North-West regions of Russia in the spatial planning cooperation in Baltic Sea Region Meeting of the North-West Russian regions with VASAB representatives (June 21 st, 2002, St. Petersburg) AIM - Discussion of an issue of North-West Russia’ participation in collaboration in the field of Spatial Planning in Baltic Sea Region.

New challenges for the cooperation NW regions in the BSR  North-West region is just political but not economical entity in Russia  Disparity and spatial diversity within North-West of Russia  Different scope of involvement in Interreg Program  Lack of initiatives from both sides  Danger to obtain an active Western and passive Eastern parts of the Baltic space  EC enlargement will provide the opportunities for territories along the future borders of the EU  INTERREG III B is a new instrument for the cooperation and a chance for the North-West regions development  Need for vivid dialogue on the basis of new ideas and priorities.

Evaluation of the cooperation experience

Experience and priorities of the transnational cooperation for the sustainable spatial development  Tourism  Logistic  Small and medium size business  Green networks, national parks  Youth policy  Small and medium size cities  Rural areas  Ecology EXAMPLES Novgorod Oblast: Interreg IIIA: tourism, small business, timber, construction InterregIIIB : logistic, tourism, small business, communications. Republic of Karelia: long history of cooperation ( 60 projects): Euroregion, Interreg IIIA, green networks, development areas, scientific networks, youth policy, electronic Karelia Arkhangelsk Oblast: Barentz cooperation, energy, youth policy, communications, ecology, culture, tourism (tourism development, nature and culture heritage reservation on Sololvki Islands). Leningrad Oblast: Energy, tourism, transport, rural territories, small cities. St.Petersburg: USUN, small and medium cities, Information Exchange Channel of the City of St.-Petersburg, ecology, transport, logistic, culture, small business Vologda Oblast: culture (Kirillov Museum of Russian Fairytale), tourism (Cherepovets Internet-Cafe) Pskov Oblast: EUROREGIONS- perspectives for the future cooperation Pskov oblast- Estonia-Latvia

Российский Национальный Суб-комитет программы Interreg III B (РНСК Interreg III B), BSR Interreg IIIB Russian national sub-committee (RNSC).