The EU Baltic Sea Strategy
It is with great pleasure that I am here again in Latvia opening this seminar. I am pleased, that our office in Riga together with the Swedish EU-presidency took this initiative and together with others successfully have managed to convene this seminar.
Let me first congratulate the Swedish EU Presidency for getting the Baltic Sea Strategy adopted by the EU head of states. Let me also thank the Commission - and you Collin (Wolfe) personally – for the tremendous job the Commission has done preparing the strategy and action plan. Now we just need to act on it!
The Nordic Council of Ministers, embracing the five Nordic countries and the three self-governing areas, has for many years worked actively to seek opportunities for closer regional cooperation.
We highly prioritize cooperation with the neighbouring countries. In particular our neighbours of the Baltic Sea Region. In a meeting to day, State Secretary Andris Teikmanis and I confirmed, that the development of the relations between the Nordic countries and Latvia is still of high priority.
Since the 90s the NCM has cooperated with the Baltic countries and partners in Northwest Russia in areas of joint interest. The NCM has offices in Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Kaliningrad and St. Petersburg. Some of the NCM activities also include other partners from the Baltic Sea region – such as Germany and Poland. Activities supporting the democratisation of Belarus are also on the agenda of the NCM.
The NCM is strongly committed to the implementation of the EU Baltic Sea Strategy. We also contribute actively to the Northern Dimension. We see the Baltic Sea Strategy as an important framework for making the North of Europe ‘the top of Europe’.
Coordination is crucial for the effective implementation of the strategies covering this region. The Nordic Council of Ministers therefore closely cooperates with the other regional organisations and actors cross the Baltic Sea region on different levels.
The Nordic institutions – of which we have around twenty - are currently active in many areas of the EU strategy. They may very well be useful in supporting actions within the framework of the strategy. For instance, within the area of research and innovation the NCM has two main institutions: Nordic Innovation Centre and the Nordic Research Board (NordForsk). The NCM also has a number of specialized institutions, for example Nordic Energy Research, Nordregio (Nordic Centre for Spatial Development) and Nordic Environment Finance Cooperation (NEFCO). In addition, the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) is an institution that could become a useful partner.
The NCM and the Baltic Countries have for many years deepened there relations. Some of the main priorities within our cooperation include education, research, innovation, environment, climate changes, welfare and creative industries.
One instrument for enhancing our cooperation is our joint mobility and network program. The program focuses on public administration, business, culture and education. I believe that personal contacts and network building are cornerstones in the development of the Baltic Sea region.
