On 7th October 2009, in the Regional Office of Pomorskie Region in Brussels, a Euroregion Baltic seminar took place with the participation of Euroregion Baltic Executive Board, representatives of the BSSSC, UBS and Baltic 7 Islands, as well as invited guests representing Polish Permanent Representation to the EU, European Offices of London, Highlands & Islands, Pomorskie, South Sweden, Turku-Southwest Finland and Warmińsko-Mazurskie regions, as well as member regions of Euroregion Baltic. The seminar investigated possible ways for the regions of Europe to strengthen the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.

The participants looked for answers to some of the key questions regarding the implementation of the Strategy and possible continuation of the cooperation between the six organisations which launched a common position towards the Strategy last year (these organisations being BDF, BSSSC, B7, CPMR Baltic Sea Commission, UBC and Euroregion Baltic).

Is the cooperation between the organisations on the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region necessary and possible?

Yes. Based on the so far positive experience of the cooperation, the representatives of the organisations thought it necessary that their joint efforts are continued in the future.

Should the cooperation be formalised and a joint structure established to facilitate the cooperation?

An open formula of the cooperation was suggested instead of establishing any formal body of representatives dealing with the issues related to the Strategy. It was also stressed that the Strategy should remain the key objective of the cooperation.

What could be specific areas for the organisations to focus on in relation to the Strategy?

Firstly, efforts to guarantee the participation of representatives of the territorial governments at the local and regional level in the High Level Group of Member State representatives that the European Commission is about to set up in order to monitor the implementation of the Strategy. So far, no local or regional authorities are mentioned in the Group composition. Another idea could be to propose one representative of the organisations into the Group.

Secondly, the organisations should continue to promote the governance model which includes the levels of European Commission, Member States, local and regional authorities, and non-governmental organisations providing a wider perspective involving local communities, and creates a horizontal platform for political cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region.

Thirdly, in the dialogue with the national authorities the organisations will need political support from their member regions, counties, cities and towns, which will strengthen their voice and representativeness.

Fourthly the organisations expressed their concerns about the lack of specific budget line for the Strategy, which could hamper its effective implementation. Hopes were evident that a pool of specially earmarked resources will be available in the new programming period.

Fifthly, the six organisations believe that strengthening of the macro-regional aspect of the cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region should not be made at the expense of existing cross-border and inter-regional programmes. Local and regional actors must be able to continue to make use of these instruments in the new financial perspective.

Sixthly, the organisations will each implement their preferred flagship projects, and no joint project will be implemented by all the six entities.

The role of local and regional authorities was the subject of the seminar during Almedalsveckan on Gotland on 29th June 2009, organised by the regions of Blekinge, Kalmar and Södra Småland together with the SIDA unit on Gotland.
More than 50 people participated in the seminar with contributions from inter alia Mr Anders Lindholm (DG Regio), Mr Olle Schmidt (Swedish MEP), Mr Uno Aldegren from the EU Committee of Regions and several other representatives.
Euroregion Baltic was represented by the leader of the ERB Youth Board, Ms Cajsa Augustzén, who in her speech activated the audiences asking them to come up with concrete proposals on how to involve the youth in the implementation of the Strategy.
Also Mr Niels Chresten Andersen from Bornholm represented ERB, having a short speech on the role of cross border organisations.
He made it clear that Euroregion Baltic fully supports the initiative to have an EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region with the four proposed thematic areas, fifteen recommended priorities and so far seventy-eight examples of flagship projects included in the document. Euroregion Baltic has since January 2008 been taking active part in the preparations and consultations during the drafting of the Strategy and has worked closely together with five other Baltic Sea organisations – and has experienced a very positive approach from the European Commission as well as governments and other key actors.

1. more clear description of the role of euroregions in the implementation of the Strategy,
2. more open and transparent selection of flagship lead partners, and
3. ensuring that transnational projects will be financed by transnational programmes. As for other EU programmes there will still be a room for them to support the implementation of the EU Baltic Sea Strategy, but it should not be based on inclusion of transnationally based selection criteria.