Committee of Senior Officials
The Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) is central to the daily operations and decision-making processes of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS). As a core coordinating body, the CSO supports the CBSS in implementing its long-term priorities and overseeing its governance.
Role and Responsibilities
The CSO is composed of senior representatives from the Foreign Ministries of each CBSS Member State, with each official bringing expertise in policy and regional matters to guide the CBSS’s work. The CSO meets regularly to discuss ongoing projects, regional priorities, and administrative matters, ensuring that CBSS activities remain aligned with the strategic direction set by the Council.
Key responsibilities include:
- Intersessional decision-making: Acting as the primary decision-making body between Council meetings, the CSO is authorised to make operational and policy decisions that support the CBSS’s strategic priorities.
- Policy Implementation: The CSO translates Council mandates into actionable initiatives and projects that reflect the CBSS’s long-term priorities.
- Oversight of the Secretariat: The CSO provides direction to the CBSS Secretariat, guiding project development, resource allocation, and administrative functions to maintain consistency with the CBSS mandate.
- Coordination of Working Groups: The CSO can establish and oversee the work of Expert Groups that focus on specific regional issues. Unless specified otherwise, these groups work under the guidance of the CSO, contributing specialised knowledge and project support.
- Engagement with Observers and Strategic Partners: The CSO oversees consultations with Observer States and Strategic Partners, facilitating their participation in CBSS projects and initiatives.
Leadership and Meetings
The CSO is chaired by the Member State currently holding the CBSS Presidency, which rotates annually among Member States. The Chair, a senior representative from the Presidency country, calls for and leads CSO meetings. The Chair’s responsibilities include setting the meeting agenda, facilitating discussions, and ensuring that CSO decisions reflect the collective interests and priorities of all Member States.
CSO meetings, held as needed, focus on practical decision-making and coordination across the CBSS’s broad areas of work, from security and sustainability to fostering a shared Baltic Sea identity. The Chair, along with the CSO members, also ensures that any decisions made by the Council are effectively implemented, with the support of the CBSS Secretariat.
CSO MEMBERS
ESTONIA (CBSS Presidency)
- Mr Tõnis Nirk, Ambassador-at-Large for Baltic Sea Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Mr Andreas Sepp, Desk Officer, Department for European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
DENMARK
- Mr. Peter Wilhelm Linde, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ms Elizabeth Moesgaard Bentsen, Desk Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
FINLAND
- Ms Helena Tuuri, Ambassador for Baltic Sea Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
GERMANY
- Mr Florian Rudolph, FFO of Germany, Head of Unit Division E21, Northern Europe (EU) Federal Foreign Office
ICELAND
- Mr Emil Breki Hreggvidsson, Director, Directorate for International and Security Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
LATVIA
- Ms Andra Kuzmina, Deputy Director of Europe Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
LITHUANIA
- Mr Tomas Irnius, Senior Counsellor at the Directorate for European Bilateral and Regional Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
NORWAY
- Ms Aud Lise Norheim, Senior Adviser of the Section for Nordic-Baltic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Mr Finn Christian Nordli, Senior Advisor, Nordic-Baltic Section, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
POLAND
- Ms Katarzyna Barcikowska, Head of the Baltic Multilateral Unit, European Policy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ms Monika Langiewicz, First Counsellor; Baltic Multilateral Unit, European Policy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
SWEDEN
- Mr Jan Lundin, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
EUROPEAN UNION
- Mr Eduard Auer, Head of Division of the Regional Eastern Partnership, Regional Cooperation and OSCE (EURCA.1), European External Action Service (EEAS)
- Ms Paula-Avril Jatariu, Policy Officer, Northern Dimension, CBSS and BEAC, Directorate for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EURCA.CARO.1), European External Action Service (EEAS)
Legal and Organisational Framework
The CSO operates within a structured framework outlined in the CBSS’s founding documents, including the Terms of Reference for the Council and Secretariat. These Terms provide the CSO with the authority to initiate, implement, and evaluate projects and partnerships, ensuring alignment with the CBSS’s strategic goals and mandate. As a decision-making body, the CSO operates by consensus, reinforcing a collaborative approach to regional cooperation.
The Committee of Senior Officials, with its structured responsibilities and regular engagement, ensures that the CBSS maintains an agile and responsive approach to cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region, upholding the values of stability, sustainability, and shared identity.