CBSS & the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) has been actively involved in the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) since its inception in 2009, contributing significantly to the strategy’s implementation and evolution.

The EUSBSR is the European Union’s oldest of its four macro-regional strategies aimed at fostering cross-sectoral cooperation for the development of wider transboundary regions.

Currently, the CBSS co-leads the Policy Area Secure (PA Secure) within the EUSBSR, focusing on civil protection in the Baltic Sea Region. Additionally, the CBSS engages in several other Policy Areas. The CBSS also co-coordinated the Horizontal Action Neighbours until its discontinuation in 2021.

Furthermore, the CBSS has co-organised several annual fora of the EUSBSR.

Co-coordinator of Policy Area Secure

Jointly led by the CBSS and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), Policy Area Secure (PA Secure) addresses the management and prevention of natural and man-made disasters, as well as organised crime. As co-coordinators, the CBSS promotes regional dialogue among experts, government agencies, NGOs, businesses, and research institutions specialising in civil security. 

Given the transboundary nature of threats such as floods and forest fires, it is imperative for civil security agencies from different countries to communicate, share learnings, and collaborate effectively during crises.

PA Secure’s mission ensures that professionals responsible for civil security from countries in the Baltic Sea Region meet, exchange information, and establish the conditions for successful coordination on critical issues.

For more information, visit the official PA Secure website.

Horizontal Action Neighbours

For many years, the CBSS co-coordinated the EUSBSR’s Horizontal Action Neighbours (HA Neighbours), enhancing cooperation with neighbouring countries to address joint challenges in the Baltic Sea Region. With the discontinuation of the Horizontal Action format in 2021, HA Neighbours, along with other Horizontal Actions, was closed.

HA Neighbours aimed to engage stakeholders at multiple levels in a mutually beneficial manner, identifying common goals, interests, and areas where cooperation would enhance the efficiency of both the EUSBSR and the national strategies of non-EU Baltic Sea Region countries. This initiative facilitated information exchange and practical cooperation through matchmaking events, project development, and partnerships, fostering understanding and trust among partners.

Moreover, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) served as a guiding framework for further cooperation among regional stakeholders, with the collective aim of establishing the Baltic Sea Region as a model for sustainable social, economic, and environmental development.