Editor's note
International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics
Friday, 04.07.2025, 07:05
Regional Development in the Baltic Sea Area
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Presently, almost all Baltic Sea area is surrounded by the EU member states (excluding small parts of it in the Russian Federation’s territory). The region is an important part of the general EU-2020 strategy towards smart, green and sustainable growth. The assessment of these efforts the 14th Baltic Development Forum Summit, which is taking place this time together with the European Commission’s 3rd Annual Forum for the Baltic Sea Region (Denmark 17-19 June 2012) is expected to perform.
The EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region
The on-going review process of the Strategy is taking stock of the lessons learned during the early implementation of the EU’s first macro-regional strategy, and looks to ensure a close alignment with the Europe 2020 Strategy. The Action Plan – the operational tool of the Strategy – now needs to be updated to clearly set out how to deliver on the ambitious objectives that the member states in the region have agreed on, in cooperation with all relevant stakeholders from EU and non-EU countries.
The Forum’s message
It is the region for smart and green growth, said Hans Brask, Baltic Development Forum Director, in the introductory note to the summit’s participants. In is expected that the BDF Summit will do its best to support the successful continuation of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. A lot of effort is being put into the Strategy by the European Commission, DG Region and other stakeholders.
Of course, there are a lot of things to do, e.g. funding for SMEs is still complicated and bureaucratic, it is not really geared to promote competitiveness upgrading in innovation and research. However, the Baltic Strategy framework is flexible and the best chance that the countries in the region have at present. BDF also wants to take active part in modernizing the member states’ cooperation, for example, there are two EU-projects where BDF is a partner (they have just been accepted by the Commission): one is the BSR project and the other –that of the TransGovernance.
Connecting Europe: smart and green partnership
The BDF’s program actually starts in Sweden (co-organised with Region Skåne in Sweden and the European Spallation Source, ESS) with a conference “Brains and Bridges – Research, Innovation and Growth in the Baltic Sea Region”.
The main conference idea is to explore macro-regional effects of the European Spallation Source (ESS)/MAX IV on growth and competitiveness in the Baltic Sea Region.
Welcome addresses are given by Pia Kinhult, First Governor, Region Skåne, with the key-note speech from Colin Carlile, CEO, European Spallation Source.
In the panel debate on the macro-regional effects of ESS/MAX IV, which are devoted to the issues of making the most of the large research facilities in the Baltic Sea Region, participated: Helmut Dosch, Prof. Dr., Chairman of Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) Board of Directors, Hamburg, Colin Carlile, CEO, European Spallation Source, Lars Kolte, Chief Negotiator for the Danish participation in ESS and Ulf Troedsson, CEO, Siemens Sweden.
Colin Wolfe, Head of Unit, DG Regional Policy in the European Commission made a special welcome address.
Official opening
H.R.H. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark takes part in the BDF’s official opening, which is organized in the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation in Copenhagen. The conference’s moderators are Verner Kristiansen, Communication Advisor, Denmark, and Pawel Swieboda, President of the Board, demosEuropa, Poland.
Welcome address to the BDForum are expected from Frank Jensen, Lord Mayor of Copenhagen with the following key speakers: Hans Skov Christensen, Chairman, Baltic Development Forum, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Danish Prime Minister; Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, and Andrus Ansip, Prime Minister of Estonia.
At the first plenary session “Mastering Future Partnerships” the issues of boosting economic growth and competitiveness in the Baltic Sea Region will be discussed. The BDF delegates are discussing the following questions: How do we create the best conditions for economic growth and competitiveness in the Region through joint efforts? Can public-private partnerships help kick-start economic growth? How can the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, through smarter and greener investments, play its part in the implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy?
In the panel discussion the participants will reflect on these questions with a view to getting a political perspective of the economic challenges and opportunities of the Region.
The forum attracted attention of prominent politicians, businessmen and public figures: H.R.H. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Danish Prime Minister; Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Andrus Ansip, Prime Minister of Estonia, etc.
Official BDF’s meetings are taking place in the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation in Copenhagen, with the conference moderators: Verner Kristiansen, Communication Advisor, Denmark, and Pawel Swieboda, President of the Board, demosEuropa, Poland.
The Forum would indeed help to deliver to region’s politicians the importance of regional priorities in economic growth forecasts and structural changes. The Forum has also a strong chance to convince European investors in the region’s optimistic potentials.
