Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions concerning the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region {SEC(2009) 702} {SEC(2009) 703} {SEC(2009) 712}
Date: 2009-06-10
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Baltic Sea, cooperation policy, energy policy, environmental protection, pollution control measures, regional cooperation, regional integration, regional policy

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 10.6.2009 
COM(2009) 248 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION  
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE 
REGIONS 

concerning the 

European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region 

{SEC(2009) 702} 
{SEC(2009) 703} 
{SEC(2009) 712} 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION  
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE 
REGIONS 

concerning the 

European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region 

INTRODUCTION 

1. 
Eight  of  the  nine  states  bordering  the  Baltic  Sea  are  members  of  the  European  Union1. The 
introduction  of  Community  rules,  and  the  opportunities  created  by  Community  instruments 
and  policies  (for  example  cohesion  policy,  the  strategy  for  sustainable  development, 
environmental  policy,  the  integrated  maritime  policy,  the  internal  market  and  the  Lisbon 
Agenda)  have  opened  important  new  possibilities  for  a  more  effective  co-ordination  of 
activities, thus delivering higher standards of living for the citizens of these Member States. 
However,  even  with  good  levels  of  international  and  inter-regional  communication  and 
cooperation, full advantage of the new opportunities that EU membership provides has not yet 
been taken and the challenges facing the region have not yet been adequately addressed.  

The  Baltic  Sea  Region  is  a  highly  heterogeneous  area  in  economic,  environmental  and 
cultural  terms,  yet  the  countries  concerned  share  many  common  resources  and  demonstrate 
considerable  interdependence.  This  means  that  actions  in  one  area  can  very  quickly  have 
consequences  for  other  parts,  or  the  whole,  of  the  region.  In  these  circumstances,  the  area 
could be a model of regional co-operation where new ideas and approaches can be tested and 
developed over time as best practice examples.  

Recognising  this,  the  European  Parliament  published  a  report  in  late  2006  calling  for  a 
strategy  for  the  Baltic  Sea  Region.  On  14  December  2007,  the  European  Council  in  its 
Presidency Conclusions invited the Commission to present a European Union strategy for the 
Baltic Sea region no later than June 2009. This followed increasingly visible degradation of 
the  Baltic  Sea  itself  but  also  the  need  to  address  the  disparate  development  paths  of  the 
countries in the region and the potential benefits of more and better co-ordination.  

The  European  Council  set  three  parameters  for  the  Commission  in  its  development  of  the 
strategy.  It  should  be  without  prejudice  to  the  Integrated  Maritime  Policy  endorsed  in  the 
same  Conclusions,  it  should  inter  alia  help  to  address  the  urgent  environmental  challenges 
related to the Baltic Sea and the Northern Dimension framework2 should provide the basis for 
the  external  aspects  of  co-operation  in  the  region.  In  the  same  Conclusions,  the  European 
Council  endorsed  the  Integrated  Maritime  Policy  and  asked  the  Commission  to  ensure  that 
regional  specificities  be  taken  into  account.  The  present  strategy  thus  also  constitutes  an 

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2 

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden 
The  Northern  Dimension  provides  a  common  framework  for  the  promotion  of  dialogue  and  concrete 
cooperation in Northern Europe between the European Union, Iceland, Norway and Russia 

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important first step towards the regional implementation of the Integrated Maritime Policy in 
the Baltic.  

This  Communication  presents  the  strategy  requested  by  the  European  Council.  The  strategy 
seeks to provide both a co-ordinated, inclusive framework in response to the key challenges 
facing the Baltic Sea Region and concrete solutions to these challenges. It should be read with 
the  indicative  action  plan.  The  strategy  and  the  proposed  actions  and  flagship  projects  have 
been  prepared  following  intensive  consultation  of  Member  States  and  stakeholders.  The 
Commission  has  also  endeavoured  to  keep  non  EU  Member  States  in  the  region  fully 
informed of the preparations for this strategy. 

2. 

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES 

2.1. 

Challenges 

Many challenges require action at the level of the Baltic Sea Region: responses at national or 
local  level  may  be  inadequate.  Four  key  challenges  have  been  identified  as  requiring  our 
urgent attention. They are: 

•  To enable a sustainable environment 

•  To enhance the region’s prosperity 

•  To increase accessibility and attractiveness 

•  To ensure safety and security in the region. 

Foremost  among  these  is  the  environment,  highlighted  by  the  European  Council.  Particular 
attention is therefore given to the impact of excess nutrients in the Baltic Sea itself leading to 
eutrophication  and  algal  blooms.  There  is  also  damage  to  the  ecological  balance  due  to 
overfishing,  land-based  pollution,  rising  sea  temperatures,  the  presence  of  hazardous 
substances  and  other  pressures.  Adaptation  to  climate  change  is  also  a  growing  challenge. 
These impacts are now so widespread that leisure activities and small scale commercial uses 
suffer in many areas. 

The  main  economic  challenges  are  to  overcome  the  wide  disparities  (and  hence  realise  the 
high potential) in research and productive innovation and to remove impediments to the single 
market. Priority issues for accessibility are the improvement of networks, ending the energy 
isolation  of  parts  of  the  region,  and  ensuring  sustainability  of  transport  modes.  Finally, 
priorities in the field of safety are to reduce risks posed to the region's citizens, infrastructure 
and  environment  by  hazards  from  a  variety  of  sources,  in  particular  accidental  marine 
pollution and organised crime. 

2.2. 

Opportunities 

Clearly the region has significant potential that can be better used. This includes a very well-
educated  workforce,  expertise  in  innovation  –  especially  in  knowledge-based  industries  –  a 
spacious  and  relatively  unspoilt  land  environment  rich  in  natural  resources  and  a  strong 
tradition of intra-regional cooperation. Networking among research funding agencies from all 
EU Baltic States, supported by the Research Framework Programme, provides a sound basis 
for  collaboration  in  research  and  knowledge  transfer  within  the  Region.  The  framework 

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provided by European Union policies and law provides a strong base on which to build more 
effective cooperation.  For  example, designation of the Baltic Sea as a Particularly Sensitive 
Sea  Area  will  help  to  ensure  that  the  growth  of  shipping  and  other  maritime  activities  is 
sustainable. 

3. 

THE STRATEGY: AN INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND 
OPPORTUNITIES OF THE BALTIC SEA REGION 

The analysis conducted by the Commission3 shows: 

•  An  integrated  approach  is  necessary  for  the  sustainable  development  of  the  Baltic  Sea 
Region.  The  issues  are  interrelated:  for  example,  improvements  to  the  sea  quality  bring 
increased  employment  due  to  more  marine  business  potential,  which  will  require  better 
transport links. Through an integrated strategy, everyone stands to benefit from a common 
approach.  

•  Better  coordination  and  a  more  strategic  use  of  Community  programmes  are  key 
ingredients,  especially  at  a  time  of  crisis,  to  ensure  that  funds  and  policies  in  the  region 
contribute fully to the strategy. Moreover results of research programmes in the area must 
be fully integrated into other programmes and policy areas. 

•  Within  the  existing  financial  and  legal  framework,  there  are  great  opportunities  for 

effective action through closer cooperation and co-ordination. 

•  Specific  actions  are  needed  to  respond  to  the  identified  challenges.  These  will  be 
including  governments  and  agencies, 

undertaken  by  stakeholders 
in 
municipalities, international and non-governmental organisations. 

the  region, 

•  The  strategy  is  an  internal  one  addressed  to  the  European  Union  and  its  Member  States. 
The  effectiveness  of  some  of  the  proposed  actions  will  be  enhanced  by  continuing 
constructive  cooperation  with  interested  third  countries  in  the  region.  Existing  well 
functioning structures, notably but not exclusively within the Northern Dimension, provide 
the framework for the EU to pursue further cooperation with these countries. 

So the strategy should provide an integrated framework that allows the European Union and 
Member  States  to  identify  needs  and  match  them  to  the  available  resources  through  co-
ordination  of  appropriate  policies.  This  will  enable  the  Baltic  Sea  Region  to  enjoy  a 
sustainable environment and optimal economic and social development. 

The  Commission  is  therefore  proposing  an  indicative  action  plan,  fully  discussed  with  the 
Member States and regional stakeholders, to encourage the implementation of visible projects. 
The action plan is organised around the four pillars. It is, however, an integrated strategy; the 
proposed  actions  often  contributing  to  more  than  one  identified  objective.  The  individual 
actions and flagship projects have been selected for their fast implementation and impact. 

3 

Staff Working Paper on a European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region: forthcoming. 

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4. 

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT  

4.1. 

Geographical coverage 

The strategy covers the macro-region around the Baltic Sea. The extent depends on the topic: 
for  example  on  economic  issues  it  would  involve  all  the  countries  in  the  region,  on  water 
quality issues it would involve the whole catchment area, etc. Overall, it concerns the eight 
Member States bordering the Baltic Sea. Close cooperation between the EU and Russia is also 
necessary  in  order  to  tackle  jointly  many  of  the  regional  challenges.  The  same  need  for 
constructive cooperation applies also to Norway and Belarus. 

4.2. 

Relevant policies 

Many  European  Union  policies  and  programmes  are  important  in  the  region  and  we  expect 
these to be key elements in the strategy. Among these is Cohesion Policy, which contributes 
over EUR 50 billion to the region in 2007-2013. The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) directly 
contributes  another  EUR  1.25  billion.  The  Commission  plans  to  work  with  the  managing 
authorities to help them ensure that allocations are aligned with the strategy.  

The Arctic region, the subject of a specific Commission Communication last year4, has strong 
links with the Baltic Region through its interaction with the Barents Euro-Arctic Region. The 
Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) Baltic Sea 
Action  Plan  guide  the  interventions  on  the  environment,  keeping  in  mind  EU  common 
policies  affecting  the  marine  environment  such  as  agriculture,  fisheries,  transport.  The 
Common  Agricultural  Policy,  in  particular  through  rural  development,  contributes  to  the 
objectives  of  making  the  Baltic  Sea  Region  an  environmentally  sustainable  and  prosperous 
place. The Single Market policies and the Lisbon Agenda including the Small Business Act, 
will provide the inspiration for relevant parts of the strategy especially the section related to 
prosperity  while  the  European  Research  Area,  together  with  its  funding  instrument  the  7th 
Framework  Programme  (FP7),  will  provide  a  sound  scientific  basis  for  sustainable 
management of the Baltic Sea basin. The Trans-European Networks for transport and energy 
are  the  backbone  of  the  accessibility  and  attractiveness  pillar.  In  addition,  the  European 
Economic  Recovery  Plan  offers  important  additional  financial  support  for  numerous  energy 
infrastructure-related  projects  in  the  region.  Cooperation  on  fisheries  with  Russia  will  be 
promoted, where relevant, under the framework of the EU-Russia agreement on fisheries. 

5. 

RESPONSE 

Guided  by  the  almost  unanimous  position  of  respondents  to  the  consultations,  from  every 
level  and  type  of  partner,  the  Commission  is  convinced  that  these  challenges  and 
opportunities can best be addressed by an integrated multisectoral regional strategy. The range 
of  issues  makes  this  an  ideal  case  for  the  application  of  a  territorial  cohesion  approach,  as 
requested in the informal meeting of Ministers at Leipzig in 2007. 

The Baltic Sea Region is a good example of a macro-region – an area covering a number of 
administrative  regions  but  with  sufficient  issues  in  common  to  justify  a  single  strategic 
approach. Other areas of the European Union are beginning to self-identify as macro-regions 

4 

"The European Union and the Arctic Region" - COM(2008) 763, 20.11.2008 

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and the approach adopted in this strategy will offer important lessons as to the potential of the 
macro-regional approach. 

This  follows  the  territorial  cohesion  proposals  of  the  Commission  in  the  Green  Paper  of 
October 2008, whereby interventions are built around  the  needs of functional regions rather 
than  according  to  pre-determined  financial  and  administrative  criteria.  This  form  of  macro-
regional  approach  also  provides  the  EU  with  an  innovative  policy  instrument,  which  could 
serve  as  a  good  example  of  efforts  to  achieve  common  EU  objectives  and  a  more  effective 
coordination of territorial and sectoral policies based on shared territorial challenges. 

In the same way, the coherent and pro-active implementation of the maritime actions in the 
strategy  will  be  an  important  test  case  for  the  regional  (sea-basin)  implementation  of 
Integrated Maritime Policy initiatives. 

We  can  group  the  needed  actions  into  the  four  pillars  below  plus  a  section  addressing 
horizontal  issues.  This  grouping  is  only  for  ease  of  analysis:  every  pillar  relates  to  a  wide 
range of policies and will have impacts on the other pillars. 

5.1. 

An environmentally sustainable region 

The Baltic Sea is one of the largest bodies of brackish (part saline) water in the world with 
significant salinity differences between sub-basins. It is relatively shallow (average depth of 
50 metres compared with the Mediterranean’s 1500 metres) and almost completely enclosed. 
Only 3% of the water (by volume) is exchanged each year – i.e. more than 30 years for the 
total volume. Rivers drain a land area four times larger than the sea itself with a population of 
nearly 90 million.  

The  unique  features  of  the  Baltic  Sea,  and  its  environmental  pressures,  demand  a  macro-
regional  approach  to  combat  its  long-term  deterioration.  This  has  been  long-recognised, 
including  through  joint  action  in  HELCOM,  although  there  is  a  need  for  increased 
coordination among sectoral policies.  

Main issues concerning the marine environment 

Available  data  suggest  that  pressures  such  as  pollution  by  nutrients,  predominantly  nitrates 
and phosphates, cannot easily be absorbed but have rapid and visible impacts. The increasing 
algae  blooms,  covering  more  of  the  sea  each  summer,  are  the  result.  These  algae  consume 
oxygen at the expense of fish and other forms of life. This problem has been recognised for 
many  years  but  so  far  the  initiatives  taken  have  not  been  effective  enough  due  to  increased 
population  pressure,  insufficient  targeting  of  the  agricultural  measures  to  intensive 
agricultural areas and a time-lag before the measures show significant results. 

Fishing activities pose another significant impact on the eco-system. Stocks of some species 
have significantly declined and certain fishing practices cause incidental catches of non target 
species  or  destroy  habitats.  Establishing  an  ecosystem-based  management  approach,  as 
proposed  under  the  reform  of  the  CFP,  and  using  CFP  provisions  to  minimise  the  effect  of 
fishing on marine environment will support the conservation of the Baltic ecosystem, taking 
into account the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. The fishing fleet should be in balance with 
available resources. 

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The Action Plan covers the following priority areas: (1) To reduce nutrient inputs to the sea to 
acceptable  levels;  (2)  To  preserve  natural  zones  and  biodiversity  including  fisheries;  (3)  To 
reduce the use and impact of hazardous substances; (4) To become a model region for clean 
shipping; (5) To mitigate and adapt to climate change. 

5.2. 

A prosperous region 

The  region  is  united  by  the  sea.  But  it  is  also  clearly  divided  between  a  prosperous,  highly 
innovative  North  and  West  and  a  developing  East  and  South.  However,  the  differences 
between  the  most  successfully  innovative  regions  in  the  EU,  in  the  Nordic  countries  and 
Germany,  and  the  regions  with  well-educated  young  people  and  deficient  infrastructure  in 
Poland and the three Baltic States, provide opportunities for complementary co-operation and 
development of great benefit to all sides. In particular, such co-operation should provide real 
business opportunities to SMEs, especially those working in innovative fields. 

The  European  Union  is  confronting  a  severe  economic  crisis.  It  needs  to  profit  from  the 
internal  market  on  one  hand  and  maximise  the  opportunities  from  innovation  on  the  other. 
The  strategy  offers  the  opportunity  to  further  reduce  the  barriers  to  trade  and  draw  greater 
benefits from the Single Market and to exploit the potential of wide innovative disparities. In 
addition, it is important to maintain the profitability and competitiveness of the key sectors of 
agriculture, forestry and fisheries in order to enhance their contribution to the economy and to 
sustainable development. 

To achieve high productivity, high levels of innovation and sustainable economic growth, the 
Baltic Sea Region also needs to increase labour market inclusion and integration. High levels 
of  employment,  good  quality  jobs,  the  continued  presence  of  a  well-trained  and  adaptable 
workforce  as  well  as  low  levels  of  social  exclusion  are  all  vital  factors  in  assuring  both  the 
competitiveness and attractiveness of the region. 

Main issues concerning prosperity  

Remove  barriers  to  trade:  Due  to  small  national  markets  in  the  Baltic,  it  is  essential  to 
upgrade  the  business  environment  to  stimulate  development  of  local  enterprises  and  attract 
foreign  investors.  Despite  the  internal  market,  practical  obstacles  to  trade  in  goods  and 
services still exist. Consultations and analysis carried out to prepare the 2007 Single Market 
Review  show  that  in  some  areas  and  sectors  the  Single  Market  legal  framework  is  not  yet 
functioning  as  well  as  it  should.  Improvement  will  be  particularly  important  for  SMEs  as 
already  recognised  by  the  Small  Business  Act.  Efforts  are  also  needed  to  facilitate  cross-
border movement of goods and administrative communication. 

Foster innovation: The East – West division in innovation capacity across the Baltic Sea is 
reflected in the last European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS 2007). Transfer of knowledge and 
competence and deepened cooperation from the Nordic countries and Germany as innovation 
top-performers  can  greatly  help  Poland  and  the  Baltic  States  to  continue  catching  up. 
Together we can create a dynamic environment for further enhanced innovation performance 
by  strengthening  trans-national  cooperation  in  different  fields  such  as  research,  clusters  and 
services innovation. 

The Action Plan covers the following priority areas: (1) To remove hindrances to the internal 
market in the Baltic Sea Region; (2) To exploit the full potential of the region in research and 
innovation;  (3)  Implementing  the  Small  Business  Act:  To  promote  entrepreneurship, 

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strengthen  SMEs  and  increase  the  efficient  use  of  human  resources;  (4)  To  reinforce 
sustainable agriculture, forestry and fishing. 

5.3. 

An accessible and attractive region 

The  Baltic  Sea  itself,  and  the  low-lying  land  around  it,  have  provided  routes  for  trade  and 
communication  through  history.  The  post  1945  division  was  an  interruption  to  a  pattern  of 
open contacts that has resumed in the 1990s. Massive investment has followed in the last two 
decades but there is still much to be done before the infrastructure endowment reaches levels 
elsewhere in the Union. Land and sea routes still need to be made more straightforward and 
environmentally friendly. The east and north remain too isolated from the rest of the Union. 
The region is also increasingly a gateway to Asia, notably through rail links.  

indigenous  sources  of  energy,  most  must  rely  on 

Energy supply and security is a particular concern: though some countries in the region have 
substantial 
imports.  Therefore, 
interconnections need to be further developed and diversified to offset possible interruptions 
or other shocks. Human relationships are also important and can be strengthened by actions in 
the fields of education, tourism and health. 

Main issues concerning transport and energy 

Transport: Accessibility is low in many parts of the region: Northern Finland, Sweden and 
the Baltic States, have the lowest accessibility rates in the whole of Europe in both internal 
and  external  relations.  The  causes  are  the  large  size  of  the  region,  resulting  in  long  travel 
distances and times, and difficult geographical and climate conditions. Low infrastructure or 
service  density  implies  high  prices.  Improvements  must  be  through  sustainable  modes  of 
transport.  

Energy: The energy markets lack appropriate infrastructures and are too nationally oriented 
instead of being linked across the region. This creates higher energy supply risks and prices. 
In  addition,  for  the  internal  energy  market  to  function  well,  countries  need  to  be 
interconnected.  However,  Estonia,  Latvia,  and  Lithuania  remain,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Estlink power cable between Estonia and Finland, essentially isolated from the wider energy 
networks of the European Union.  

The  Action  Plan  covers  the  following  priority  areas:  (1)  To  improve  the  access  to,  and  the 
efficiency and security of, the energy markets; (2) To improve internal and external transport 
links; (3) To maintain and reinforce the attractiveness of the Baltic Sea Region in particular 
through education, tourism and health. 

5.4. 

A safe and secure region 

The region's safety and security environment will continue to experience significant changes 
during the coming years: Maritime traffic is expected to increase, thus increasing the risk of 
accidents  and  vulnerability  to  pollution.  Cooperation  already  exists,  but  should  be 
strengthened to make the region a world-leader in maritime safety and security. A maritime 
disaster  such  as  the  ‘Erika’  shipwreck  would  have  a  catastrophic  effect.  The  expansion  and 
deepening  of  EU  cooperation  in  criminal  matters  means  that  regional  activity  in  combating 
crime should focus on intensified practical cross-border cooperation. Finally, the region must 
be prepared for the expected increase in extreme weather events as a result of climate change. 

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Main issues concerning safety and security 

Accidental  or  deliberate  marine  pollution:  Due  to  its  strategic  position,  the  Baltic  Sea 
Region is a natural route for oil transport, in particular from Russia. Between 1995 and 2005, 
oil  shipping  in  the  Gulf  of  Finland  increased  fourfold  with  significant  growth  expected  to 
continue. There is also an increasing trend towards transport of liquefied natural gas. These 
activities  carry  risks  for  the  environment,  especially  in  difficult  winter  conditions.  In  2007 
there  were  120  ship  accidents  in  the  Baltic  Sea.  Further  actions  are  still  needed  to  improve 
cooperation,  co-ordination  and  the  coherence  of  maritime  safety  and  surveillance  agencies 
and disaster response. 

Cross border crime The region's crime patterns are influenced by its geographical location, 
differing  economic  and  social  conditions,  differences  in  prices  of  excisable  products,  along 
with the openness and ease of access within the Baltic Sea Region that is a feature of intra-
Community relations. These factors put special responsibilities on those Member States with 
external  borders,  especially  since  the  abolition  of  checks  at  internal  borders.  All  Member 
States need to take cooperative measures to safeguard internal security. 

The  Action  Plan  covers  the  following  priority  areas:  (1)  To  become  a  leading  region  in 
maritime safety and security; (2) To reinforce protection from major emergencies at sea and 
on land; (3) To decrease the volume of, and harm done by, cross border crime.  

5.5. 

Horizontal actions 

A  number  of  cross-cutting  actions  are  fundamental  to  the  entire  strategy.  These  include  the 
development  of  integrated  maritime  governance  structures  and  maritime  and  land-based 
spatial  planning.  The  BONUS-169  project  combining  an  ecosystem  approach  with  an 
effective science/policy interface funded under FP7 is central to the success of the strategy. 

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6. 

IMPLEMENTATION AND GOVERNANCE – FROM WORDS TO ACTIONS 

6.1. 

Consultation process 

The  Commission  has  engaged  in  an  intensive  consultation  process  which  has  had  three 
principal components: non-papers from governments and other official bodies in the region; 
stakeholder  events  to  allow  official,  NGO  and  private  sector  participants  to  contribute  their 
expertise;  public  consultation  through  the  Europa  web  site  which  elicited  a  very  wide 
response. 

The messages were clear: 

•  No new institutions. The Baltic Sea Region has many cooperative structures: we should not 
create new ones that could impose added administrative overhead without contributing to 
effective action. 

•  Not  just  a  strategy.  There  must  be  actions  –  concrete,  visible  actions  –  to  overcome  the 
challenges  facing  the  region.  In  its  action  plan,  therefore,  the  Commission  insists  that 
Member  States  and  other  stakeholders  take  responsibility  as  lead  partners  for  specific 
priority  areas  and  flagship  projects,  for  example  by  developing  integrated  maritime 
governance structures in line with the Integrated Approach to Maritime Policy. 

•  European  Commission 

involvement.  This 

the 
implementation  of  funding  programmes  and  the  transposition  of  Directives.  The 
Commission could fulfil the need for an independent, multi-sector body that can guarantee 
the  necessary  co-ordination,  monitoring  and  follow-up  of  the  action  plan,  as  well  as  a 
regular updating of the plan and strategy as necessary. 

should  go  beyond  monitoring 

6.2. 

Governance and implementation proposals 

In  the  light  of  these  conclusions,  and  the  need  for  a  flexible  approach  in  view  of  the  wide 
range of actions, we make the following proposals on governance and implementation: 

•  Policy development: As Member States come together to cooperate on concrete measures, 
general oversight will be within Community structures, with periodic reports and proposals 
for recommendations from the Commission to the Council. The European Council will be 
updated regularly on the progress of the strategy. 

•  The  Commission  will  be  responsible  for  co-ordination,  monitoring,  reporting, 
facilitation of the implementation and follow-up. In partnership with the stakeholders of 
the  region,  it  should  prepare  regular  progress  reports,  and  use  its  power  of  initiative  to 
make proposals for adaptation of the strategy and action plan whenever these are required. 
Coordination  should  keep  under  review  how  the  use  of  funds  is  contributing  to  the 
priorities  of  the  strategy.  A  review  of  the  European  added-value  of  the  strategy  and  the 
implementation of the Action Plan is foreseen in 2011. 

•  Implementation on the ground – the responsibility of the partners already active in the 
region  –  will  be  further  aligned  with  the  objectives  and  targets  of  the  strategy.  The 
Commission  will  work  in  partnership  with  the  other  institutions,  Member  States  and 
regions,  international  financing  institutions,  transnational  programming  bodies  and  inter-

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governmental organisations such as HELCOM to identify co-ordinating bodies at the level 
of priority areas and lead partners for flagship projects. 

•  In  order  to  maintain  the  high  level  of  involvement  of  all  the  stakeholders  in  the  region, 
clearly  evident  during  the  consultation  exercise,  there  will  be  an  annual  forum  to  bring 
together partners concerned with different aspects of the strategy, including from interested 
third  countries,  to  review  and  discuss  the  progress  of  the  strategy  and  to  make 
recommendations on implementation. 

•  Finally,  relations  with  third  countries  should  be  conducted  primarily  through  the 

Northern Dimension with the option to use alternative channels when useful. 

6.3. 

Practical implementation  

These arrangements will encourage efficient policy co-ordination, more effective application 
of Community legislation and better co-ordination of funding instruments. The Commission is 
not  proposing  additional  funding  or  other  resources  at  this  time.  However,  some  of  the 
specific  actions  and  projects  will  require  financial  support.  A  major  source  is  the  Structural 
Funds5  available  in  the  region  –  most  programmes  already  allow  actions  envisaged  in  the 
strategy. Programming authorities can review the allocation criteria and facilitate the selection 
of projects aligned with the strategy. Furthermore, the Commission will welcome appropriate 
modifications of the programmes where necessary. 

In addition, Member States have agreed to examine funding projects and actions aligned with 
the  Strategy  priorities  from  their  own  resources.  The  European  Investment  Bank  and  other 
international and regional financial institutions, such as the Nordic Investment Bank and the 
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, could also contribute. 

7. 

CONCLUSION 

The  Baltic  Sea  Region  has  an  established  history  of  networking  and  cooperation  in  many 
policy areas. This strategy offers the opportunity to move from words to action and to deliver 
real benefits for the region as a whole. 

The analysis described above demonstrates the need for a common strategic vision to guide 
future  territorial  development  for  the  Baltic  Sea  Region.  It  is  clear  that  no  one  acting  alone 
can  apply  the  range  of  measures  necessary  to  confront  the  challenges  and  exploit  the 
opportunities  of  the  region.  We  are  convinced  that  a  strategy  for  the  Baltic  Sea  Region, 
consisting of the approach and actions described above are essential to protect the Baltic Sea 
and to exploit fully the opportunities open to the region. 

The  Commission  therefore  invites  the  Council  to  examine  and  endorse  this  Communication 
and the related Action Plan. 

5 

European Regional Development Fund, Cohesion Fund, European Social Fund, European Agricultural 
Fund for Rural Development, European Fisheries Fund. 

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