EUSBSR turns 10 years!
30 October 2019 marks 10th Anniversary of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Being the very first macro-regional strategy in the European Union, and followed later by establishment of another three macro-regional strategies, it started a completely new way of regional cooperation in the European Union. Happy Birthday, EUSBSR!
What is EUSBSR?
The history of EUSBSR dates back to 2006, when it was initiated by the European Parliament’s “Baltic Europe” intergroup. This, in fact, made EUSBSR not only the first ever macro-regional strategy, but also the first EU Strategy to have originated in the European Parliament. A powerful push for such initiative was the enlargement of the European Union in 1995 and 2004, which gave a growing role to the EU as one of the main regional actors in the Baltic Sea region.
The idea of macro-regional cooperation in the Baltic Sea region was also rooted in willingness expressed by different actors around the Baltic Sea to address and overcome common problems they were facing. The initiative was strongly supported by the Nordic states, and particularly Sweden, which aimed at integrating the new Member States into a formula of practical collaboration. The most urging challenge on the agenda was addressing environmental pollution of the Baltic Sea. Other goals concerned enhancing the region’s prosperity, accessibility, and attractiveness. Thus, in October 2009, after a series of consultations and debates, EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region was born.
10 years of
cooperation
Today EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region
encompasses 3 objectives, and unites over 600 organisations involved in the
regional collaboration in the framework of EUSBSR. The Strategy is implemented
by means of flagships – projects and processes that develop key solutions, new
methodologies, practices or new forms of cooperation, thus serving as pilot
examples for desired change. Over 10 years of cooperation in the framework of
the Strategy have resulted in more than 170 flagship projects carried out
within the framework of the 13 policy areas and four horizontal actions.
The current success of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region in comparison with other macro-regional strategies can be partly explained by well-established common regional identity and common institutions already in existence, as well as the fact that it is the longest-functioning macro-regional strategy. Nevertheless, the evidence shows that the EUSBSR has managed to deliver a number of concrete results by integrating the region and eliminating, or at least reducing, the disparities between states and bringing together new players across countries, sectors, and levels of administration.[1]
Centrum Balticum and EUSBSR
EUSBSR has been an important part of Centrum Balticum’s day-to-day activities.
Centrum Balticum is officially involved in EUSBSR cooperation since 2013. The update of the Action Plan in 2013 brought to operation a new Horizontal Action “Neighbours”, which aims to strengthen cooperation between multilevel stakeholders in the EU and in the neighboring countries: Belarus, Iceland, Norway and Southwest Russia. Centrum Balticum’s coordination of HA Neighbours was built on the premises of “Turku Process” – initiative by the cities of Turku, Hamburg and St. Petersburg to promote cooperation in the Baltic Sea region, and especially to increase the number of Northwest Russian partners in the Baltic Sea region cooperation.
Furthermore, Centrum Balticum supports implementation of the EUSBSR through Interreg Baltic Sea Region -funded projects ECOPRODIGI and CSHIPP.
Last, but not least, since 2016 Centrum Balticum has been the lead partner of Let’s Communicate! project – the Communication Point of the EUSBSR, enhancing internal and external communications of the Strategy.
We hope that fruitful EUSBSR cooperation will continue in the years to come, leading to a sustainable, safe and secure Baltic Sea region, boosting prosperity and bringing together even more partners and organisations!
[1] EUSBSR Anniversary Publication: “Better together. 10 years of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region”
