The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (also known as Helsinki Commission - HELCOM) is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic coastal countries and the EU, protecting the marine environment from all sources of pollution. It is the governing body of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area and was first signed in 1974 (revised in 1992). Decisions taken by HELCOM — which require unanimous approval — are regarded as recommendations and are intended to be incorporated into the national legislation of the contracting parties.