Main messages

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•    BSSSC stresses the need to base our work on solidarity, democracy, rule of law, common identity and on the fact that we need each other to prosper and grow. The countries and regions in the BSR are dependent on each other more than ever before - to find solutions to the big societal challenges, such as climate change and immigration as well as care for the environment in the sea and on land and demographic change.  

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•    BSSSC welcomes the paper from the CBSS Vision Group and supports the need for the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) to be a stable forum for unhindered communication about common problems and an important vehicle to building trust and confidence in the BSR.

•    BSSSC believes that the proposal tabled by the EU Commission for the MFF of the European Union (EU) after 2020 is a good starting point. BSSSC urges the Member States and EU institutions to conclude the negotiations before the European Parliament elections 2019.  

•    BSSSC regrets that the European Commission intends to reduce the overall funds for European Territorial Cooperation as well as its portion of funds relative to the Cohesion Policy envelope.

•    BSSSC is very concerned about the European Commission´s proposal to integrate maritime cross-border programmes into transnational programmes (INTERREG component 2).

•    BSSSC recognises the importance of continued dialogue and cooperation with regions in Russia despite the political situation on national and supranational levels. BSSSC welcomes the opportunity to cooperate in concrete projects with Russian partners through the Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme as well as within the cross-border programmes.

•    The EUSBSR constitutes an important basis for the actions of BSSSC and its regions, and the BSSSC will continue to advocate the interests of the sub-regions and the youth of the Baltic Sea Region towards the strategy’s governance structures.

•    BSSSC will strive for the youth to get a fixed role, place and influence in the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region after 2020 and calls on the Policy Area Coordinators and Horizontal Action Coordinators of the EUSBSR to include youth into their work. 

•    BSSSC recalls the Baltic 2030 Action plan and recommends that sustainable development should be mainstreamed in all activities of countries and regions in the BSR, and that the upcoming revision of the EUSBSR Action Plan is based on the SDGs.

•    The BSSSC regions plead for better exploiting the potential of culture for integrating the region. In times of growing populism and increasing nationalism, it is more important than ever to better demonstrate that the European project is more than an economic idea and a monetary union.

•    The Blue Economy has a significant importance for the whole Baltic Sea Area. BSSSC is worried about the proposed cuts in the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and wishes that EU would continue the funding of the Blue Economy also in the future.

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