First steps taken towards a Baltic Leadership Programme on Neighbours

A successful preparatory meeting for the upcoming Baltic Leadership Programme (BLP) – Neighbours took place on 18 May. With the participation of 32 experts from the Baltic Sea Region, including coordinators and representatives of several EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Priority Areas, Union of the Baltic Cities, Baltic Sea States Subregional Cooperation, the Leontief Centre as well as representatives of regions around the Baltic Sea. The webinar led to concrete discussions regarding topics, common needs and solutions for furthering the cooperation between the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) and the Strategy for North-Western Russia in six thematic areas:

1. Environment 

2. Labour market and employability 

3. Culture and sustainable tourism 

4. Transport and the maritime economy 

5. Science, education, and innovation 

6. Public health and social welfare 

The Baltic Leadership Programme Neighbours is supported by the Swedish Institute in collaboration with the Council of the Baltic Sea States, and will be launched in the autumn of 2021. Programme participants will discuss the possible formats of cooperation, actions, and measures to be included in a draft Joint Plan for Actions for Sustainability of the Baltic Sea Region.