Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference Landtag The 24th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference 30th August - 1st September 2015 in Rostock, Germany – BSPC in a Nutshell – Baltic Sea Region – A Role Model for Innovation in Social- and Healthcare The 24th Baltic Sea Parliamentary bour and city tour as well as a recep- „Accordion meets string quartet” per- Conference took place in Ros- tion at the town hall provided the par- formance in the Boat House. tock-Warnemünde. Around 180 de- ticipants with insight into the cultural legates met in the Yachting & Spa Re- wealth and architecture characteristics On Tuesday, 1st September, Ms Sylvia sort, Hohe Düne, right on the edge of of this part of Germany. A reception Bretschneider, BSPC Chair and Presi- the Baltic Sea. The aim of the confer- hosted by Mr Erwin Sellering, Prime dent of the Landtag Mecklen- ence was to pass a resolution on the Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpom- burg-Vorpommern, gave a commem- Baltic Sea Region as a role model for mern, closed the first day. orative address on the beginning of innovation in social and healthcare. the 2nd World War. Ms Manuela On Monday, three sessions took place Schwesig, Federal Minister for Fami- The participants arrived on Saturday that focused on cooperation in the lies, Senior Citizens, Women and and the BSPC Drafting Committee Baltic Sea Region, on cross-border co- Youth, held a keynote speech to open and the BSPC Standing Committee operation in healthcare and on health the fourth session and this was fol- held their first sessions on Sunday, and economy. In the evening, a prize- lowed by a roundtable discussion. The 30th August. Parallel sessions were or- winner of the Mecklenburg-Vorpom- final version of the resolution was ganized by the NDPHS secretariat on mern Festival, Martynas and the Sin- adopted at the closing of the confer- health. In the afternoon, a guided har- Chronic Quartet, gave an impressive ence. 2 The 24th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference | Sunday, 30th August 2015 Extracts from the Welcoming Speech given by Mr Erwin Sellering, Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern „I bid you all a very warm welcome to in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and a Rostock-Warnemünde, here in Meck- priority in the work of the state govern- lenburg-Vorpommern. I am very ment. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has, pleased to be able to welcome so many therefore, taken an active role in the co- prominent guests from all Baltic Sea operation of the Baltic Sea states from countries, along with representatives the very beginning. Mecklenburg-Vor- from Iceland and Norway and observ- pommern works with the Council of ers from other countries such as Hun- the Baltic Sea States, in cooperation gary and Turkey. with the sub-regions, in the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions and 2015 is a very special year for us here in Mr Erwin Sellering, Prime Minister also in the Baltic Commission. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: this year of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Ms we are celebrating 25 years of German Sylvia Bretschneider, President of the In the last 20 years, we have developed unity and 25 years of Mecklen- Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern many good contacts with our neigh- burg-Vorpommern. And we can and Ms Rimantė Šalaševičiūtė, Min- bours in the Baltic region, contacts be- proudly say that we have made really ister for Health from Lithuania tween schools, universities, businesses good progress in these 25 years. and chambers, between cities and towns, in the fields of sports and cul- We have achieved a lot since 1990: our social insurance contributions has in- ture. We have close partnerships with towns and villages shine in new splen- creased. All this is the result of an un- regions in Sweden, Finland and Po- dour; we have a modern infrastructure; precedented construction process. A land, with good economic coopera- and we have developed very well – es- great achievement of the people in our tion, especially in the port industries pecially from an economic point of state, to whom I, as Prime Minister, am and logistics, in the tourism and health- view. In the meantime, we have be- very grateful and of whom the people care industries. come strong in many industries: in here with us in Mecklenburg-Vorpom- tourism in any event – this federal state mern can rightly be proud. However, the Baltic region offers its is simply beautiful – as well as in the residents not only economic opportu- food industry, in the health sector and From the outset, good cooperation nities. Our co-operation is also an ex- in renewable energies. The unemploy- with our neighbours around the Baltic cellent example of living European in- ment figure is at its lowest level since Sea has always been one of the major tegration, of an intensive exchange in German reunification; the number of political and economic prospects for us peace and freedom.” Opening of the Conference: Ms Sylvia Bretschneider, Chair of the BSPC, Mr Bodo Bahr, Head of BSPC Secretariat, Mr Armin Tebben, Director of the Landtag Mecklenburg- Vorpommern and Vice-Chair of the BSPC Prof. Dr. Jānis Vucāns Sunday, 30th August 2015 | The 24th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference 3 Harbour Tour and Guided Tour of Rostock Old Town Hanseatic city and a seaside resort On Sunday afternoon, there was a President of the Bürgerschaft, wel- delegates to have a look at some of the boat trip from the conference ven- comed the BSPC delegates to the large churches, towers, city gates, ga- ue, Hohe Düne. The delegates were historic town hall of Rostock famous bled houses, warehouses and many taken around the harbour to see the for its seven towers. In a welcome ad- examples of northern German Brick moles, lighthouses and enormous dress, Mr Jochen Schulte, Member Gothic architecture. ships and cruise liners. The sail of the Landtag Mecklenburg-Vor- along the Warnow provided a splen- pommern, stressed the importance did view of the German Baltic of cooperation in the Baltic Sea Re- „Health is wealth and coastline and the Hanseatic town of gion as all the partners shared similar wealth is health” Rostock. societal challenges. A guided city tour provided insight into the histori- During a reception and on behalf of the cal background of the Hanseatic Lord Mayor, Dr Wolfgang Nitzsche, town and was an opportunity for During the conference parallel sessions of the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being (NDPHS) were organized by the NDPHS secre- Mr Jochen Schulte, Member of the Landtag tariat. A number of parliamen- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, addressed the dele- tarians took part in the meet- gates in the Town Hall of Rostock and under- ings and received an overview lined the town’s role as Mecklenburg-Vorpom- of the very strong association be- mern’s gateway to the Baltic Sea and the neigh- tween health and the economy boring regions. and other policy areas. 4 Opening of the 24th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference | Monday, 31st August 2015 Opening Words by Ms Sylvia Bretschneider, Chair of the BSPC sea that connects our countries. In featuring very similar problems at this sense I hope for a constructive the same time, will help us to this conference that is held in the spirit of end. […] friendship and harmony. We are all gathered here to work together on I am looking forward to our discus- challenges we more or less all share. sions and which demands we will And we are here to think about joint formulate for our governments. I strategies to tackle these challenges. am pleased that the draft resolution also contains many concrete ideas The conference is titled „Baltic Sea for future joint initiatives in the „It is my distinct honor to welcome Region – A Role Model for Innova- area of Innovation in Social- and you to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, tion in Social- and Healthcare”. In Healthcare. Our work on this im- host of the 24th Baltic Sea Parliamen- the social- and healthcare sector, portant field shouldn’t end with tary Conference. Again I would like there are many challenges: an ageing this conference. It should be the to thank our Prime Minister for the population, inequalities in health- starting point of a much deeper and excellent reception yesterday. care, an increase in lifestyle-related more concrete cooperation in this diseases, financial pressure on the field, which is so important for all I am very happy to see so many fa- service systems and others. the people in our countries. It miliar faces today and I look forward should be supported by joint initia- to our discussions both in the plena- In a number of sessions we will dis- tives and be followed up on a regu- ry and in the Drafting Committee, cuss these challenges from different lar basis. today and tomorrow. […] perspectives. We will also highlight how innovation can help to cope I wish us all a very successful confer- We have come together in the most with these challenges. The Baltic ence and that we will continue to in- northern tip of the city of Rostock. I Sea Region possesses profound crease public awareness and prepare am very pleased that we managed to knowledge in this area. It should be joint opinions on current issues in hold our conference here. It is the our ambition to establish the Baltic the Baltic Sea Region. I am confi- perfect location for a conference that Sea Region as a role model for in- dent that we will – and I am now brings together parliamentarians novation in this field. I think that honored to yield the floor to the from all around the Baltic Sea. Sure- the combination of our different Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Vor- ly, we couldn’t be any closer to the traditions and experiences, while pommern, Mr Erwin Sellering.” Monday, 31st August 2015 | Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region – FIRST SESSION 5 FIRST SESSION Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region Chair – Mr Ryszard Górecki, MP, Poland Vice-Chair – Ms Giedrė Purvaneckienė, MP, Lithuania Mr Raul Mälk Mr Michał Czyż Mr Jørn Dohrmann The first session of the conference in- sador of Poland and Current CBSS formed the participants about the troduced the „Cooperation in the Bal- Chair, presented an update on the strategy of socio-economic develop- tic Sea Region”.