The European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Background and Analysis

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The European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Background and Analysis The european union STraTegy for The BalTic Sea region background and analysis May 2010 More information on the european union Strategy for the Baltic Sea region is available on the internet at: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/cooperation/baltic/index_en.htm luxembourg: office for official publications of the european union, 2010 © european union, 2010 iSBn 978-92-79-15757-8 doi:10.2776/18241 The text of this publication is not legally binding. reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. editor: raphaël goulet, european commission, Directorate-general for regional policy PREFACE The european union Strategy for the Baltic Sea region FROM WORDS To AC TIONS The EU’s Strategy for the Baltic Sea region is a new way of working together in the union. regions in eight Member States, nearly 100 million people, are able to plan, prioritise and implement activities confident that their colleagues and neighbours are working in the same vein, towards the same goals. This will enable the Baltic Sea region to enjoy a sustainable environment and optimal economic and social development and, moreover, will be a concrete contribution to european integration. INVOLVING E VERYONE The strategy was requested by the european council following work by the european parliament. as you will read in this publication, the strategy is based on detailed socio-economic analysis, a thorough consultation of the national, regional, inter- and non-governmental stakeholders in the region and on a close analysis of community policy in the fields addressed by the strategy. it is therefore comprehensive, realistic and coherent. having been endorsed by the council of Ministers, the european parliament and the european council, it is also evidence of a very strong consensus on the need to take action across a wide range of policy areas. This background study shows why. nEX T sTEPs Background documents, strategies and even action plans are only valuable if they are aids to effective action. in the months since the information in this document was gathered and the strategy adopted we have seen many encouraging signs that the stakeholders and partners in the regions are taking up their responsibilities and seeking to implement the actions in their respective domains. clearly, this is not always easy especially – in the current economic climate. however, a sustained and continuous effort is required if we are to meet the challenges identified and exploit the full possibilities of this region.i hope that the information in this publication will facilitate this work. dirk ahner Director general, european commission Directorate-general for regional policy 1 > The European union strategy for the baltic sea region CONTENTS COMMUNICATION CONCERNING THE EUROPEAN UNION STRATEGY FOR THE BALTIC SEA REGION ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5 1. INTRODUCTION ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6 2. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6 2.1. challenges ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6 2.2. opportunities ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 6 3. THE STRATEGY: AN INTEGRATeD FRAMeWORK To aDDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF THE BALTIC SEA REGION ���������������������������������� 7 4. BACKGROUND AND CONTeXT ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 7 4.1. geographical coverage ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 7 4.2. relevant policies ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 7 5. RESPONSe ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 8 5.1. an environmentally sustainable region ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 8 5.2. a prosperous region ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9 5.3. an accessible and attractive region ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 9 5.4. a safe and secure region ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 10 5.5. horizontal actions ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 10 6. iMPLEMENTaTION AND GOVERNANCE – FROM WORDS To ACTIONS ���������������������������������� 10 6.1. consultation process ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 10 6.2. governance and implementation proposals �������������������������������������������������������������������� 11 6.3. practical implementation ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 11 7. CONCLUSION ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 11 COMMiSSION WORKING DOCUMENT �������������������������������������������������������������� 13 eXECUTiVe SuMMARY ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 14 1. WHY HAVe a EUROPEAN STRATEGY FOR THE BALTIC SEA REGION? ���������������������������������� 25 1.1. Value of a regional integrated approach ������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27 1.2. horizontal issues �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27 1.2.1. Territorial cohesion ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 27 1.2.2. urban and rural issues ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 28 1.2.3. Maritime issues �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 29 2 > The European union strategy for the baltic sea region BRUSSEl s, COM(2009) 248 Fin a l oF 10 JUNE 2009 COMMunic aT ION F ROM T HE COMMISSION T o T HE EUROPE a n Pa r l i a MEn T, T HE COUNCIL , T HE EUROPE a n ECONOMIC a nd s oci a l COMMi T T EE a nd T HE COMMi T T EE oF T HE r EGIONS 1.3. The Baltic Sea region and the financial crisis ������������������������������������������������������������������ 30 1.4. Socio-economic analysis ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 30 1.4.1. overview ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 30 1.4.2. prosperity ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 37 1.4.3. Sustainable environment ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 50 1.4.4. accessibility ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 62 1.4.5. energy ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 74 1.4.6. other networks ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 81 1.4.7. Safety and security ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 82 2. WHAT iS ALREADy HAPPENING IN THE REGION? ���������������������������������������������������������� 89 2.1. activities of the EU and Member States ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 90 2.1.1. responses to the crisis ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 90 2.1.2. Structural actions ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 90 2.1.3. Sectoral actions �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 90 2.1.4. Thematic and legislative actions ������������������������������������������������������������������������� 93 2.2. activities of international governmental and non-governmental organisations ��������������������������� 101 2.2.1. intergovernmental and inter-parliamentary co-operation ��������������������������������������������� 101 2.2.2. interregional co-operation ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 103 2.2.3. non-governmental organisations ����������������������������������������������������������������������� 103 3. SWoT ANALYSiS �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 105 4. THE EUROPEAN UNION STRATEGY FOR THE BALTIC SEA REGION ������������������������������������� 111 4.1. a strategy to make the Baltic Sea region an environmentally sustainable place �������������������������� 112 4.1.1. The Baltic Sea ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 112 4.1.2. The Baltic Sea region (land) ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 116 4.1.3. hazardous substances ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 116 4.1.4. pollution from ships ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 118 4.1.5. adaptation to climate change ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 119 4.1.6. coastal zones ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
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