Our Structure

The Council, comprised of the Foreign Ministers of the CBSS Member States and the European Union’s High Representative, serves as the primary decision-making body. It provides political direction and oversees the organisation’s strategic priorities.

The Council meets at the end of each Presidency term, typically during the CBSS Ministerial Session, or as necessary to address pressing matters. It sets the agenda based on proposals from the CBSS Presidency.

The Presidency can also call for Baltic Sea States Summits, convening the Heads of Government from CBSS Member States and the President of the European Commission for high-level discussions on regional challenges. These summits, organised as needed, provide overarching political guidance and help shape the strategic direction of the organisation.

CBSS members: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and Sweden – and the European Union.

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The Presidency, rotating annually among Member States from July 1 to June 30, steers the CBSS’s activities and ensures coherence across its initiatives. The Presidency country is responsible for organising Council meetings, setting agendas, and providing strategic direction to advance the Council’s long-term priorities. In addition, the Presidency chairs the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) meetings, guiding discussions and decisions on CBSS activities. Presidencies may also convene sectoral meetings at ministerial or other levels, focusing on specific areas of cooperation.

To maintain continuity, the Presidency operates within the Trio format, which includes collaboration with the outgoing, current, and incoming presidencies, ensuring smooth transitions and sustained focus on regional objectives.

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The Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) consists of senior officials from each Member State and the European Union, who support the Council’s work and oversee intergovernmental cooperation.

The CSO acts as the primary decision-making body between Council meetings. Led by a senior representative from the current Presidency, the CSO prepares Council sessions, manages working groups, and provides direction to the CBSS Secretariat. The CSO also decides on third-party participation in CBSS activities and reviews the organisation’s long-term priorities.

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The CBSS forms expert groups and other official CBSS bodies on a time-limited basis to address specific issues within the CBSS mandate. These groups contribute expertise in areas aligned with the organisation’s priorities, such as regional identity, security, sustainable development, and climate action.

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Located in Stockholm, the Permanent International Secretariat of the CBSS, or CBSS Secretariat, provides technical and administrative support, ensuring continuity in CBSS operations. It supports the CBSS Presidency, facilitates information exchange, and implements CBSS communication and project strategies.

Led by a Director General appointed by the CSO, the Secretariat works under CSO supervision. It may include special units focused on strategic projects, subject to approval by the CSO.

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CBSS Observer States are non-member states that support CBSS initiatives and can participate in selected CBSS activities. While they do not hold decision-making powers, Observer States can attend relevant meetings, contribute to discussions, and co-organise events that add value to the CBSS and the Baltic Sea Region. The CBSS currently has ten Observer States: France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

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Strategic Partners are organisations invited by the CBSS to contribute to activities aligned with the organisation’s long-term priorities, particularly in areas where their expertise and resources can strengthen regional cooperation efforts. Although Strategic Partners do not have decision-making powers, they participate in CBSS activities, including project collaboration, consultations, and information-sharing initiatives.

The Copenhagen Ministerial Declaration, adopted at the first Conference of Foreign Ministers of the Baltic Sea States in Copenhagen on 5-6 March 1992, formally established the CBSS. This declaration outlined the Council’s mission to promote regional stability, economic development, and a cohesive identity for the Baltic Sea Region. This founding document notably draws on principles from the UN Charter and OSCE documents to frame the CBSS’s cooperative efforts.

• The Council’s Terms of Reference: These TORs, initially adopted in 1992 and revised in 2005, 2009, 2020 and 2024, outline the responsibilities of the Council, the rotating Presidency, and the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO). They detail the CBSS’s organisational structure, decision-making processes, and areas of priority, clarifying how the Council coordinates regional initiatives and implements political dialogue.
• The Secretariat’s Terms of Reference: First adopted in 2004 and most recently revised in 2024, these TORs govern the Permanent International Secretariat’s role. Located in Stockholm, the Secretariat provides technical, administrative, and analytical support to the CBSS’s Presidency, Council and CSO. The Secretariat’s TORs specify its mandate to ensure continuity within the CBSS, support CBSS projects, and facilitate cooperation across the region.

The Host Country Agreement (also HQ Agreement), signed with Sweden in 1998, grants the Secretariat necessary privileges, immunities and legal capacities to function effectively as the CBSS’s administrative body. This agreement supports the Secretariat’s operations within Sweden and underscores its status as an intergovernmental organisation (IGO).