The EU Baltic Sea Strategy
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The EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, a cleaner marine environment and more competitive region
The EU and its regions mutually strengthen one another. The Presidency’s ambition is to develop the EU’s macro-regional cooperation. The objective is to adopt an EU Baltic Sea Strategy which will contribute to a cleaner sea and make the region more economically dynamic.
The background to the strategy is that the Baltic Sea region is struggling with major challenges that are best met jointly. Since eight of the nine Baltic Sea states are members of the EU, EU regulations can be used to meet these challenges.
The environmental problems were at the top of the agenda when the issue of the? Baltic Sea was discussed at the December 2007 EU Summit. But the environmental issue is also important from an economic perspective. A better marine environment and initiatives in sustainable development are expected to increase prosperity and competitiveness in the region. One man who has given this a great deal of thought is Jakob Granit, researcher at the Stockholm International Water Institute, SIWI. 
Cross-border challenges require joint solutions
One of the major challenges is environmental degradation in and around the Baltic Sea. Eutrophication, algal blooms, overfishing and pollution cannot be dealt with by one single country. The Baltic Sea is a unique brackish inland sea and the balance of the ecosystem is easily upset. The EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region aims at working more jointly with these challenges by such means as phasing out phosphates in laundry and dishwasher detergents, reducing harmful effects of fertilisers and other nutrient leakage and more efficient fishing controls.
Other challenges include the fact that full use is not being made of the region’s growth potential and that the financial crisis has had a major impact on the area surrounding the Baltic Sea region. As with other areas, better coordination would benefit the Baltic Sea region. Larger joint initiatives in the areas of research, innovation and entrepreneurship are needed. This can be done by such means as making things easier for small companies, dismantling trade barriers and pooling resources. Energy markets, infrastructure and transport systems must be jointly developed. Investments in IT and electronic communications are also needed.
Another problem that must be handled together is cross-border crime. Better cooperation to combat trafficking in human beings and other organised crime is necessary so as to increase security in the region. Furthermore, safety in the Baltic Sea region could be improved by such means as coordinated maritime surveillance.
New tool for closer cooperation
It is hoped that the EU Baltic Sea Strategy will be a tool with concrete measures that can have a real impact on people’s everyday lives. It is possible that the model can serve as a source of inspiration for other EU regions. The intention is for the strategy to link EU initiatives, policy instruments and resources so as to benefit the Baltic Sea region, its environment and competitiveness. The EU Baltic Sea Strategy will support improved cooperation, better application of Community legislation and more efficient use of existing EU funds.New tool for closer cooperation.
This website is now functioning as an archive and will not be updated. Previously there was a photo here which has been removed for copyright reasons.
Faisant dorénavant office d’archives, ce site n’est plus remis à jour. Ici se trouvait précédemment placée une photo ayant été retirée pour des raisons de droits d'auteur.
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