CBSS & the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region
As a trusted partner in the Baltic Sea Region, the CBSS is actively involved in the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and currently co-coordinates Priority Area Secure, working with partners on national, regional and local levels.
Co-coordinator of Policy Area Secure
Jointly led by the CBSS and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), Policy Area Secure focuses on the management and prevention of natural disasters, man-made disasters and organized crime. As co-coordinators, we facilitate regional dialogue between experts, government agencies, NGOs, businesses and research institutions specialising in civil security.
Most of the threats to the Baltic Sea Region are of a transboundary nature – floods and forest fires do not stop at a country’s border, and because many countries face similar threats – it is very important that civil security agencies from different countries communicate with each other, learn from each other and work well together when a disaster strikes.
Our mission is to ensure that all the professionals in charge of civil security from the Baltic Sea Region countries meet, exchange information and agree on important details like these in advance.
More information on the official PA Secure website.
Neighbours
For many years, the CBSS co-coordinated the Horizontal Action Neighbours of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. In 2021, the Horizontal Action was discontinued in its previous form, but the CBSS, due to its Member State composition, continues to promotes dialogue and cooperation between the EU and non-EU Member States in the Baltic Sea Region. The goal is to engage multilevel stakeholders in a mutually advantageous manner – identifying common goals and tasks, areas of common interest, where such cooperation is needed and improves the efficiency of both the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and the national strategies of the Baltic Sea Region countries that are not members of the European Union.
This is done by facilitating the information exchange about the need to work “across the borders”, supporting the practical level of cooperation – by organising match making events, developing initiatives and projects, creating partnerships, which help to build a better understanding of each other and increase trust between partners.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals provide a relevant framework for further cooperation among the stakeholders of the entire Region to achieve the common goal – to make the Baltic Sea Region a model Region for prosperous and equal development of the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainability.