EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region
(2008 11 14 09:31)
EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region is prepared by the European Comission on request of the European Council. The Strategy will coordinate the activities of various institutions in the Region (Member States, regions, financing institutions, the EU, pan-Baltic organisations, non-governmental bodies etc.) to promote a more harmonious development of the Region. The problems the Region is facing now include differences in economic status between the EU Member States, especially after the 2004 enlargement; big demographic changes and the pollution of the Baltic Sea.
The Strategy will aim at four main objectives:
- to improve the environmental state of the Baltic Sea Region and especially of the Sea;
- to make the Baltic Sea Region a more prosperous place by supporting balanced economic development across the Region;
- to make the Baltic Sea Region a more accessible and attractive place for both its inhabitants, for competent labour force and for tourists;
- to make the Baltic Sea Region a safer and more secure place.
The first draft of the Strategy will be presented by Directorate General Regional Policy leading the work in December 2008. Then, in the first half of 2009 there will be a few meetings in the Baltic Sea Region (Stockholm, Sweden and Rostock, Germany) during which the Strategy will be consulted with the stakeholders. And a number of events to discuss four priorities will take place:
>> in Kaunas, Lithuania, September 18-19, 2008;
>> in Gdansk, Poland, November 13, 2008;
>> in Tallin, Estonia, November 26, 2008;
>> in Copenhagen, Denmark, December 1-2, 2008;
>> in Helsinki, Finland, December 9, 2008.
The presentation of the Strategy to the European Council will take place in June 2009. The Strategy will be one of the Swedish EU Presidency priorities in the second half of 2009.
Read more on this site.