Press release: Estonia Takes Over the Presidency of the CBSS

Estonia will hold the presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, notably concentrating on resilience and sustainability in the Baltic Sea Region.

“Estonia takes over the CBSS Presidency during a challenging period. For the first time, all democratic countries surrounding the Baltic Sea are NATO members,” said Margus Tsahkna, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, who leads the CBSS Presidency.

“However, we must continue to increase resilience and sustainability in so-called soft security areas in our daily cross-border co-operation between institutions around the Baltic Sea,” he added.

In civil protection, Estonia is set to prioritise practical cooperation, raising crisis awareness, involving volunteers, and improving early warning systems. Special attention will be given to mass evacuation and sheltering challenges.

Estonia will also tackle online child trafficking, including developing guidelines and exploring AI tools to counter online recruitment. To address the general issue of trafficking, the CBSS will cooperate with Central Asian and Balkan anti-trafficking networks, focusing on prevention, investigation, and victims’ assistance.

Regarding sustainability, the CBSS under Estonian leadership will continue its work on creating green shipping corridors and start preparations for a digital twin of the Baltic Sea to simulate marine processes.

Efforts will also focus on preserving cultural heritage, improving energy efficiency in heritage buildings, safeguarding heritage in crises, and preventing the illicit trafficking of cultural goods.

The Baltic Sea Region Youth Forum and CBSS Summer University in Tallinn will continue to involve young people in regional decision-making in a meaningful way.

Under the Estonian Presidency, the CBSS will also continue its strong support for Ukraine, focusing on civil protection, anti-trafficking in human beings, border guard cooperation, heritage protection, and youth engagement.

Estonia has taken over the rotating presidency of the CBSS from Finland, aiming to build on the latter’s achievements, maintaining a principle of continuity and long-term focus.

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Estonian CBSS Presidency and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia media contacts:
Mr Tõnis Nirk
Ambassador-at-Large for Baltic Sea Cooperation
Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
E-mail: [email protected]

CBSS media contacts:
Dominik Littfass
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +46 76 116 67 53

Notes to editor:

About the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS): Established in 1992 by the Foreign Ministers of the Baltic Sea countries, the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) is an intergovernmental organisation comprising eleven members: the ten Member States Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, and Sweden, and the European Union. The CBSS fosters collaboration on topical issues in the region while navigating new geopolitical landscapes. Serving as a platform for political dialogue, the CBSS coordinates with various stakeholders such as ministries, national agencies, IGOs, and NGOs to pursue its three long-term priorities: Regional Identity, Safe & Secure Region, and Sustainable & Prosperous Region. The organisation is currently focused on action areas including human trafficking, child protection, youth, civil protection, climate change, and sustainable maritime economy. The strength of the CBSS lies in its involvement in both regional policy-making and implementation, ensuring effective translation of global goals from organisations like the UN and EU into actionable policies and projects at the Baltic Sea macro-regional level. Read more about our priorities and work: https://cbss.org/our-work/
About the CBSS Presidency: The Council, which is the highest decision-making body of the CBSS, is composed of the Foreign Ministers from the ten CBSS Member States, as well as a High-level Representative from the European Union. The Presidency of the Council rotates annually between the CBSS Member States, spanning from 1 July to 30 June of each year. The Presidency is led by the Foreign Minister of the respective country, who acts as the principal speaker for the organisation during their term. The rotation order for the CBSS Presidency follows this sequence: Estonia, Poland, Iceland, Sweden, Latvia, Denmark, Lithuania, Norway, Germany, and Finland. After completing this cycle, the rotation begins anew. The European Union does not hold the CBSS Presidency.
About the Estonian Presidency of the CBSS: On 1 July 2024, Estonia will take over the Presidency of the CBSS from Finland for one year. During its tenure, Estonia will notably focus on resilience and sustainability in the Baltic Sea Region. The Estonian CBSS Presidency is led by Mr Margus Tsahkna, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia. The Chair of the CBSS Committee of Senior Officials, the decision-making body dealing with the Council’s day-to-day affairs, is Mr Tõnis Nirk, Ambassador-at-Large for Baltic Sea Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia.
Estonian priorities for their Presidency: https://cbss.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/estonian-presidency-2024-2025_priorities.pdf
Read more about the Estonian Presidency on the CBSS website: https://cbss.org/estonian-presidency-2024-2025
Read more about the Estonian Presidency on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia: https://www.vm.ee/en/council-baltic-sea-states