EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

On the eve of the Annual Forum we had a rare chance to sit down and discuss the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Action Plan update with representatives from Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-operation (BSSSC), Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) and Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC). Some highlights and recommendations: 🔵 The strategy is established to enable coordinated cooperation. 🔵 The Strategy has to be better known by civil servants, otherwise implementation on all governance levels is impossible. 🔵 Wider representation of the regions in the Policy Area Steering Groups could be a way to make the voice of the regions better heard. Thank you for the constructive dialogue and recommendations! Action Plan update process generates powerful momentum for consultations like this. Now it is our duty and responsibility to consider these recommendations in the updated Action Plan so that stakeholders on all governance levels can feel ownership of the defined Actions.

The stream is on! Follow the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Annual Forum 2024 live stream at https://lnkd.in/dwmTQdW4 Wednesday, 30 October - 09.00-09.45 CET - Opening session - 09.45-10.45 CET - Strengthening Competitiveness, Resilience, and Preparedness in the BSR Bioeconomy - 13.45-14.45 CET - Sustainable and Resilient Transport Systems in the Baltic Sea Region Thursday, 31 October - 09.00-10.30 CET - Energy Security and Regional Resilience in a Civil Preparedness Perspective - 12.45-13.30 CET - Concluding remarks

Follow the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Annual Forum 2024 live stream from 30-31 October at https://lnkd.in/di_Pjbik Wednesday, 30 October 🌊 09.00-09.45 CET - Opening session 🌊 09.45-10.45 CET - Strengthening Competitiveness, Resilience, and Preparedness in the BSR Bioeconomy 🌊 13.45-14.45 CET - Sustainable and Resilient Transport Systems in the Baltic Sea Region Thursday, 31 October 🌊 09.00-10.30 CET - Energy Security and Regional Resilience in a Civil Preparedness Perspective 🌊 12.45-13.30 CET - Concluding remarks ///// The two hosts for the Annual Forum are the Swedish Government together with the Nordic Council of Ministers. The organizers are the Gotland County Administrative Board in close collaboration with the secretariat of the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Government Offices of Sweden, the Norden Association Sweden, the Svenska institutet and Region Gotland. The event is co-funded by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme, the Swedish Government, the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Swedish Institute and Region Gotland.

Thank you to our panellists and the audience at the European Week of Regions and Cities 2024! The number of people attending the session and queuing at the door proved the demand and interest for more discussion on territorial cooperation, such as the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Some key takeaways from the discussion: 🗝 Macro-regional strategies have done a great deal to promote transnational integration and multi-level governance in the EU and beyond, 🗝and will continue to do so, if we succeed in maintaining the political support for the territorial approach and cooperation. 🗝Nobody works in isolation anymore. It is not easy and straightforward, but coordinated collaboration is rewarding for the citizens that benefit from it. 🗝Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dAeb2uZg The European Week of Regions and Cities is the biggest annual event dedicated to EU cohesion policy. We were honoured to be selected as one of the session organisers together with the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR). Thank you once again, Moray Gilland, Marta Marín Sanchez and Fokion Zaimis for you time and wise words. Photos: European Union / Valentin Astier

We foster cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region and look for common solutions to joint challenges together with other actors in the region. At Annual Forum 2024, there are two worshops organised by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) Baltic Sea Commission, highlighting topical issues in the region: ❄ Sustainable Aviation in the Baltic Sea Region ❄ The European Arctic These sessions are designed to foster macroregional collaboration to develop clean aviation solutions in the Baltic Sea Region and to address challenges in the northern Baltic Sea Region. We cannot wait to hear the discussion! https://lnkd.in/gZcxhee6

We foster cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region and look for common solutions to joint challenges together with other actors in the region. At #EUSBSRAnnualForum2024, there are two worshops organised by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) Baltic Sea Commission, highlighting topical issues in the region: 🛫 Sustainable Aviation in the Baltic Sea Region 🛬 The European Arctic These sessions are designed to foster macroregional collaboration to develop clean aviation solutions in the Baltic Sea Region and to address challenges in the northern Baltic Sea Region. We cannot wait to attend the sessions: https://lnkd.in/gZJDxe7z

Curious about the power of culture in bringing us together? Come and join us at our 'Culture X Integration' Workshop at the EUSBSR Annual Forum 2024 in October! Explore the programme and register here: https://lnkd.in/dsApNd_2 This session is organised by EUSBSR Policy Area Education and EUSBSR Policy Area Culture.

At #EUSBSRForum2024, we invite policymakers and public administration officials, along with representatives from civil society, to discuss the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Action Plan, which we are to update by 2027. The 'Designing Liveable Cities in the Baltic Sea Region' seminar has a particular emphasis on #spatialplanning and implementing the VASAB Vision 2040 in small and medium-sized cities in the Baltic Sea Region. Register for the forum today and pick the sessions most suitable for you: https://lnkd.in/dsApNd_2 This seminar is organised by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region funded project 'Liveability', Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC) Planning Cities Commission, and VASAB Secretariat.

The opening event of Poland's EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Presidency focused on: #resilience and #security of the Baltic Sea Region and finding more ways to support #Ukraine. We were honoured to have the Deputy Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland to open the event - thank you for taking the time, Mr Marek Prawda! Key takeaways from yesterday 💡 Building a resilient macro-region is not possible without international cooperation. 💡 The Strategy is not for the few but for all. A wide chain of supporters on all governance levels makes it possible to implement the ambitious Action Plan. 💡 During Poland's Presidency, we are updating the EUSBSR Action Plan. Maintaining the inclusive nature of cooperation within the Strategy is highly important to Poland. Now is the time to reach out to our coordinators and have your say on the update. After 15 years of macro-regional cooperation, we can safely call the Strategy a success story. We have made a difference by bringing actors together and coordinating efforts, and should be bold enough to claim the results as our own.

#EUSBSRForum2024 is the place to discuss Interreg funding after 2027. Participate in the workshop "Have Your Say on Interreg Funding in the Baltic Sea Region After 2027" and contribute to the reports that the Interreg Baltic Sea Region and Central Baltic Programme will provide to the EU Commission by the end of the year. Register for the Annual Forum here: https://lnkd.in/dsApNd_2 The workshop is organised by  Interreg Baltic Sea Region and Central Baltic Programme.