Challenges as drivers of growth?
On March 25, for the 12th time Baltic Sea Region Forum in Turku brings to discussion region’s most topical issues. At the heart of this year’s discussion are challenges faced by the Baltic Sea Region, as well as the latest views of experts on labour mobility and circular economy.
.jpg "Itämeri-foorumi 2017_Juha Laurila (26)")
Ruslanas Iržikevičius, editor-in-chief of the Lithuania Tribune online media, analyzes the challenges of the Baltic Sea region on a global scale: "While the US-China relations are going to heat up, the US attention to this region, and to Europe at large, is going to decrease." Iržikevičius also contemplates the post-Brexit situation by saying that the Baltic Sea region may even become a soldier in the "chess game" between the Kremlin and Paris / Berlin.
Baltic Sea Region as a common employment area?
“The free movement of people is just as important as the free movement of goods, services and capital, both within and in-between countries”, says Nils Karlson, Director of the Swedish Institute for Business Studies, on the current state of labour mobility. According to him, labour mobility is restricted in many countries of the Baltic Sea region. However, from an economic perspective, free movement of labour would have very beneficial consequences.
According to the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, increasing labour mobility and migration pressures are expected in the future. This development poses challenges for the relatively small and open economies of the Baltic Sea region with ageing labour market. The aim is to support labour mobility and to remove obstacles.
.jpg "Itämeri-foorumi 2017_Juha Laurila (54)")
The 2017 high-level meeting of Ministers of Labour
of the Council of the Baltic Sea States in Berlin called for more effective
mechanisms and measures to enhance cooperation on labour mobility and
employment. This would promote a sustainable labour market in the Baltic Sea
region and ensure the region's competitiveness and social well-being.
Meyer Turku Communications Manager Tapani Mylly gives a practical example of
the situation: “During the following five years, we will need 10,000 new
designers and builders for the shipbuilding industry and it is self-evident
that such a number of skilled workers will not be found only in Finland.”
Sustainable competitiveness from circular economy
“There are areas in the Baltic Sea where eutrophication is very alarming. The main nutrient discharges into the sea are still caused by agriculture. Therefore, agriculture must be seen as a solution to improve the state of the sea. I believe that the circular economy, for example, through the nutrient cycles, can save the Baltic Sea”. This is how Saara-Sofia Sirén, Vice-Chair of the Finnish delegation to the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, and participant of this year’s Baltic Sea Region Forum Circular Economy Panel, sees it.
In all countries of the Baltic Sea Region, bioeconomy is somehow involved in the top themes and political programs of the smart specialization strategy. In Finland, the bioeconomy and circular economy have been top of the government priority. According to Sitra's report, circular economy is an important opportunity for Finland to improve the competitiveness of the national economy. Enhancing the cycle of resources could provide Finnish economy with potential annual growth of EUR 1.5 to 2.5 billion by 2030.
12th Baltic Sea Region will be held on March 25 2019 in Turku School of Economics. Among other distinguished speakers, keynote speeches will be delivered by Minister of Finance of Finland Mr. Petteri Orpo and Member of European Parliament Ms. Miapetra Kumpula-Natri.
#BSRForum
