16 September 2009, Ryn EUROREGION BALTIC – NEW CHALLENGES

BILATERAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN KLAIPEDA COUNTY AND WARMINSKO-MAZURSKIE VOIVODESHIP Bilateral agreement between Klaipeda County and Warminsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship was signed 5 May Cooperation in culture, education and social care. Best examples of cooperation - implemented projects: BALTIC MASTER SEAGULL-DEVERB SEAGULL II

VISION FOR THE ERB DEVELOPMENT “ERB in the year 2015 is a region characterised by prosperity and good living conditions of its citizens. The ERB is internationally recognised as a forefront region of excellence with regard to sustainable growth and integration of old and new market economies in the Baltic Sea Region, representing real social and economic cohesion”.

EUROREGION BALTIC COOPERATION ACTION PLAN Priorities: Improving socio-economic cohesion in Euroregion Baltic through the continued implementation of the ERB Joint Development Programme; Enhancing cultural and social integration within Euroregion Baltic through joint activities of local communities and youth; Making ERB more recognisable nationally, in the Baltic Sea Region and in the EU; Strengthening ERB institutional capacities through enhanced involvement of both political and administrative representatives in ERB cooperation.

IMPROVING SOCIO-ECONOMIC COHESION Main points for Euroregion Baltic in 2010: for all the Working Groups of ERB to continue working with projects, i.e. to continue implementing projects already submitted to the South Baltic Programme and to continue working with the preparation of other project applications. DISKE - Development of Innovative Systems through Knowledge Exchange (SME/Innovation); MOMENT - Modern Water Management (Water Forum ); BALTNET - Networking Development for Labour Markets Integration (Social dimension ); LED - Increasing Energy Saving through Conversion to LED lighting in public space (Energy forum).

ENHANCING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION Main points for Euroregion Baltic in 2010: Working Group on Local Community Initiatives - to implement submitted projects and coordinate ERB participation in Baltic Festival in Karlshamn that will be held in 2010 and Gdańsk Tourism Fair; ERB Youth Board - to further implement and finalize implementation of the project already submitted to the South Baltic Programme and to develop new ideas for project in relation to the first Youth Board project with the focus on further cooperation of Youth in Baltic Sea Region. Y3 – Youth Cross Border Cooperation and Communication Project (ERB Youth Board)

MAKING ERB MORE RECOGNISABLE Main points for Euroregion Baltic in 2010: To cooperate with EU bodies such as relevant European Commission directorates and develop good contacts with the Committee of the Regions, to participate in events that are planned to be coorganised with the CoR upon the main political priorities of Committee of the Regions in 2010; To take active part in ongoing EU debates and forward ERB resolutions on relevant EU policies; To facilitate ERB participation in Open Days in Brussels, open EU forums on various relevant questions for ERB; With the aim of promoting ERB brand in EU to initiate and develop an idea of organization of conference in Brussels to examine the issue of cross border cooperation structures in Europe in 2010 and further on; To organise ERB Executive Board meetings around its member regions.

STRENGTHENING ERB INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITIES Main points for Euroregion Baltic in 2010: To implement joint ERB project submitted to the South Baltic CBC Programme in its 3d or 4th call of proposals; To continue internal debates on important issues in ERB cooperation.

EU STRATEGY FOR THE BALTIC SEA REGION Resolution by Euroregion Baltic Council expressing position towards an EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region was adopted on 20th November …“Euroregion Baltic supports that the following areas of activity are included in the Strategy Action Plan and highlights the need to make the Baltic Sea Region an area of integration and open dialogue”: Baltic Sea Region as an environmentally sustainable place, Baltic Sea Region as an economically prosperous place, Baltic Sea Region as an accessible and attractive place, Baltic Sea Region as safe and secure place.

THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECTS OF THE COOPERATION WITHIN ERB Debates on strategic aspects of cooperation in 2010 and further: Implementation of joint project within the framework of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region; Continued efforts for a new territorial cooperation instrument covering the whole territory of Euroregion Baltic; Discussions on a possible acquisition of the EGTC (European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation) status by Euroregion Baltic.

STRATEGIC ASPECTS ERB possibilities for joint projects: 2000 – 2006 programming period – no possibilities for ERB member regions to apply in one project; 2007 – 2013 programming period – South Baltic CBC programme ; 2014 – 2020 programming period – programme for the whole ERB area? EGTC status for ERB?

THANK YOU! Viktorija Snioliene Regional Development Office Tel./Fax Fax