1 Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region: "The EU Strategy" VIII Annual International Conference: CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION: THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, THE EU AND NORWAY 6 September 2012, Pskov Catharina Sørensen, European Commission
2 Keywords The Strategy in a nutshell Cooperation with neighbours The 2012 review process Future perspectives
3 OVERVIEW 1:
4 The Strategy in a nutshell Why do we have macro-regional strategies? Structure: Rolling Action Plan with priority areas, horizontal actions and flagship projects Aim: Better use of existing institutions, funding and legislation Governance: Policy development by the Council; Coordination, monitoring and follow-up by the Commission; Implementation by international, national, regional or local bodies
5 Cooperation with neighbours To build on existing structures, such as the Northern Dimension, CBSS, NCM and HELCOM Good on-going dialogue with the Russian Federation, agreement on projects of joint interest Regional cooperation with coastal regions: –Turku-process –CBSS South East Baltic Area
6 WHERE ARE WE NOW? 2.
7 State of play : Review Autumn 2012: Update of the Action Plan Strategy 2.0 June 2013: Evaluation of macro-regional strategies
8 Aims of the review Clearer objectives Clearer roles and responsibilities Better communication Better involvement of all stakeholder groups Sustained political commitment Better financing
9 HOW WILL WE ACHIEVE IT? 3.
10 Objectives, indicators, targets 3 objectives for the Strategy… –To Save the Sea –To Connect the Region –To Increase Prosperity …made concrete by indicators and targets Example: To save the Sea (objective), illegal discharges (indicator) must be eliminated by 2021 (target)
11 Roles and responsibilities To make work transparent and effective Key tasks of all main stakeholder groups were identified by a representative task-force Endorsed by the Council and included in the updated Action Plan A handbook to be published with extensive descriptions, explanations and examples
12 Better Communication Cooperation with Interact on new website, newsletter, visual identity. Needs analysis conducted Better involvement of stakeholders Through multi-level governance, clearer roles… Political commitment and policy alignment Continuous visibility and relevance to ensure commitment at all levels Strategy included in relevant Council agendas
13 Better financing Macro-regional strategies to be accommodated in the new EU programming period Importance of technical assistance funds Seed money facility to ensure the development of good, relevant projects
14 The future programming period Macro-regional strategies included in the draft regulations, especially: –Common provisions, Art. 14(a)v: Partnership Contracts to take account, where appropriate, of macro-regional strategies –Common provisions, Art. 87(c)vi: Relevant Operational Programmes to set out their planned interventions to support the Strategy –ETC regulation, Art. 6(b) allowing transnational programmes to support implementation (TA)
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