Helsinki Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden. The Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1992, entered into force on 17 January 2000. The States-Parties to the Convention agreed individually or jointly to take all appropriate legislative, administrative or other relevant measures to prevent and eliminate pollution in order to promote the ecological restoration of the Baltic Sea Area and the preservation of its ecological balance. The Parties undertake to apply: The aim of the States-Parties to the Convention is to prevent and eliminate pollution of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea
Finland–Russia border difference between the checkpoints (Eastern European Time and Moscow Time), one hour in winter. On 27 December 2015, Finland blocked access for people to cross over Russian border on bicycles via and Salla. According to the Finnish Border Guard, this measure was to limit illegal immigration and ensure safety on slippery roads. The Finnish Border Guard stated that organized traffickers had their clients cross the border by biking in order to avoid being captured on the Finnish side and prosecuted for organizing illegal immigration, which is a felony in Finnish law. In response, asylum seekers started to cross the border