BSSSC
AND
COOPERATION IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION
ANN IRENE SAETERNES,
International coordinator
EASTERN NORWAY COUNTY NETWORK
BALTIC SEA REGION = DIVERSITY
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EU-members, non-members:
Norway, Russia
Rapidly changing and developing
region
Prosperity and challenges:
- Economic growth
- Cultural diversity
- Environmental challenges
- Sustainability in wider
perspective
Security and Democracy
Baltic Sea Organisations
KEY WORDS to meet our challenges
Networking
Cooperation
Involvement
Working together
BSSSC
Towards a strong competitive Baltic Sea
Region
BSSSC’s vision
• Release potentials through cooperation
cross boarders (national-, sector-, level of
government) – stimulate
• Involvement of regional and local
authorities and civil society – governance
• Concrete actions
• Political will
• Financial means and instruments
CBSS long-term priorities for Baltic
Sea Region cooperation
• Environment (including climate change)
• Economic development (include innovation and competitiveness and a
favourable business environment, fostering entrepreneurship, cluster development, maritime
economy, transport & logistics, research and development, customs cooperation and wellfunctioning labour markets)
• Energy (include energy security, energy efficiency and saving, renewable energy and the
impact of energy on the environment)
• Education & culture
(include the EuroFaculty concept, student and academic
mobility, upgrade of science and research network capacity, cultural heritage, contemporary
culture and the promotion of regional identity)
• Civil security & the human dimension (include the fight against
trafficking in human beings, the protection of children’s rights, nuclear and radiation safety, civil
protection, as well as consumer protection, youth affairs, people-to-people contacts and the
promotion of tolerance)
BSSSC 2006 – 2008: KEY AREAS
1. Transport and Infrastructure
2. Maritime Policy incl. the
marine environment
3. Sustainable energy &
Climate change
4. Quality of Life/Public Health
YOUTH NETWORK
Vision under NO Chairmanship
Sustainable economic development in the whole
region – stability and security for the inhabitants
• Transport and infrastructure – accessibility
remove bottlenecks, east-west connection,
sustainable transport, cities and hinterland
• Maritime policy – turning BSR into a model region
in Europe. Helcom Action-plan to be implemented
• Sustainable energy, energy security (mix),
measures to combat climate change
• Quality of life in cities and rural areas
Cooperation partners
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BSSSC
BSC - CPMR
B7
UBC
BDF
CBSS
BSPC
NCM
Nordic Council
BaltMet
JECP KEY AREAS
- Analysis of the current Energy and Climate situation
in the BSR
- Addressing concerns and considerations of the
regional level on Energy and Climate issues to
the high political level
- Raising awareness among the inhabitants of the
BSR
- Further involvement of a broader range of actors
(representatives of business, science, NGOs)
working with Energy and Climate-related issues
and obtaining financial support to implement joint
activities
- A broader involvement of Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia,
Poland and Russia
BSSSC 2009 – 2010: KEY AREAS
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Science and Education
EU Baltic Sea Strategy
Maritime Policy
Climate change and Sustainable
development
Youth cooperation
Better use of EU programmes
Public Health and Quality of Life
Cooperation with Russia and ND
Transport and Infrastructure
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The EU Strategy – The Big Themes
The 4 pillars:
• Environment: to improve the environmental state of the Baltic
Sea Region, the largest brackish water system in the world
• Economy: to make the Baltic Sea Region more prosperous by
better networking, better shared ideas, breaking down barriers
and better economic development
• Energy and transport: to make the region more accessible and
attractive, for its inhabitants, for its labour force and for tourists
• Safety and Security: to prevent accidents in the Region,
reduce dangers and work together to solve
crimes and sort out problems
The Priority Areas, The Flagship Actions
• Action Plan, with 15 Priority Areas, inc. 80 Flagship Projects
• Priority Areas (examples)
Environment:
- to reduce nutrient inputs to the sea to acceptable levels
- to become a model region for clean shipping
Prosperity:
- to exploit the full potential of the region in research and innovation
Accessibility & Attractiveness:
- to improve access to, and the efficiency and security of the energy
markets
- to improve internal and external transport links
Safety and Security:
- to reinforce protection from major emergencies at sea and on land
The Guiding Principles for the EU
Strategy for the BSR
• Better alignment of policy development
at the European level, at the Baltic level
• Better use of existing funding, esp. via
EU programmes at all levels but also
national, regional, local, IFIs, private
sector
• Better coordination in implementing EU
legislation, cutting red-tape
• Better coordination on practical matters
between all countries inc. Russia,
Norway, Belarus, in the region
Baltic Sea Region Programme
2007 – 2013
•Part-financed by the
European Union
46 Transnational co-operation projects
Priority 1. Fostering
innovations
Priority 3. Baltic Sea as a
common resource
16 projects
11 projects
“To make the
Baltic Sea region an attractive place
to invest, work and live in”
6 projects
Priority 2. External and
internal accessibility
13 projects
Priority 4. Attractive and
competitive cities and regions
Cooperation partners outside
BSR
• The BSSSC membership of the Assembly of European Regions
(AER) should be used for mutual information on political issues as
well as for concrete cooperation within areas of common concern for example on Sustainable Energy and Youth.
• As the network and platform of the BSR sub regions, BSSSC have
signed a co-operation agreement with the Committee of the
Regions (CoR). Cooperation with the Intergroup Baltic within CoR
• BSSSC should keep close contacts and a permanent working
relationship with the European Baltic Intergroup of the European
Parliament
Important focus areas for the
future of BSSSC
• Continue to promote the interests of BSR subregions towards
national authorities, EU institutions and others – in close
cooperation with other BSR organisations and interest groups.
• Further develop BSSSC as an important organisation for subregional interests in BSR.
• Strengthen cooperation with Russian subregions in BSR.
• Continue and develop participation of youth in BSSSC work and
act as a platform for youth cooperation on subregional level in
BSR.