Unfortunately, ICM in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the NIS has seen a relatively limited development due to the Soviet legacy of a sector based and top-down approach to planning and management and a lacking tradition of public (stakeholder) participation.

The main effort in the Baltic Sea region was the PITF-MLW-programme under the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM). Despite the efforts of the Bucharest Convention little progress has yet been made in the Black Sea region and efforts in the Caspian Sea region have just begun in 1999.

In consultation with the regional seas programmes EUCC PAP/RAC organised the intergovernmental ICM-CEE-NIS Workshop in Split. The workshop convened representatives of eighteen coastal states, of the Regional Seas Programmes in the Baltic, the Mediterranean, the Black and the Caspian Seas and of various international institutions.

This intergovernmental forum acknowledged that the success in pushing ICM further depends on cross-fertilisation and networking and expressed its support to common ICM-initiatives for their regions. Inspired by the progress in the EU, many delegations supported the idea of an ICM Demonstration Programme for the region. A working group was set up, co-ordinated by EUCC, which will facilitate exchange of information, training, fund raising and other support and take the initiative further.