baltic Sea, including concrete actions addressing biodiversity, eutrophication, hazardous substances and sea-based activities. The key purpose of the BSAP Fund is to facilitate and speed up the preparation of bankable projects from both public and private entities.

Read more on: www.nefco.int/BSAP