The 7th Strategy Forum for the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region is under way during 8-9 November in Stockholm, Sweden. 

Corina Creţu, EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Stefan Löfven, Prime Minister of Sweden, Juha Sipilä, Prime Minister of Finland who holds the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers, and representatives from the eight countries participating in EUSBSR will discuss during the two days how best to drive the region forward.

 

"For seven years now, the EU Baltic Sea Strategy, the first macro-regional strategy ever, has enabled cooperation on challenges which cannot be addressed at national level: clean and safe shipping, climate change adaptation and improved transport networks, to name a few, but more needs to be done. In particular, renewed and constant political commitment, efficient pooling of resources and communication efforts to show the value added of the Strategy."

 

Corina Cretu, EU Commissioner for Regional Policy

"The Strategy Forum in Stockholm will focus on the future with a vision 2030 for the Baltic Sea Region. I believe that our region can provide an encouraging example to others of how to co-operate around the UN Agenda 2030. By cooperating we make sure that our region stays competitive, environmentally friendly and creates jobs for the future.” 

 

Stefan Löfven, Prime Minister of Sweden

“The Nordic Council of Ministers supports a transition away from the fossil fuel dependency of our societies and towards a sustainable bio-based economy in the Baltic Sea Region. In my vision of the Baltic Sea Region in 2030, the region will be a world leader in the circular economy and the bioeconomy, and this will have led to a much cleaner Baltic Sea and helped in mitigating climate change.”

 

 Juha Sipilä, Prime Minister of Finland

 

The debates of the Strategy Forum focus on future challenges and opportunities for the Baltic Sea Region and a vision for 2030. In more than 40 sessions and seminars over 1200 participants discuss how the Strategy can contribute to development within its three objectives: Save the Sea, Connect the Region, and Increase Prosperity.

 

Read the whole piece of news on European Commissions website.