PROFILE: EUROREGION BALTIC (ERB)

Euroregion Baltic (ERB) is a politically solid and well-anchored cooperation in the south-east of the Baltic Sea region, consisting of eight regions of Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden. It was the first Euroregion to have formally included a partner from the Russian Federation. Since its early days ERB has been pursuing the goals of improving life conditions for its inhabitants, promoting bonds and contacts among local communities, and providing measures for a more sustainable development within the region.

The Euroregion Baltic constitutes the operational network of substantial and effective links across the borders, facilitating the promotion of political dialogue and reform, as well as sustainable, economic, social and environmental development, and thus strengthening local democracy and fostering people-to-people contacts between civil societies. The co-operation actively involves both local and regional authorities, private and public sectors, and NGOs.

Over the years Euroregion Baltic has also become a very important political platform targeting its effective lobbying activities at various institutions within the European Union and on national and regional levels. As a result of these activities ERB adopted a series of resolutions and joint positions on such important issues as the EU cohesion policy, maritime policy, environmental protection, transport infrastructure etc. Moreover, Euroregion Baltic has also been very active during the preparation of the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and another EU strategy Europe 2020, and is now actively involved in the process of implementation of both strategies.

The goal of the ERB 2020 Agenda is to help the organisation move into a new phase of cooperation where it becomes a more dynamic tool to tackle common challenges observed by its members, and a strengthened political leverage in the cross-border cooperation of the Baltic Sea Region. To implement that goal, the Agenda sets out three main focus areas, therefore allowing for a consolidated approach to the cooperation within the ERB. The first strategic focus area includes lobbying activities. It allows the ERB to enhance its role as lobbying platform towards the European Union and take an active role in the shaping of EU policies, such as EU Cohesion Policy, EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, Europe 2020 Strategy, TEN-T Policy, Rural Development Policy, EU - Russia Cooperation and Eastern Partnership. The second focus area concerns strategic actions which upgrade the added value of the cooperation by enabling networking among variety of partners and providing complementarity with the regional development strategies. Within this focus area the ERB coordinates the implementation of the Joint Development Programme, accomplishment of prioritised institutional activities and development of platforms supporting other forms of cooperation and actors. The third focus area includes exchange activities which, through collaborative approach to common challenges by local and regional politicians, decision-makers, experts and practitioners, leads to deepened relations between the ERB member regions and strengthened cooperation.

ERB is committed to continuing its involvement in the implementation of the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. ERB’s engagement permeates all three focus areas of the ERB cooperation. As a political platform, ERB acts as a stakeholder of the Strategy, by monitoring its implementation and attending the Baltic Strategy annual fora. In its joint strategic undertakings, ERB acts as a participant in relevant flagship projects agreed in the Strategy Action Plan or as a contributor of its own project proposals, to be submitted to the European Commission for approval as the Strategy flagship projects. As an information broker, ERB facilitates the exchange of information between the member regions and the European Union, between Euroregion Baltic and other Baltic organisations, as well as among the member regions themselves.

Executive Board

Denmark

1. Maria F. Kjaergaard, ERB Deputy Board Member, Member of the Council of Regional Municipality of Bornholm, Denmark
2. Per Ole Petersen, Member of the Council of Regional Municipality of Bornholm, Denmark

Kaliningrad

1. Aleksander Bogdanov, ERB President, Deputy Chairman of Kalinigrad Regional Government
2. Alla Ivanova: ERB Vice-President, Minister-Head of Agency of International Afafirs and International Cooperation of Kaliningrad Region, Russia

Lithuania

1. Vytautas Grubliauskas, ERB Board Member, President of Association of Klaipeda Municipalities, Lithuania

Poland

1. Wiesław Byczkowski, ERB Vice-Chair of the Board of Pomorskie Region, Poland
2. Gustaw Marek Brzezin, ERB Board Member, Chair of the Board of Warmińsko-Mazurskie Region, Poland
3. Grzegorz Grzelak, ERB Board Deputy Member, Chair of International and Interregional Committee of Pomorskie Regional Parliament, Poland
4. Mateusz Kryżba, ERB Board Member, Chair of ERB Youth Board, Warmińsko-Mazurskie, Poland
5. Mieczysław Struk, ERB Board Member, Chair of the Board of Pomorskie Region, Poland
6. Witold Wróblewski, ERB Board Member, Chair of the Association of Communes, Poland
7. Joanna Zielińska, ERB Board Deputy Member, Vice-Chair of the Association of Communes, Poland

Sweden

1. Britt-Louise Berndtsson, ERB Board Member, Member of the Board of  Region Kronoberg, Sweden
2. Lennarth Förberg, ERB Board Member, Vice-Chair of the Board of Region Blekinge, Sweden
3. Anna Fransson, ERB Board Member, Chair of the Board of Region Kronoberg, Sweden
4. Akko Karlsson, ERB Board Member, Vice-Chair of the Board of Regional Council in Kalmar County, Sweden
5. Christina Mattisson, ERB Board Member, Chair of the Board of Region Blekinge, Sweden
6. Åke Nilsson, ERB Board Member, Member of the Executive Committee, Regional Council in Kalmar County, Sweden
7. Suzanne Svensson, ERB Board Deputy Member, Member of Parliament, Sweden