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EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region“Presentation of Actions”

Visby, 11 June 2009

Colin WolfeEuropean Commission

DG Regional Policy, Territorial Cooperation

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What’s the issue?

• severe ecological danger

• uneven economic development

• insufficient energy transmission and supply networks, gaps in transport links

• shortcomings in maritime safety and security

The region is facing a variety of challenges and opportunities:

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Why the EU ? Why EU programmes?

• 8 of the 9 countries bordering the Baltic Sea are EU members;

• Many of the challenges are in EU policy fields;• Need for more coordination of numerous stakeholders and

countries involved.

It can be seen therefore that:

→ The EU Cohesion Policy programmes in the region provide many opportunities to address these challenges, and exploit these opportunities.

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The Strategy – The Big ThemesThe 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

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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 shippingProsperity:- to exploit the full potential of the region in research and innovationAccessibility & Attractiveness:- to improve access to, and the efficiency and security of the energy markets- to improve internal and external transport linksSafety and Security: - to reinforce protection from major emergencies at sea and on land

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Examples of flagship projects

• Remove phosphates in detergents;• Connect the Baltic States to the energy networks;• Create a fund for innovation and research;• Promote environment-friendly technologies;• Develop the Baltic « Motorways of the Seas »• Establish better cooperation in case of marine

pollution• Establish joint curricula in universities• Coordinate better the maritime surveillance

systems

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The Guiding Principles

• 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

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Thank you !