The Regional Council of Helsinki-Uusimaa held the BSSSC Presidency in 2013–2016. The Finnish Presidency carried on the work the previous Chairs have created and continued to promote cooperation between BSSSC and other Baltic Sea organizations and between the EU and neighbouring regions Norway, Russia and Belarus. 

While the regional council of Helsinki-Uusimaa also holds the secretariat of the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission, the secretariats of the two organizations will be combined during the Presidency.

The EUSBSR, entrepreneurship and innovation will be cross cutting themes that will be addressed during the Presidency. Entrepreneurship and innovation is especially important when recovering from economic downturn and focus must be laid on how to improve economic growth, competitiveness, job creation and sustainable development in the regions.

 

During the Finnish BSSSC Chairmanship seven policy areas will be highlighted: 

​

• Maritime Issues

• Energy and Climate Issues

• Youth Policy

• The Northern and Arctic Dimension

• Cohesion Policy

• Transport and Infrastructure

• Culture and Regional identity

Previous presidencies

Region Skåne, Sweden

2005-2006

Pomorskie Region, Poland

2000-2004