Decision: 35 COM 7B.99

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-11/35.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 31 COM 7B.114, 32 COM 7B.98 and 34 COM 7B.91 adopted at its 31st (Christchurch, 2007), 32nd (Quebec City, 2008) and 34th (Brasilia, 2010) sessions respectively,
3. Acknowledges the recommendations of the December 2010 joint World Heritage Centre / ICOMOS / IUCN reactive monitoring mission;
4. Notes with great concern the designation of an economic development zone within the Kaliningrad region which appears to conflict with the needs of the property, and proposals for large leisure complexes which would overwhelm the fragile landscape of the Spit and threaten its integrity;
5. Requests the State Party of the Russian Federation to halt immediately the current proposals, not to pursue the development of large leisure complexes and to review the designation of the economic zone;
6. Also requests the State Party of the Russian Federation to review the overall legal protection arrangements for the property in order to ensure that development respects the Outstanding Universal Value;
7. Urges the States Parties of Lithuania and the Russian Federation to prepare a joint Statement of Outstanding Universal Value for the property as a basis for future management, conservation and economic development; to strengthen collaboration on management and protection, in line with the assurances made at the time of inscription, and to put in place a coordinated management mechanism in line with the requirements of the Operational Guidelines;
8. Also urges the States Parties of Lithuania and the Russian Federation to develop, as a matter of urgency, an overall Tourism Strategy for the property, based on the UNESCO supported project on the Lithuanian part, in order to define sustainable approaches to tourism that respect the landscape and support local communities;
9. Further requests the States Parties of Lithuania and the Russian Federation to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2012, a joint progress report on the state of conservation of the property, and the implementation of the above and of the recommendations of the December 2010 joint World Heritage Centre / ICOMOS / IUCN reactive monitoring mission, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 36th session in 2012.