About Us
Building collaboration and trust. The Council of the Baltic Sea States is an inter-governmental political forum for cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region.
The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1992 to promote collaboration and trust among the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea. Its vision is to create a prosperous, secure, and interconnected Baltic Sea Region (BSR), fostering mutual understanding and respect among its members.
Consisting of 11 members – the 10 Member States of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and Sweden, plus the European Union – the CBSS supports a global perspective on regional problems. These include politically and practically translating the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement, the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction, the Palermo Protocol and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, into regional actions on the ground.
The CBSS functions as a coordinator of a multitude of regional actors in the areas of its three long-term priorities: Regional Identity, Sustainable & Prosperous Region, Safe & Secure Region. Read more about our priorities and work here.
The objectives of the CBSS have evolved over time, adapting to the changing needs of the region. Initially focussing on supporting the democratic development in the BSR in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union, its activities have included supporting democratic institutions, enhancing economic and technological collaboration, addressing humanitarian and health challenges, protecting the environment, promoting sustainable energy, building societal security, combating human trafficking, strengthening cultural ties, and improving transportation and communication infrastructure.