frsrdg · GX04NR1 · 2010-03-15 00:00:00 — Pursuant to the common geographical and cultural environment, economic interrelationship and similar challenges these countries and nations are facing; Emphasizing its firm commitment to contribute to further consolidating the Barents region as a peaceful, stable, dynamic and prosperous region on continent, Recognizing the need for additional measures to support indigenous peoples residing in the Barents Euro-Arctic region, strengthen social and economic foundations of their life, and protect their national traditions, cultures and mother tongues; Stressing additional opportunities to achieve the goals generated by the updated policy of the Northern Dimension of Union, , and , Encourage the representatives of national parliaments and regional legislation assemblies, as well as national, regional and local authorities in their activities To support measures for sustainable development of the Barents Euro-Arctic region, with a special focus on the social, economic and environmental issues, and comprehensive improvement of the living conditions of indigenous peoples: In the area of economic cooperation Continue to recognize the cooperation as the very core of the Barents Cooperation, Continue to support the cooperative cross border efforts between and within public and private sectors in sustainable development in the economic sphere, i.e. in infrastructure aimed at improving transport conditions, extraction and refinement of natural resources, entrepreneurship, customs procedures, visa regimes and tourism, Continue to support the effective use of existing structures provided by the Barents Cooperation on national and regional levels created to develop common assets and resources as well as tackle the common challenges in the Barents Region. In the area of health and social well-being Continue to implement the second Cooperation Programme on Health and Related Social Issues in the Barents Euro-Arctic Region 20082011 prepared and adopted by the on Health and Related Social Issues of , prioritizing the prevention and control of infectious diseases, development of primary health care and social services, and efforts aimed at working with and for children and youth at risk, and advocating a healthy lifestyle as well, Support the sub-programme «Children and youth at risk » geared to enhancing the capacity of regional authorities and social welfare agencies providing assistance to that group of young people and endorsing specific projects to integrate into society persons who have committed offences, Continue to support the implementation of the sub-programme on HIV/AIDS that is aimed at strengthening national potential for combating this evil and promoting specific projects to reduce the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, Continue to work towards the fulfillment of the objective stated in the Declaration adopted at the meeting of heads of government of the Barents Region and Commission "Barents Euro-Arctic 10 year anniversary" in 2003, that was to gain full control of the spread of tuberculosis in the Barents Region within 10 years, Encourage the on Health and Related Social Issues (JWGHS) to continue its cooperation with the Northern Dimension Partnership in health care and social well-being. In the area of cultural cooperation Continue the implementation of the second programme New Winds in the Barents Region under the on Culture (JWGC) for 2008-2010, aimed at developing multilateral and bilateral collaboration in the area of culture, promoting cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue, and the use of culture as a tool for social and economic development of the Region, Consider the outcomes of exchange of views during the representative Culture of the Barents region (2008), Highlight the protection of cultural heritage and traditions of indigenous peoples in the Barents Euro-Arctic region, Develop cultural cooperation in the Barents Euro-Arctic region in collaboration with other international bodies, including within the Northern Dimension policies, with the view of possible new Partnership on this field, as well as with the , (), , Support the development of interconfessional dialogue between the BEAC member states, Endorse the idea to establish pan arctic electronic library Electronic Memory of the Arctic. In the area of education Support the actions to promote academic and scientific mobility between scientific and research institutions on the region, to that end using the existing international instruments and programmes, approve and recommend to expand the experience of direct collaboration among academic institutions and cross-border universities, Assist in holding regularly the Forums on education and research in the Barents Euro-Arctic Region that would be aimed at addressing specific tasks in the fields of health care and social affairs, environment, culture, youth and indigenous peoples issues, Support the initiative of the International Conference of the Member States of the () and Union on Cooperation in the Field of Higher Professional Education (, 2008, , ) to reinvigorate the on Education and Research. In the area of environment protection Support the priorities identified by the on Environment (WGE), namely: the study of, adaptation to and mitigation of climate change; the reduction of polluting emissions and waste management; the conservation of biodiversity, protection of biotope and strengthening the network of protected areas; the ongoing work on elimination of the 42 remaining environmental hot spots; promotion of cleaner production principles; water management, Support the initiative of the on Environment to prepare the Cross Sector Conference: Climate Change Adaption Measures for the Barents Region (, , ), Recommend the further implementation of the project on studying the impact of climate change on biodiversity in the Barents Euro-Arctic Region under the BEAC and ; join efforts wit the and other regional organizations in the field of environmental activities, Consider the findings of the forthcoming Conference of the Ministers of Environment of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region as the follow-up of the similar meeting (, 2007) and the basis for future cooperative work in this field. In the area of support to indigenous peoples Perceive the support to indigenous peoples development in the Barents Euro-Arctic Region as a priority for legislative and executive authorities, regional councils and other cooperation organizations, Support the Peoples (WGIP) in the implementation of 2009-2012 Action Plan aiming at the improvement of living standards and well-being of those inhabitants of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region, their greater involvement in cooperation in the fields of education, health, environment protection, promotion of traditional crafts and improved infrastructure in their places of , Continue the implementation of joint projects of the BEAC and focused on the indigenous peoples in the Barents Region, Contribute to the of independent cooperation bodies of indigenous peoples, in particular, support the work of the Indigenous peoples Office in Lovozero (Region), the media and the publication of literature in the local languages. Conference welcomes the decision of the , 13, 2009, that it becomes a stronger political forum. Conference welcomes the proposal of the Swedish Delegation to convene the 5th Parliamentary Conference in 2011 in . Adopted by the 18th (BSPC) The participants13, elected representatives from the Baltic Sea States, assembling in , , 31 August1 , discussing Co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region, Safety and Security, , Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, and Labour Market and Social Affairs, A. emphasizing the significance of a parliamentary dimension and parliamentary involvement in the strategies and efforts to develop the Baltic Sea Region, thereby contributing to a broad debate, transparency, legitimacy and support of the work; B. reaffirming the mutually beneficial contacts and exchange between BSPC and , and recognizing the important role of the in initiating and coordinating actions against the challenges of the Baltic Sea Region; C. reiterating their support to the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) as a central tool for restoring a good environmental status of the Baltic Sea by 2021, and underlining that governments must fulfill their pledges to implement the plan according to its agreed timetable; D. supporting the design and development of strategies and programs for the Baltic Sea Region as important instruments for setting priorities, while also maintaining the necessity to coordinate the strategies with the Northern Dimension policy; E. stressing that the present economic downturn must not be taken as an excuse for lowering environmental goals, cutting environmental resources or delaying timetables for environmental plans and projects; call on the governments in the Baltic Sea Region, the and the EU, Regarding Co-operation in the Region, to 1. define and pursue a common political agenda for the Baltic Sea Region, e.g. by devising a joint understanding of governance, leadership and division of labour among the leading regional and sub-regional actors in the Region, and by enhancing coordination between them; 2. proceed with strong and sustained measures to fulfill the overall environmental goals and objectives of the HELCOM BSAP, and to assure that the obligations to produce national action plans to the HELCOM Ministerial meeting in in 2010, as well as to implement them prudently, are honored; 3. ensure a close linkage between the forthcoming strategies and programs for the Baltic Sea Region and the HELCOM BSAP; 4. take concrete steps to ensure that strategies and programs for the Baltic Sea Region, such as the emerging so-called EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, are closely attuned to and coordinated with the Northern Dimension, in order to secure a mutual cooperation on an equal basis between , , and EU, and to incorporate the interests of the non-EU Baltic Sea Regions states in the strategies; Support the abilities to develop bankable projects for the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan, involving the financial support to the project development fund managed by (NiB) and (); 6. ensure that citizens are kept informed and involved in the planning and implementation of strategies and projects that influence the development of the Baltic Sea Region; NGOs play an invaluable role both as opinion-makers and independent experts, and their views, warnings and advice should be taken seriously; 7. take concerted and solidaric measures to deal with the causes and consequences of the current economic recession; a mutually supportive and successful regional approach would also contribute to the positive branding of the Baltic Sea Region and to the credibility and usefulness of regional cooperation; Regarding Safety and Security in the Region, to 8. encourage cooperation within the () on the development of relevant measures to reduce the environmental impacts of in the Baltic Sea, recognizing that IMO rules and regulations are the basis for development of any region, and that the regulations should be developed according to current challenges; 9. promote continuous initiatives, support and concrete measures within the field of Safety, such as increasing the use of pilots in narrow and difficult international lanes, and enhancing the joint preparedness to tackle spills of oil and hazardous substances; 10. promote and support concrete projects to implement spatial planning in the Baltic Sea Region, encouraging cross-sectoral and transnational coordination of resources, and thereby holding up the Baltic Sea Region as a model region; 11. support the , aimed at, i.a., reducing nitrogen and sulphur oxides emissions in ports by using shore-to-ship power supply, minimizing sewage discharge from ships, reducing the environmental load from cruise , encouraging sustainable port management, and stimulating research and development of green and clean technologies; 12. support the designation of the , the Sea, the North-East and the Irish Sea as Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA), as is already the case with the Channel, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, provided the criteria for such a designation are fulfilled; 13. consolidate and further develop the progress made within the fields of safety and ship traffic monitoring, on the one hand with a view to improving monitoring and separation of the growing traffic, especially in connection with hazardous cargo and severe conditions, and on the other hand with a view to monitoring the Baltic Sea for the purpose of environmental protection, fishing and combating crime; 14. join and support the Surveillance Cooperation Baltic Sea (SUCBAS) with the purpose of improving situational awareness across the entire Baltic Sea and approaches in support of safety, security, protection of the environment and countering illegal activities in the environment; 15. contribute to the efforts of the Baltic Sea Region on () and () established to harmonise and integrate VTS and SRS operation to ensure that all systems assist safe navigation of ships in an optimised and uniform ; 16. join and support the initiatives under the Single Tanker and Banned monitoring project, developed jointly by HELCOM and , for the purpose of further improving safety and supporting the authorities with the aim to eliminate the operation of sub-standard ships in the Baltic, and ensure that the transport operates in a safe, secure and environmentally friendly way; in the Region, to 17. enhance cooperation and coordination on civil security issues in general, in order to a joint and comprehensive understanding of the risks and threats facing the Baltic Sea Region, as well as strategies and measures to counter them; 18. step up strategic and operational cooperation between law enforcement authorities and other relevant actors in order to strengthen the joint capacity to identify, monitor and take forceful action against organized cross-border crime, such as trafficking in human beings, drug trafficking, illicit trade, corruption, money laundering, illegal migration, illegal labour, hate crimes, and others; 19. intensify cooperation against trafficking in human beings, placing emphasis on, i.a., preventive measures, protection and support by means of e.g. safehouses for victims and people at risk, as well as strategies and measures against the root causes of trafficking; 20. improve and coordinate data collection concerning the scale of the problems of trafficking in human beings in order to provide a realistic basis for the development of adequate measures to fight the problem; 21. carry out the adoption, implementation and coordination of proper legislation in accordance with relevant UN and protocols and conventions of which they are parties against trafficking in human beings, which targets all forms of exploitation and includes measures to assist victims; 22. strengthen cooperation on crisis management and civil protection against natural, technological and man-made risks and emergencies, e.g. by coordinating planning, prevention and resources, and by streamlining existing arrangements within a comprehensive region-wide framework; 23. take concerted action to reinforce IT security by analyzing, detecting and managing cyber crimes, and by launching defensive and protective measures against the disruption of critical infrastructure systems; Regarding Climate Change and Energy Issues in the Region, to 24. actively work for a new international climate agreement, addressing all relevant climate change risk factors in accordance with their impact; 25. develop a coherent energy strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, in order to enhance security of energy supply, increase the use of renewable energy, and strengthen interconnection between countries, for instance by interconnected transmission lines that will gradually develop into a smart grid between the countries and the off-shore windmill parks; 26. launch action plans for the propagation of Combined Heat and () and for renovation and housing innovation, for the purpose of improving energy efficiency and energy-saving; 27. use the present economic crisis as an opportunity to promote qualitative growth in the Baltic Sea Region, for instance by directing financial packages, investment plans and subsidies, as well as international financial resources, towards renewable energy production, energy efficiency investments, CHP, efficient district heating systems and interconnecting the electricity grid; 28. establish a common regional training programme to strengthen the joint capacities in energy planning, for instance by developing the exchange of experiences and promoting best practices among officials at local and national level; Regarding Labour Market and Social Affairs, to 29. make systematic and coordinated efforts to identify barriers to the development of cross-border labour markets and mobility, in accordance with the political recommendations in the final report of the on Labour Market and Social Welfare, and to carry out practical measures to dismantle and prevent such barriers; 30. make labour market and social welfare issues a priority task on the agenda of the , taking into account the work and results of the (); 31. strengthen the existing information centres in the Baltic Sea Region and to establish new centres in locations where the number of cross-border commuting is growing but where centres do not exist; the information centres should have the capacity and mandate to provide comprehensive and official information on social security, employment legislation and tax legislation in all the languages spoken on both sides of the border, including, where applicable, minority languages; 32. regular dialogue between associations representing cross-border workers, trade unions, employers and political decision-makers, and strengthen cooperation regarding cross-border labour markets via the of councils for border regions and the development of networks; likewise, an exchange of experience should be organised regarding the work of the information centres throughout the Baltic Sea Region; 33. enhance transport and logistic capacities in border regions, especially as regards public transport, in order to facilitate cross-border commuting and to promote economic growth; efforts undertaken should be compatible with the overall objectives of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Transport and Logistics; 34. take concerted action to exchange and implement best practices regarding training and employment of young people in the Baltic Sea Region, including cooperative activities between schools, social partners, public authorities and civil society, and paying special attention to disadvantaged groups; 35. begin giving pupils an introduction to the world of work two years before they leave secondary school, propose agreements between governments and the social partners to ensure sufficient training places are created, and ensure that, in the case of youth unemployment, the employment agencies offer integration plans and, after three months of unemployment at the latest, further training, the opportunity to gain additional qualifications, training places or jobs; 36. confirms its support to the in its transformation towards a more focused and target-oriented organization, and in realizing the political and operational priorities of the , hence looks forward to ongoing cooperation with ; 37. agrees concerning the year 20092010 that should convene twice a year and convene twice a year with open for from national and regional parliaments that are not represented in ; 38. asks to establish a on Integrated Policy, especially infrastructure and logistics, and a on , especially trafficking in human beings, to submit reports to the 20th BSPC; 41. adopts the amended Rules of Procedure, to take effect after the closure of 18th BSPC; 42. welcomes with gratitude the kind offer of the to host the 19th in on 2931 2010. Members of Parliament, of the , of the Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region, of the Baltic Assembly, of the , of the and of the network of Barents parliamentarians met in Parliament in on 25-26 February 2009 at the to discuss the development of the Northern Dimension Policy in the Baltic Sea Region and in the Arctic Region and to coordinate the policies of the parliamentary bodies within the Northern Dimension region. A. having regard to the first ministerial meeting of the renewed Northern Dimension held in , 28 October 2008 where the ministers expressed their satisfaction with the level of cooperation between the Northern Dimension and the four in the North: the , , ; B. having regard to the Northern Dimension Policy Framework Document and the Political Declaration on the Northern Dimension Policy approved on , welcomes the updated, more permanent, high profile, and structured Northern Dimension Policy, based on the principles of co-ownership of the four equal partners (, , , and the EU), that came into force on 1 January 2007; 1. underlines the importance and value of parliamentarians from different countries to meet and discuss issues of common concern; 2. emphasizes that the shall not take the shape of a new institution, but rather a recurrent place for representatives of the different parliamentary bodies in the north; 3. supports the overall aim of the Northern Dimension to provide a common framework for the promotion of dialogue and concrete cooperation, strengthening stability, well-being and intensified economic cooperation, promotion of economic integration and competitiveness and sustainable development in Northern Europe; 4. encourages the partners of the Northern Dimension to focus on issues of specific relevance in the North such as its fragile environment, public health and social issues, cultural and indigenous peoples issues; 5. is deeply concerned of the effect of climate change on sustainability of the lives of the indigenous people in the Arctic region, in terms of both the general environment and the natural habitat, and underlines that any international decisions relating to these issues must fully involve and take account of all peoples and nations of the Arctic; 6. recognizes the increased importance of the Baltic Sea Region; 7. encourages close coordination between the Baltic Sea Strategy and the new Northern Dimension. The Northern Dimension provides a joint overall framework for mutual cooperation on an equal basis between EU, , and . In order for the Baltic Sea Strategy to be efficient, it needs to be aligned with the Northern Dimension policy; 8. promotes coordination between intergovernmental actors and other stakeholders in the Baltic Sea Region, for the sake of environmental and financial efficiency, encouraging the evolution of a division of labour and responsibilities in accordance with their respective objectives and competencies; 9. underlines the need for coherent and targeted leadership in order to drive the issues of the Baltic Sea Region. The Baltic Sea Strategy could contribute to the Northern Dimension process by bolstering the vertical and horizontal dialogue between stakeholders and actors of the Region. A closer synchronization of the actors would strengthen both their individual and their combined impact. Cooperation in the Region should be strengthened by networks, not institutions; 10. stresses the need to implement the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) and supports the work of the ; 11. highlights that more knowledge is needed about climate change, its consequences for society, and our preparedness and capabilities to adapt to change.