Baltic Rim Economies Bimonthly Review ISSUE NO. 6, 17 DECEMBER 2010 EXPERT ARTICLES: Egemen Bağış: The future of Europe and Turkey on the basis of the report of the EU reflection group Page 1 Dainius Kreivys: Post-crisis Lithuania – lessons and recovery Page 2 Hannu Takkula and Vesa Kangaslahti: Education in times of recession and at the age of innovation Page 4 Igor Yurgens: Russia’s modernization – a progress report Page 5 Jaakko Iloniemi: Modernization of Russia Page 6 Alexander V. Khoroshilov: ICT competence and HRD in public administration sector of Russian Federation Page 7 Seppo Honkapohja: Economic prospects for Russia and its implications for the Baltic Rim region after the global crisis Page 8 Gennady G. Melikiyan: Russian banking sector after global financial crisis Page 9 Stefan Widomski: How to develop civic society in Eastern Europe? From an academic institute to a civic think tank. The example of activity of the Polish Gdańsk Institute for Market Economics. Page 11 Niklas Mannfolk: Quo vadis, Evropa? – A look at the future of European energy production Page 12 Cay Sevón: Turku 2011 European Capital of Culture in local and regional development Page 13 F.V. Karmazinov: Best practices to improve water quality in the Gulf of Finland as exemplified by Vodokanal of St. Petersburg Page 14 Maija Saijonmaa and Karl-Johan Lehtinen: NEFCO’s role in improving the environmental status of the Baltic Sea Page 15 Juhani Tervala: Minimising close calls with intelligent transport systems Page 16 Matti Aaltonen: Safe shipping – the result of conserted effort Page 17 Pekka Laaksonen: The biggest threat for the Gulf of Finland – oil catastrophe Page 18 Tommi Kivilaakso: Changes in the Finnish-Russian border traffic and customs cooperation Page 19 Katri Pynnöniemi: What makes modernization a political project? Page 20 Einari Kisel: Decisive years in creation of the Baltic power market Page 21 Antero Jännes: Gas around the Baltic Sea Page 22 Matti Hilli: Renewable energy markets in Baltic Sea region from a perspective of a bioenergy company Page 23 To receive a free copy, print or register at www.tse.fi/pei Baltic Rim Economies Bimonthly Review ISSUE NO. 6, 17 DECEMBER 2010 EXPERT ARTICLES CONTINUED: Pami Aalto: How will Russia cope in the emerging new energy agenda? Page 24 Joseph Dutton: The Shale Gale – perfect storm or flitting breeze? Page 25 H Kalervo Väänänen: University of Eastern Finland, an example of Finnish university reform Page 26 Antti Valle and Pirjo Kutinlahti: Baltic Sea Region – a globally recognised innovation hub Page 27 Ilya Romanovich Shegelman: University in innovative space region Page 28 Kai Savolainen: Assuring safe use of engineered nanomaterials and nanotechnologies – a challenge for the future or today? Page 29 Alexey Prazdnichnykh and Kari Liuhto: The Russian CEOs analyse the innovation activity of their company Page 30 Jarosław Ćwiek-Karpowicz: Partnership for modernisation – incentive to revise the EU-Russia relations Page 31 Pasi Malinen: Universities’ innovation and entrepreneurship activities at cross-roads in Baltic Sea Region – case Pskov Page 32 Jari Lähteenmäki and Jarkko Heinonen: Finland should dare to take initiative – the strategy for the Baltic Sea region needs to be concretized Page 33 Juha Stenholm: Way out of the crisis – privatization of Russian federal property Page 34 Sergey Stefanishin, Alexey Skvortsov and Yulia Tsykalo: Game rules for foreign investments in strategic companies in Russia Page 35 Heli Pellikka: Combining the requirements of Russian Accounting Principles and IFRS – challenge for many international companies Page 36 Krista Taipale: It has been a year since the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region started – how is the situation today? Page 37 Aku Alanen: Large towns dominant in the economy of culture in Finland Page 38 Marcus Svedberg: Herd mentality Page 39 Irina Novikova: Gender equality in Latvia – achievements and challenges Page 40 Keir Giles: Russian military transformation – work in progress Page 41 Dominik P. Jankowski and Barbara Kirejczyk: Baltic Sea sustained stability vs. Black Sea geopolitical struggle myth or reality? Page 42 Marat Terterov: Bringing Russia into NATO – a Trojan horse in the making Page 44 Bo Österlund: On security management and precautions on municipal level Page 45 To receive a free copy, print or register at www.tse.fi/pei Expert article 638 Baltic Rim Economies, 17.12.2010 Bimonthly Review 6ƒ2010 The future of Europe and Turkey on the basis of the report of the EU reflection group By Egemen BaøÖû The independent working group established by the Turkey is one of the few countries which the Report refers to European Council of December 2007, comprising 12 prominent by name. This can only be construed as an indicator of the Europeans from diverse backgrounds, namely the “EU significance of Turkey both for the EU and also for the world in Reflection Group” issued their report entitled “European Project general, in political, economic, cultural and social terms. 2030, The Threats and Opportunities” in May 2010. The Report The Report states it implicitly; but let me say it explicitly: identified the challenges the Union may encounter in the long Turkey is one of the essential keys to Europe’s future and the term, together with the measures to be adopted to address solution to its current and future problems. Turkey will be the those challenges. driving force for shaping the policies in order to tackle the The analysis of the current situation with forecasts for the challenges of the next decades for the Union due to its future in case the necessary measures are not adopted are significant traits, such as its size, geographical location, striking. For the firm believers of the European project the economic and political strength, dynamic societal structure, findings of the Report are not very encouraging; since the cultural and historical characteristics, active foreign policy and Report identifies numerous challenges that Europe has to face strategic outlook. It has become one of the world’s most with within the next two decades. The Report is a wake-up call dynamic and resilient economies and also one of the most for Europe. It draws attention to the danger of marginalisation of influential and credible countries in regional and global politics. Europe in the international arena. The EU accession process definitely has its share in this Fortunately however, EU is capable of transforming itself transformation. For Turkey, the accession process has always and finding solutions to the problems outlined in the Report been an incentive for political, economic, social and legal ranging from becoming a stronger and credible global actor to reforms. The accession process is considered as the most securing energy supplies and routes, from remedying the important modernisation project of Turkey since the founding of unfavorable demographic trends to combating illegal the Republic. In that context, Turkey’s objective of membership immigration and organized crime, from dealing with the climate to the European Union stems from our aspiration for the change to remaining as one of the leading global economic modernization and transformation of our country. players. We want to realize this transformation to provide the highest In that regard, the Report underlines the importance of the standards in every field for our citizens. I have no doubt that EU enlargement as an element to overcome those challenges Turkey, a senior member of all European organizations, will and maximize the opportunities in favor of a more peaceful, successfully accomplish its EU membership process. secure, prosperous Europe contributing to a more stable, fair Turkey wants to make the most out of the accession and secure global order. process. Indeed, the challenges and difficulties of Turkey’s road For many, the major value of the EU is its being a reference to accession require patience, hard work and devotion from point that brings prosperity and peace for its citizens, an both sides. It certainly requires dedication and hard work on the alternative model in respect to traditional inter-state relations part of Turkey. It, however, also requires sincere commitment, and a transnational community of law. EU must become a hub fairness and adherence to the principle of pacta sunt servanda by using inclusive and transformative strategies, which have from the EU side as emphasized in the Reflection Group been used successfully in the previous enlargements. Report. Enlargement remains the most effective foreign policy tool for EU member states have taken unanimous decisions in 1999 the EU. when declaring the official candidacy status of Turkey, in In order to attain its objectives, Europe should play a more December 2004 when taking the decision to start the accession assertive role in the international arena. However, to achieve negotiations and in October 2005 for the actual opening of the this, EU must always be open to new members and must negotiations. Turkey is a country destined to join the European assess each candidate country on its own merits and its Union at the end of the accession process. progress as regards compliance with membership criteria. The We do not ask any favors from the European Union. What Union should show that it is a credible actor which remains we expect from the European Union is to be fair and have an faithful to its commitments towards all the candidate countries. objective vision. We are committed to continuing this process as In fact, this is what is meant by “true limits of Europe”. long as it is kept on a realistic and fair basis. The Report of the Reflection Group agrees that the This process is an opportunity for both sides; for Turkey it is boundaries of the Union can only be drawn by objective criteria, an opportunity to use its immense dynamics for the reflecting compliance with EU values, norms and standards, transformation of the country and for the EU it is an opportunity rather than by subjective elements.