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The BSPC at the 51 st General Assembly of the PABSEC: Pettersson points out the value of our democracies and the need to stand up and fight daily for them BSPC President Jörgen Petterssonand the head of the delegation of the Finnish Parliament to the BSPC, Kari Kulmala, attended the 51 st General Assembly of the PABSECin Tirana. In his address to the Assembly, Jörgen Pettersson highlighted the closecooperation between the BSPC and the PABSEC, based on a memorandum of understanding and common topics as well as the value of our democracies and the need to stand up and fight daily for them. In particular, he said: On behalf of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, let me first of all thank you for the possibility to address the 51 st Plenary Session of the PABSEC General Assembly and congratulate you on your 25 th anniversary year. I wish you continued success and prosperous discussions for the next 25 years – at least. After Bucharest, Moscow, Belgrade, Istanbul and Kiev, this is the sixth consecutive time that we as organisations meet and discuss parliamentarism and democracy. We thereby learn from each other. We have also deepened our cooperation through bilateral visits and in the margins of a series of international parliamentary assemblies. We know each other very well, we know our mutual goals, and this is a necessary prerequisite for trusting cooperation. The active participation in our assemblies and conferences and the close contacts between our secretariats further the process of deepening knowledge of each other, mutual exchange of information as well as constantly learning from each others’ ’best practices’. We have pointed out our common goals and visions in a Memorandum of Understanding,as geopolitical areas, which stand for stability, security, democracy, economy, cultural and social development as well as the peaceful cohabitation of their peoples. Weunderlined the benefits of parliamentary cooperation based on the principles of respect of human rights and freedoms, social justice, the promotion of democracy, and the supremacy of law with regard to the interests of all states and peoples in our Regions. Moreover, we considered as a priority the objectives of guaranteeing the security of our peoples, the economic growth and labour market of our regions, and furthering cultural, economic, political, religious and social integration, based on the principles of rule of law and, at the same time, promoting respect for human rights. As the current President of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, BSPC, I want to point out once more the vital importance of international parliamentary cooperation – especially in times of tense situations. Having a forum for dialogue and exchange between parliamentarians is essential. The BSPC, consisting of 22 parliaments and five parliamentary organisations around the Baltic Sea, was founded in 1991 with the primary goal of creating a platform for open parliamentary dialogue to overcome the cold war and to establish the Baltic Sea as a sea of freedom, prosperity and cooperation. My homeland, the Åland Islands in the very heart of the Baltic Sea, are particularly aware of the need for and committed to international parliamentary cooperation because of our history. Åland is a great and real example of crisis management. Thanks to international agreements nearly a hundred years ago, we today have guaranteed, self-governed, neutralised and demilitarised autonomy in the Baltic Sea. We are a stable democracy based on the rule of law. Åland is not only a vital part of the republic of Finland. We are also known as ‘the islands of peace’. We hope to inspire others with our history of peace-making in practice. Democracies are not a law of nature. They are the products of mankind, and we must always be aware of the value of our democracies and stand up and fight daily for them to be preserved.They take centuries to build but only years to destroy. In order to include the people – our employers – in the decision-making, we have to make sure that they understand and are informed of what we do. We must also be aware of the impact the so-called ’fake news’ has on society and make sure that we are transparent and open towards the public. The truth is always superior to the lies. Finally, we must never forget the institutions that create stability in democracies. They are essential for all parliamentarians. The erosion of the institutions leads inevitably to the undermining of democracy. We must engage proactively in dialogue and cooperation. We have a responsibility towards our societies and future generations to care for our region. Participation and collaboration are a universal mandate for all of us. We might speak different languages, but our common objectives are the same: we want love, peace and a safe surrounding for ourselves and the generations to come. To achieve that, we must strengthen the influence of parliaments. We want to live in a free, peaceful and prosperous world based on democratic values and human rights. Ladies and gentlemen, we, the PABSEC and the BSPC, have already held discussions on how we can deepen our bilateral cooperation. The BSPC is currently dealing in depth with migration and integration issues within the framework of a working group. You have also already dealt intensively with the refugee problem and migration matters which need cooperation and action. The countries of our parliamentary associations are by the sea or have a close relationship with it. In this respect, it would be useful to exchange best practice examples for the achievement of the United Nations’ 2030 goals with regard to keeping the seas clean. Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, we must fight for more cooperation and less isolation. No country can solve international problems by itself. The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Åland with the participation of the President of the Republic of Finland on 27 August 2018 will offer dialogue, debate, solutions, friendship and a strong will to increase cooperation and prosperity in the region. We will also include the young generation in our deliberations – as we regularly have done at our former conferences – and give them the opportunity to discuss their recommendations on the United Nations 2030 development goals which they will elaborate one week before at a youth summit called Regeneration 2030. We are the Islands of Peace, and we want the whole of the Baltic Sea and the rest of the world to follow our example: for the benefit of hope and the never-ending search for a better life.

BSPC at International Forum on Development of Parliamentarism in Moscow: Pettersson pointed out the vital importance of international parliamentary cooperation – especially in times of tense situations: “That time when we stop speaking, we will have real problems“. According to an agreement in the BSPC Standing Committee, a delegation of the BSPC – consisting of the President of the BSPC, Jörgen Pettersson, the former President of the BSPC and Head of the Delegation of the Russian State Duma to the BSPC, Valentina Pivnenko, and the Secretary General of the BSPC, Bodo Bahr – took part in the International Forum on the Development of Parliamentarism in Moscow from 4 to 5 June 2018. Delegates of 96 parliaments from all over the world and representatives of 10 international parliamentary organizations attended. The BSPC was the only international parliamentary organisation to address the participants during the opening plenary session. In the run-up to the Forum, the delegation of the BSPC had a bilateral meeting on 3 June in the State Duma of the General Assembly of the Russian Federation with the Chairman of the State Duma, Mr Vyacheslav Volodin , Vice-Chairmen and further deputies of the State Duma . During the bilateral meeting, the Chairman of the State Duma,Mr Vyacheslav Volodin, emphasised that this Forum was an opportunity to discuss global issues with regard to its parliamentary dimension. He expressed his belief that the experiences and visions on all issues of the Forum would help to find appropriate solutions for them. As members of parliaments, the participants have all the expertise to discuss these issues. He pointed out the necessity to trust each other, to speak to each other. Trust was based on dialogue. The forum provided an opportunity to achieve this dialogue. All the reserves of parliamentary abilities should be employed to achieve mutual understanding and find all the possible solutions for all involved nations. BSPC President Jörgen Pettersson underlined that the International Forum for the Development of Parliamentarism was an essential forum for dialogue and exchange between parliamentarians worldwide. He stressed that all of us could learn a lot from each other. As he had travelled to many places of the world, he had seen that people, despite their apparent differences, were truly the same. They wanted to have peace, they wanted to have love, they wanted to have work, and they wanted to feel secure. At the end of the day, Mr Pettersson said, that was what the parliamentarians were doing, striving to make living better for themselves, their populations and their voters, to make them feel loved and secure and peaceful, to make sure that they had work to go to. That, he pointed out, was an international, a global endeavour and what everybody wanted. He informed the forum about the current work of the BSPC and noted that the BSPC was founded on the initiative of the Finnish speaker, Mr Kalevi Sorsa, in 1991, with the reason that talking was always better than not talking. Meetings were always better than isolation. That idea had been identified at that time and continued to be worked on over the years by the BSPC. Mr Pettersson said that when the time came when they stopped speaking, that would be the moment that they had real problems. Therefore, it was very essential that parliamentarians did meet and did speak to each other, trying to use the best practices in their different countries and different systems. Valentina Pivnenko noted that in the BSPC, despite the differences in views, solutions were being sought that would meet the expectations of other states. Consensus was being reached despite all the differences in place. She also stressed that, at the BSPC Standing Committee meeting in Finland, the cross-border cooperation between Finland and Russia was being discussed. The Russian State Duma had adopted a law on cross-border cooperation in 2017 and was currently working on ratifying the cross-border cooperation between the European Union and the Russian Federation. She felt it necessary to note that this cooperation was an important international tool that would help bring about all the projects of the involved parties. Today, thanks to the position of Finland, it made it possible to preserve the cross-border cooperation between the European Union, Finland, and the Russian Federation. She closed by offering her wishes that the cooperation would be fruitful and successful and would help achieve all the goals pursued by the involved parties for the Baltic Sea Region. In his speech during the opening plenary session of the Forum, BSPC President Jörgen Pettersson pointed out the vital importance of international parliamentary cooperation – especially in times of tense situations. He thanked the Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Mr Vyacheslav Volodin , for inviting the BSPC to this highly topical International Forum on the Development of Parliamentarismin Moscow.He characterized the conference as an essential forum for dialogue and worldwide exchange between parliamentarians and informed the participants about the BSPC and its work by saying: “The BSPC, consisting of 22 parliaments and 5 parliamentary organisations around the Baltic Sea, was founded in 1991 on the initiative of Kalevi Sorsa, then Speaker of the Finnish Parliament. The primary goal was to create a platform for open parliamentary dialogue to overcome the cold war and to establish the Baltic Sea as a region of freedom, prosperity and cooperation. “Moreover, we have been successful in this during our 27 years of cooperation. “My homeland, the Åland Islands, is particularly aware of the need for and committed to international parliamentary cooperation because of our history. Åland is a great and real example of crisis management. Thanks to international agreements nearly a hundred years ago, we today have guaranteed, neutralised and demilitarised autonomy in the Baltic Sea; Åland is known as ‘the islands of peace’. We hope to inspire others with our history of peace-making in practice. “We must strengthen interparliamentary cooperation as well as the influence of parliaments. We are the voice of the people who, all over the world, want love, security, prosperity, peace and freedom. “Their collective will is of crucial importance to look for answers to international challenges such as the threats posed by terrorism and armed conflicts but also for best practice examples in good legislation to inspire others and be inspired in the work of improving the well-being of countries and citizens. “Therefore, the themes you have chosen for this Forum are important for interparliamentary cooperation. “That is why we propose not only to hold government summits, but also parliamentary summits to involve parliamentarians and parliamentary institutions in government summits. “We want to live in a free, peaceful and prosperous world based on democratic values and human rights. “Ladies and gentlemen, despite the significant progress that we have achieved over the past years, tremendous challenges remain. These are challenges which we can only tackle jointly, especially environmental protection, sustainability, the implementation of the United Nations 2030 goals, terrorism, armed conflicts, migration and economic development as well as digitalisation and the impact on societies. “Negative spirals in development, which are detrimental to all of us, must be broken by honest initiatives to achieve a lasting solution to any crisis. It is essential to condemn violence and violations of international law and human rights. We must fight for more cooperation and less isolation. “Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, we must make every effort to resolve conflicts through political dialogue and not through armed forces. “In this respect, parliamentary cooperation is a powerful tool for transparent, democratic and fruitful political processes to address contentious issues. “The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Åland on 27 August 2018 will offer dialogue, debate, solutions, friendship and a strong will to increase cooperation and prosperity in the region. “We will also include the young generation in our deliberations – as we regularly have done in our former conferences – and give them the opportunity to discuss their recommendations on the United Nations 2030 development goals which they will elaborate one week before at a youth summit called Regeneration 2030. “We are the Islands of Peace, and we want the whole of the Baltic Sea and the rest of the world to follow our example: for the benefit of hope and the never-ending search for a better life.“ In the context of the conference section “Strengthening International Security: The Role of Parliaments”, Jörgen Pettersson made a contribution to the issue by highlighting: “Life is full of surprises. Thanks to a war that ended in 1854, my homeland Åland is today known as the islands of peace. I will come back to that later. “We parliamentarians are the representatives of the citizens of our countries, and we are the voice of the people. To live means a wonderful mixture of challenges but above all a will to stay safe, wherever you are. “The collective will of the people is of crucial importance to look for answers to international challenges such as the threats posed by terrorism and armed conflicts. “Above all, the people in our countries want to live in a free, peaceful and prosperous world based on democratic values. “We are in debt to those who shaped our continent, and we are in even higher obligation to them who are not yet born but have every right to grow up and form their future and their happiness. We need action to make that happen. “Our security is threatened not only by armed conflicts but also by international terrorism, which knows no borders in its brutal murders. “The parliamentarians of the Baltic Sea region utterly condemned terrorism in all its forms as a common threat to our citizens and our shared values. “They deplore the loss of innocent lives, expressed sympathy and solidarity with the victims of all terrorist attacks, their families and all those who suffered in these inhumane attacks and they underlined the crucial need for the joint fight against this significant threat to our societies and to uphold our democratic values, while stressing that this fight has to respect the rule of law and civil and human rights. “However, because we agree that we must join forces and work together to prevent such attacks and to combat the roots of this evil, this is an area in which parliaments can work together much more closely and on a larger scale than before. It is an issue that could be given a much stronger focus at an international parliamentary summit by a joint declaration by as many parliamentary organisations as possible in its call to intensify preventative measures. That could encourage governments to take preventative measures much more intensively than before and to cooperate unreservedly in this area. “That would also send a signal to our populations that we are taking preventative action to deal with these problems and not only when there are a large number of deplorable victims. “The BSPC is also convinced that the issues of Migration and Integration pose a tremendous challenge to all countries in our region as well as a great chance for their further development. Those issues call for intensive dialogue as well as close cooperation and coordinated policies.Therefore, the BSPC has established a working group which analyses and discusses migration and integration as well as the topic of refugees. This is a global responsibility. When it comes to the right to stay safe we are one world and one people. One of the main reasons why so many people leave and flee their home countries in a short period are armed conflicts. Our task must be to contain or prevent conflicts and reduce tensions. In this respect, we can send out stronger signals through increased parliamentary cooperation, the primary objective of which is to minimize conflicts. “Even if governments can only talk to each other to a limited extent, it has been shown time and again that dialogue and willingness to speak at the parliamentary level to reduce conflicts can certainly be continued. “That is what the people who elected us expect. We must strengthen interparliamentary cooperation as well as the influence of parliaments. “We must engage proactively in dialogue and collaboration. We have a responsibility towards our societies and future generations to care for our regions. Participation and cooperation are a universal mandate for all of us. “We parliamentarians as representatives of the citizens in our countries need to work on deepening dialogue between countries continuously. We also have to find compromises and cooperation related to the democratic values to face future international challenges and possibilities. “We may not be able to reconcile conflicting positions fully, but we can at least provide a forum in which these differences can be openly resolved and in which we can have an open political debate on them – and I believe that this is a necessary condition for pursuing pragmatic approaches and compromises on difficult issues. We should not assume that we parliamentarians can always find satisfactory solutions to various issues. But as representatives of our citizens, we have a duty to our citizens to help resolve conflicts. “Finally, the islands of peace. My homeland Åland. Ever since the peace treaty in Paris of 1856, i.e. the Crimean War, Åland has been demilitarised and also neutralised. International agreements have made a difference, and we are today a great example of crisis management. Thanks to the treaties, our economy is blossoming, and we are an attractive place for people to live in and move to. We are a welcoming society. We are peaceful, and peace makes people strong while fear makes us weak. That’s why we must never stop fighting evil.” In a contribution during the section “Youth Policies: Parliamentary Dimension” of the conference , Jörgen Pettersson referred to the motto of a Baltic Sea Region Youth Conference: “Nothing about us without us” which expresses the foundation of the relationship between policy decision-makers and the young generation. Pettersson highlighted the fact that every new generation is a little brighter than the previous ones. “Therefore you should take our advice but not necessarily follow it. The world of tomorrow is yours, not ours.” Jörgen Pettersson also informed the worldwide audience about the Regeneration 2030 summit (Link: https://www.regeneration2030.org/ ) that will take place in Åland on 18-20 August 2018 where the next generation will discuss what will happen tomorrow and speak about the implementation of the 2030 Development Goals of the United Nations. He pointed out that representatives of this Baltic Sea-wide Youth Forum will get the opportunity to present the results of their deliberations at the 27 th Baltic Sea Parliamentary. In the margins of the Forum, the BSPC delegation also had conversation with a number of Speakers of Parliaments from Africa and South America as well as with Presidents and Secretaries General of other Interparliamentary Assemblies such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean and PABSEC as well as with members of other parliamentary delegations. The BSPC delegation further attended an event at the Embassy of Finland in Moscow and met the former Speaker of the Finnish Parliament, Mr Eero Heinäluoma and MP Ilkka Kanerva who also attended the International Forum.

The highest Executive Committee of the BSPC, led by the President of the BSPC, Jörgen Pettersson, held its third meeting under the Åland Presidency – on the invitation of Kari Kulmala, Chairman of the delegation of the Finnish Parliament to the BSPC – in Koli National Park, Finland. Delegations from the Åland Islands, the Baltic Assembly, Denmark, the European Parliament, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hamburg, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Nordic Council, Norway, Poland and the Russian Federation participated in the meeting. 27 th Annual BSPC in Mariehamn The main focus was placed on the preparation of the 27 th annual Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, which will take place from 26-28 August in Mariehamn, Åland Islands under the headline: The Baltic Sea – Our Lifeline, Cooperation, Sustainability and Smart Energy – Three pillars for future development. The main themes will be: The Vision of a Healthy Baltic Sea – A Call for more Action as well as Sustainable Energy, Smart Energy Distribution Platforms which will focus on the next generation electrical grids – pilot projects on Baltic islands. Numerous highest- and high-level speakers have already agreed to attend the conference. A draft programme will be published in due time. The Standing Committee also discussed a preliminary draft resolution with calls for action to the governments of the Baltic Sea Region, resulting from the BSPC work since last September. This will be deepened and completed on the basis of relevant events during the next 2 months. Implementation of the 26 th BSPC Resolution A special focus was placed on the follow-up to the resolution of the 26 th annual conference, which took place in Hamburg from 3 – 5 September 2017, and the reports by the national and regional governments about the implementation of the 26 th BSPC resolution. Follow-up statements to the 26 th resolution have been received from 12 parliaments by now. Further statements will follow. They are more and more comprehensive and partially very detailed. The Standing Committee noted that this was a positive development. All statements are published on the BSPC website. Transnational Cooperation With regard to one of the priorities in the current BSPC work programme under the Åland presidency and in continuation of the SC deliberations in Brussels on transnational cooperation and macroregional strategies with a special view to environmental topics, Dr Raimo Heikkilä, Leading Researcher, Finnish Environment Institute, and Dr Heli Saarikoski, Senior Research Scientist, Finnish Environment Institute, addressed the SC members at the beginning of the Standing Committee Meeting in a round of presentations about projects by the Finnish Environment Institute and about collaborative practices for environmental decision-making. Dr Raimo Heikkilä presented a number of interesting projects, significant for the BSR environmental status, pursued by the Finnish Environment Institute – a research and expert institute under the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, in matters of water resources under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The speaker reported on the process of creating the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) clinic. The original four clinics were implemented by SYKE through the strategic development project Towards Sustainable Economic Systems – key methods and tools, lessons learnt and future outlooks (ToFu). After that initial test, the concept was developed in 30 SME cases in the North Karelia region. By now, he added, that work was being handled by the ERDF project Finnish Industrial Symbiosis System and Model -Y in Northern Savo . Dr Heikkilä went on to say that LCA had become one of the main tools for quantifying the environmental sustainability of products and services. The methodology’s main advantage was that several environmental impacts were assessed simultaneously over the entire life cycle of a product or a service, across its whole value chain. Its holistic nature, though, made LCA a laborious and expensive method, less accessible to start-ups as well as small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Clinics were presently focused mainly on climate change impacts, but other impact categories could also be included easily. The aim was to develop LCA as a role model and to expand it regionally and substantially. Dr Heikkilä further provided information about the project “North Karelia towards a Fossil Oil-Free and Low-Carbon Region 2015-2018”. The project was realized by the Regional Council of North Karelia in cooperation with the Finnish Environment Institute, aiming to increase the energy efficiency in buildings, the share of renewable energy and the usage of low-carbon and cleantech solutions. He pointed out that the improvement of energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy in municipalities strengthened pioneer markets; moreover, investments could offer references for new products. The Carbon Neutral Municipalities project (HINKU), the speaker mentioned, had brought municipalities, businesses, citizens and experts together to create and carry out solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In Finland, the emission reduction target was set on a very high level, i.e. -80 % CO 2 eq by 2030 compared to the 2007 level emissions. Dr Heikkilä emphasised that altogether 39 municipalities had committed, and 9 out of 11 municipalities from North Karelia were included in that programme. The goal of FRESHABIT LIFE IP, the next project presented by the speaker, was to ensure the preservation of freshwater heritage for future generations by improving the ecological state and biodiversity of the 2000 Natura freshwater habitats. SYKE was one of 31 project partners, under the leadership of the Metsähallitus natural heritage services, with a total budget of that project as high as 24.4 million euros. Another interesting undertaking mentioned by Dr Heikkilä was the SYKE EnviCal Manager (ECM), an IoT platform developed by the SYKE laboratory centre for research purposes, offering features such as remote data collection and control for almost any measurement device, process automation, real-time monitoring, alarm systems, automated data analysis and many others. With regard to Finnish-Russian cooperation, the speaker mentioned research projects on e.g. forest and swamp biodiversity and ecology that were funded mainly by the ministries responsible for the topics, the Green Belt of Fennoscandia along the boundary between Finland, Russia and Norway and development projects to support sustainable development and protect the biodiversity. Karelia intended to implement a number of projects financed by European Neighbour Instrument Cross Border Cooperation (ENI CBC), for instance the Collaborative Data and Information Exchange Network for Managing Invasive Alien Species, the Joint Cross-Border Environmental Monitoring System, Green Nature-Based Solutions in Tourism, Education for Sustainable Water Use. The speaker drew attention to the fact that the projects’ development depended on the ratification of the CBC programme by the Russian Duma, and he expressed his hope that it would come soon. Ms Valentina Pivnenko assured the audience that, due to the active support by the Karelian Regional Parliament, the legislative process would be completed during the spring session of the State Duma. Ms Heli Saarikoski from the Finnish Environment Institute presented an interesting approach to environmental governance which was being developed in the ongoing project Collaborative Remedies for Fragmented Societies — facilitating a collaborative turn in environmental governance (CORE). The starting points were fragmented societies confronting difficult environmental problems. The main idea was to create processes and mechanisms to support active citizenship and genuine opportunities for civil society actors to participate in public debate and policy-making processes. The project was founded by the Strategic Research Council at the Academy of Finland with 4.1 million euros in the years 2017-2021. Ms Saarikoski explained that collaborative environmental governance referred to planning and policy-making processes in which governmental bodies as well as market and civil society actors came together to explore collectively the problem area and to arrive at a reasonable way forward from public participation to partnerships and multi-party joint fact-finding and consensus-building processes. The assumption, she noted, was that collaborative governance had the capacity to create wise, fair, legitimate and efficient solutions. Currently, a number of case studies had been pursued, among them: community development agreements related to mining in the municipality of Sodankylä in Lapland, the national level policy dialogue process on the potential and bottlenecks on increasing the use of renewable energy in Finland, citizen jury process on regional peatland use strategy in South Ostrobothnia in Western Finland and building collaborative capacity in legislative processes (in co-operation with the Ministry of Justice). The speaker pointed out that the parliamentarians on the regional and national level were also involved in the processes of environmental governance. Information about the Region Additionally, the Standing Committee was informed about the regional and municipal situation in the region by Mr Risto Poutiainen , Region Mayor, Regional Council of North Karelia, and Mr Jarkko Määttänen , Mayor, City of Lieksa. The delegates were also given information about the Koli National Park by Mr Arto Sihvonen , Welfare Director, City of Lieksa, and received insight into traditional rafting by Mr Jaakko Saaristo and Mr Asko Turunen . In Joensuu, they also learned about the botanic garden “Botania”. Documents Raimo Heikkilä – Projects of Finnish Environment Institute in Joensuu and Finnish-Russian cooperation Collaborative environmental governance – insights from CORE project

At the Parliamentary Assembly of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, BSPC Vice-President Carola Veit underlined the crucial importance of parliamentary cooperation and partnerships between the various parliamentary forums. “Parliamentary cooperation and peaceful and constructive dialogue are now important elements of our efforts to promote sustainable development and the well-being of the people in our regions,” said Veit in her capacity as Vice-President of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference at the 5 th plenary session of the SEECP Parliamentary Assembly. SEECP members are 13 South-eastern European states. The BSPC was for the first time represented at the SEECP Parliamentary Assembly. Carola Veit also presented some core contents of the resolution of the 26 th BSPC in Hamburg and promoted its implementation in other countries The aim of the conference in Ljubljana was to intensify cooperation between parliamentary assemblies. Members of parliament should establish direct contact with each other and bring their findings gained through this exchange to the domestic parliaments. They deal with a wide range of issues, such as refugee issues, the threat posed by international terrorism and environmental protection. Veit reported on the results of the 26 th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference last year in Hamburg. Under her presidency, the conference had focused on science and research, democratic participation in the digital age and sustainable tourism. In addition, the new “Migration and Integration” working group had been set up. Regarding Democratic Participation and the Digital Age, the BSPC had called in its resolution on the governments to “- further improve and develop means of democratic participation, e.g. through transparency, comprehensive information, government accountability and other instruments of citizen participation; – stimulate a common dialogue and debate in the region on ethical conditions for the digitization of states and societies and the possibilities of a common legal framework in this policy field. The task of the Parliaments is to guarantee fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law in the digital world as well.” She pointed out that the BSPC wants to initiate cooperation and to achieve progress in the whole region. Therefore, the member parliaments of the BSPC had asked their governments to report on the implementation of the annual resolutions and recommendations for action. She concluded her speech by saying, “We’re facing similar problems. But we have partly much differing regards on them. So it is most demanding to always stay open to listen and understand. It is our task to solve them together, because the problems do not stop at our borders. We are looking forward to coming together for discussions and further, closer cooperation.“ Another meeting with representatives of the SEECP Parliamentary Assembly is scheduled for the summer: Carola Veit invited the Chair of the SEECP to the annual conference of the BSPC in August on the Åland Islands. In the margins of the conference, she also had talks with representatives of the Baltic Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC).

BSPC President Jörgen Pettersson and the head of the delegation of the Finnish Parliament to the BSPC, Kari Kulmala, attended the 47 th Plenary Session of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS Member Nations in St. Petersburg. In his address to the Assembly, Jörgen Pettersson highlighted the necessity of strengthening the interparliamentary cooperation as well as the influence of parliaments related to the democratic values. He also pointed out the necessity of a strong parliamentary support and involvement in the Cultural dialogue. He was referring to a report by the BSPC Rapporteur for Cultural Affairs to the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference on the importance of cultural heritage. In particular, he said: ‘On behalf of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to address the 47 th Plenary Session of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS Member Nations here in St. Petersburg. The BSPC, consisting of 22 parliaments and 5 parliamentary organisations around the Baltic Sea, was founded in 1991 with the primary goal of creating a platform for open parliamentary dialogue to the Baltic Sea as a sea of freedom, prosperity and cooperation. My homeland, the Åland Islands, are particularly aware of the need for and committed to international parliamentary cooperation because of our history. Thanks to international agreements nearly a hundred years ago, we today have guaranteed, neutralised and demilitarised autonomy in the Baltic Sea; Åland is known as ‘the islands of peace’. We hope to inspire others with our history of peace-making in practice. We must strengthen interparliamentary cooperation as well as the influence of parliaments. We are the voice of the people. Their common will is of crucial importance in order to look for answers to international challenges such as the threats posed by terrorism which you were intensively discussing one year ago in this hall at your 25 th anniversary. We parliamentarians as representatives of the citizens in our countries need to continuously work on deepening dialogue between countries. We also have to find compromises and cooperation related to the democratic values to face future international challenges and possibilities. We see the need for cooperation not only in the Baltic Sea area but also beyond. Peace, love and understanding are the foundations upon which civilisation is created. We have underlined in our resolution that we want to intensify the cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region, including the Northern Dimension, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and the Strategy for the Socio-Economic Development of the North West Federal District of Russia. Your Assembly focuses in this year especially on the field of culture and cultural heritage. This policy area is also particularly suitable for interparliamentary cooperation. For the BSPC, this is also an important policy field. The Baltic Sea Region has an outstanding diverse and attractive cultural life and a cultural heritage of great value. We see the necessity of a strong parliamentary support and involvement in the Cultural dialogue. Therefore, we have had a Rapporteur on Cultural Affairs for years. She has followed developments in this area and reported to the conference in recent years. Last year’s report focuses on the importance of cultural heritage, also with a view to the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018. The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Åland which will be opened by the President of the Republic of Finland on 27 August 2018 will offer dialogue, debate, solutions, friendship and a strong will to increase cooperation and prosperity in the region. The main themes of our conference will be cooperation, maritime policy and sustainable energy. We will also include the young generation in our deliberations and give them the opportunity to discuss their recommendations on the United Nations 2030 development goals which they will elaborate one week before at a youth summit called ReGeneration 2030. We are the Islands of Peace, and we want the whole of the Baltic Sea (and the rest of the world) to follow our example: for the benefit of hope and the never-ending search for a better life! In the margins of the conference, the representatives of the BSPC had talks with representatives of the Parliamentary Assemblies of the OECD, of PABSEC and of the Mediterranean.

BSPC President Jörgen Pettersson and the head of the delegation of the Finnish Parliament to the BSPC, Kari Kulmala, attended the XIX International Environmental Forum “Baltic Sea Day” on 22-23 March in St. Petersburg. In his address to the Forum, Jörgen Pettersson underlined the fundamental importance of a constructive dialogue and close cooperation especially in politically difficult times as well as the crucial need for more stringent action on the national level in the BSR countries to reach the goals of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan until 2021 and thus a good ecological status of the Baltic Sea. In particular, he said: ‘The Baltic Sea Day here in St. Petersburg each year is a crucial component of our common efforts to promote sustainable development in the Baltic Sea Region. ‘Especially in politically difficult times, a constructive dialogue and close cooperation are of fundamental importance. ‘From the very beginning, the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference has dealt intensively with environmental issues. Their solution is also necessary independently from all other political disputes. Environmental problems are our common problems. Environmental pollution does not stop at our borders. ‘That is why we also have to solve them together. ‘Our aim is to be progressive and to urge governments to act progressively and also to convince those who are still hesitant in their actions. ‘Since the beginning of our cooperation – and during 17 years as an official observer –, the 27 parliaments and parliamentary organizations of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) have actively supported the work of HELCOM and called on our governments to give HELCOM the political support it needs to execute the necessary measures. Many topics the BSPC has been dealing with refer to issues that HELCOM is concerned with, such as, to mention only a few, the good ecological status of the Baltic marine environment, stricter emission regulations, stricter controls on eutrophication and the Baltic Sea as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area. ‘And – as I already pointed out at the Ministerial Meeting of HELCOM in Brussels on 6 March – we do this because the people who elected us expect us to provide them with a good environmental status and a clean and healthy Baltic Sea. The environment is similar to peace on earth. It’s the foundation of all human life. ‘That is why it is so important to achieve the goals that we have set ourselves for example with the Baltic Sea Action Plan and to do so within the very time frame set in the plan. We are in a hurry, 2021 will soon be here, and that is why we have to implement the 2030 sustainable development goals. ‘I myself come from Åland, the self-governed, neutralised and demilitarised Islands of Peace as we are called. We have 6,700 larger islands, and we are situated in the middle of the Baltic Sea. For us, the sea is a central lifeline and living space. We see it every morning and say goodnight to it every evening. ‘That is why we have a vital interest in the well-being of the Baltic Sea. That is why we have developed a wide-ranging sustainability strategy which we hope will be acknowledged as a Best Practice and repeated by others. ‘Therefore, we consider it necessary to keep emphasizing the political will regarding a clean Baltic Sea but also a good environmental status overall. It calls for action rather than talk. ‘For that reason, I am glad about this International Environmental Forum “Baltic Sea Day”. ‘Apart from all the progress achieved by HELCOM in the meantime, the current situation shows us that appeals alone are not enough. We must act more widely and stringently and make greater efforts. The priorities from our point of view are eutrophication, marine litter, hazardous substances and underwater noise. ‘We support the agreements in the new ministerial declaration and the path the ministers have taken on this basis. At the same time, however, we call for stricter action at the national level to guarantee the achievement of the objectives that in our mind are necessary in order to reinstate the health of the Baltic Sea. ‘The crucial foundation of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference is: We want to be a political platform for cooperation, for commitment and for competence in the political dialogue of parliaments, governments and civil societies in the Baltic Sea region. ‘We should not take for granted that we parliamentarians can always find satisfactory solutions. But we have an obligation to our citizens to contribute to solving problems. In order to achieve that, we must strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation as well as the influence of parliaments. Their common will is of crucial importance in order to look for answers to international challenges. We parliamentarians as representatives of the citizens in our countries need to continuously work on deepening dialogue, on compromise and on cooperation related to the democratic values to face future international challenges, especially environmental problems. ‘The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Åland on 26-28 August 2018 will offer dialogue, debate, solutions, friendship and a strong will to increase cooperation, prosperity, sustainability and a healthy environment in the region. ‘I invite you to come to the conference. Let us – parliaments, governments and societies – strengthen our efforts working toward a good environmental status of our Baltic Sea, which is a lifeline for all of us. ‘You are welcome to participate in order to fulfil the will of all people depending on the health of the Baltic Sea!’ In the margins of the conference, the representatives of the BSPC had talks with representatives of the Finnish government, the CBSS, HELCOM, BSSSC, WWF, the city of Turku and a number of scientists.

BSPC President Jörgen Pettersson and BSPC Secretary General Bodo Bahr had an insightful conversation with the Chairman of the Senior Officials of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, Ambassador Hans Olsson, the Deputy Director of the CBSS Secretariat, Bernd Hemingway and representatives of all units of the CBSS Secretariat on 20 March in the premises of the CBSS Secretariat in Stockholm about possibilities to intensify the collaboration and to identify common activities. During the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Brussels, Ambassador Olsson made a series of concrete offers to deepen mutual cooperation and underlined that CBSS sees a great foundation for the development of the dialogue and collaboration between the CBSS and the BSPC. These collaboration points were the basis for the discussion in Stockholm. The representatives of the CSS Secretariat informed in detail about their current work priorities. In regard to Baltic 2030 CBSS had invited the BSPC to participate in ReGeneration 2030 – a joint initiative by the NCM and the CBSS, focusing on youth engagement in Agenda 2030. ReGeneration 2030 Summit will take place on 18 th -20 th of August 2018 in Mariehamn. BSPC President Pettersson informed that he was in contact with the organisers of ReGeneration 2030, that he would participate in the Summit and that 2 representatives of the Summit would be given the opportunity to present their manifesto and the results of their Summit at the 27 th BSPC. In view to a proposal of an annual CBSS-BSPC event to discuss how to coherently implement SDGs and environmental agendas across the region (e.g. back-to-back with BSPC annual conference in Marienhamn) had been envisaged by the BSPC to start a common discussion on the SDG within the framework of the 27 th BSPC. BSPC will further discuss an increased involvement of the BSPC Rapporteurs in the work of the respective CBSS working groups – which is already very intensive in the field of labour – and, in the future more back-to-back events with the BSPC during future annual conferences. CBSS had already been involved in the BSPC Working Group on Migration and Integration and will be involved in the further work.

The BSPC Working Group on Migration and Integration held its second meeting on the premises of the Swedish Parliament on 19 March. Delegations from the Baltic Assembly, Nordic Council, Åland, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hamburg, Latvia, Lithuania, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Norway, Poland, Schleswig-Holstein and Sweden participated in the meeting. The new Chairman of the Working Group Hans Wallmark, Member of the Swedish Parliament and of the Nordic Council Presidium, also gave the participants a profound insight into the work of the Swedish Parliament. Intergovernmental Survey The Working Group discussed in its first meeting common questions to be sent by each delegation to their respective governments. This way, the Working Group wants to obtain a better overview and results regarding the situation in the whole region, learn from best practice examples and develop proposals to improve cooperation in the integration of migrants. BSPC Vice-President and WG Vice-Chair Ms. Carola Veit – who had summarized the questions and developed a list to be sent to the respective governments as homework assignments – informed the group at the beginning of the meeting on the preliminary results of the survey of the WG and the first answers of the governments. By the time of the meeting in Stockholm, the survey had been answered by the governments of Åland, Denmark, Hamburg, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden. Carola Veit briefed the WG about first reactions which included detailed answers. A comprehensive comparison of the responses received will be submitted to the next meeting of the WG in Copenhagen. Expert presentations The meeting was provided with a number of very informative expert presentations and had a lively discussion with the experts. Mr Bernd Hemingway , Deputy Director-General of the CBSS Secretariat, reminded his audience that migration was back on the agenda of the Council of the Baltic Sea States with the ministerial declarations of Warsaw and Reykjavík. These had been basically a reaction to the events of 2015. This focused more on the topic of refugees rather than migration governance. He pointed out that migration fits into all long-term regional priorities of the CBSS, because migration in itself is a horizontal policy area. Migration is also related to security management, it is part of social politics, of education politics, of health politics, of foreign affairs regarding migration flows and part of development cooperation and many other areas. He noted that this led to the disadvantage that migration policy often has no specific home. In governments, it is most commonly the responsibility of the ministries of the interior. For the CBSS, it is important that the migration area should not be left in the hands of populist politicians. Furthermore, Mr Hemingway referred to a couple of activities by the CBSS in this policy area and to the results and recommendations by the soft security conference in Helsinki. He especially mentioned the recommendation to implement one-stop shops where migrants are able to receive all necessary services in one place. Mr Marco Roman Loi and Mr Björn Bergström , specialists at the International Affairs Department of the Swedish Migration Agency, gave detailed information on the development of migration. In addition, they spoke about the numbers of asylum seekers from 2010 to the present day in Sweden and the shares of the individual countries of origin as well as migrant labourers, approved work permit applications and guest students. Mr Per Aldskogius from the Swedish Ministry of Employment informed the Working Group on the reception and integration of newly arrived immigrants in Sweden. He underlined the principles of the Swedish migration policy. The goal is to ensure equal rights, obligations and opportunities for all, irrespective of their ethnic and cultural background. The reception of newly arrived refugees is a shared responsibility on a national, regional and local level. The policy objective is work, education or training normally within two years after the issuing of a residence permit during the introduction programme. These objectives are to be achieved primarily through general policy measures, supplemented by targeted support for the introduction of newcomers. In his presentation, Mr Aldskogius pointed out both the main challenges and opportunities. He mentioned as main challenges: prolonged waiting times; a lack of housing – uneven reception and settlement between different regions and municipalities -; insufficient capacities in society, e.g. a lack of teachers and interpreters; an early and efficient access to the labour market and education for those granted asylum and, finally, increased segregation. He highlighted as opportunities: a strong economy; a high employment rate and relatively low unemployment; a high demand for labour meets a labour shortage in many professions: many newly arrived migrants are young and well educated; job opportunities are good. Mr Aldskogius also informed the Working Group about the main integration measures between 2016 and 2018 in Sweden, specifically: increased state funding to municipalities; a new reimbursement system for reception of unaccompanied minors; early measures for asylum seekers; a new law forcing all municipalities to settle migrants granted asylum; several new initiatives in labour market policy, e.g. fast tracks, employment support as well as several new initiatives in most policy areas, e.g. education, social and housing policy. Mr Aldskogius further briefed the WG about a 2-year introduction programme for new arrivals, coordinated by the Public Employment Service, including an individual introduction plan, based on the person’s needs and previous experience. As part of this programme, he noted that the Public Employment Service and the social partners were also implementing tailor-made “fast tracks” for occupations with labour shortages. He pointed out that this was a new concept created in close collaboration with employers. It included tripartite talks with the social partners, the Public Employment Service and other relevant government agencies regarding the employer’s needs, validation of skills, vocational training and work. The first fast track had been presented in 2015, creating opportunities for chefs, and extended to fast tracks in 14 industries by October 2017. Mr Arion Chryssafis , Deputy Mayor for Social Services of the Solna municipality in northern Stockholm, reported on the special situation in Solna. This was characterized by 35 percent foreign-born adult residents. 98 percent of the population lived in flats, a typical suburb with the resulting challenges. The history of Solna, he said, had been shaped by high unemployment, social problems and high costs for social benefit. Today, it was a city with low taxes, a good economy and known for being business-friendly etc. Mr Chryssafis informed the Working Group about the ‘Solna Model’ including systematic efforts to assist Solna residents on income support to become self-sufficient through work, self-employment or studies. The ‘Solna Model’ was characterised by good cooperation with the local enterprises, good knowledge of each participants’ experiences and by further efforts to find a way into the labour market, and it was seen as a model allowing the municipality to fight unemployment, especially among young people. He mentioned as success factors of the ‘Solna Model’: coaching – “Identify and overcome all obstacles on the way to get a job” -; training; good relations with local and regional employers; education; matching employers and employees as well as the speed of delivery of workforce. He noted that Solna was affected by the refugee flow in the short term since temporary housing was needed – there was limited housing space available –, the demand for more and new municipal services and increased diversity. In the long-term, effects included changes in the work force as well as growing tax revenues and diversity. The reception for adults and families with residence permits allotted to Solna according to national/regional quota included housing, settlement support, civics orientation, Swedish for immigrants training, pre-school and school education as well as social services support if needed. Those moving to Solna on their own received Swedish for immigrants training, civics orientation, pre-school and school education as well as support by social services if needed. Mr Chryssafis considered as main challenges the very long, often inactive, asylum process period – affecting the motivation and well-being of asylum seekers – as well as the severe lack of housing in the Stockholm region. Further obstacles to overcome were the involvement of a large number of authorities and stakeholders where smooth collaboration was needed, where temporary solutions were required as well as strategies on how to move from temporary to permanent housing. He added that employment measures during the first two years should be seen as a national responsibility rather than a municipal task, that it was difficult to organise efficient school education for newly arrived youths due to extreme variations in educational backgrounds and that temporary residence permits made it difficult to work with long-term integration initiatives. Ms Lillemor Lindell from the Swedish Sports Confederation gave a very insightful presentation about the structure, funding and efforts of sports in Swedish society and how the field was handling integration. In order to achieve an environment where everyone, regardless of age, gender, social class, religion, cultural and ethnical background etc., felt that they belonged, she pointed out the necessity of an intersectional perspective. She explained intersectionality as a theoretical idea and an analytical tool used to understand how different norms and power structures together create inequality, discrimination and oppression. She also highlighted sports as a way toward inclusion, enveloping people in the community. She provided detailed insight into the lessons so far and also spoke about ASPIRE, an international collaborative project co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, seeking to find out how to best support migrants and refugees, building on the wide popularity of sports and other forms of physical activity. ASPIRE could serve as a pioneer in the long-term perspective, offering a positive, evidence-based response with the help of sports to the many problems of inclusion related to the current migrant and refugee crises, during and after the settlement of migrants and refugees with regard to facilitating the access of refugees to social services All presentations are attached below. During a tour of the Swedish Rigsdagshuset, the members of the Swedish Parliament Hans Wallmark and Pyry Niemi shared details of the parliamentary practice with the Working Group members. Further procedure and next meeting The Working Group agreed furthermore on the main contents of its Midway Report. In addition, initial recommendations for the 27 th BSPC are to be worked out in the upcoming meeting. The next meeting will take place in June in Copenhagen. Documents Reception and integration of newly arrived immigrants in Sweden , Per Aldskogius Soft Security and Migration in the Baltic Sea Region, Bernd Hemingway SWEDEN – a sporting nation City of Solna – Diversity and inclusion, Arion Chryssafis Swedish Migration, Björn Bergström and Marco Roman Loi

BSPC President Jörgen Pettersson underlined at the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting on 6 March 2018 in Brussels that parliaments and parliamentary organizations around the Baltic Sea would continue to support the timely implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan, but he also demanded an implementation on schedule by the governments. He additionally called for more regular HELCOM Ministerial Meetings, to bring the issues of a clean Baltic Sea more deeply into the political debate. The BSPC, he said, was supporting HELCOM as the coordinator of the regional implementation of the UN Agenda 2030 through strengthened implementation of the HELCOM BSAP. Jörgen Pettersson also had an intensive conversation with the European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella. In particular, he emphasised: “Since the beginning of our cooperation, the 27 parliaments and parliamentary organizations of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) have actively supported the work of HELCOM and called on our governments to give HELCOM the political support it needs to execute the necessary measures. “We do this because the people who elected us expect us to provide them with a clean and healthy Baltic Sea. The environment is similar to peace on earth. It’s the foundation of all human life. “That is why it is so important to achieve the goals that we have set ourselves with the Baltic Sea Action Plan and to do so within the very time frame set in the plan. We are in a hurry, 2021 will soon be here. “I myself come from Åland, the self-governed, neutralised and demilitarised Islands of Peace as we are called. We have 6,700 larger islands, and we are situated in the middle of the Baltic Sea. For us, the sea is a central lifeline and living space. We see it every morning and say good night to it every evening. “Therefore, we consider it necessary to keep emphasizing the political will regarding a clean Baltic Sea. It calls for action rather than talk. “For that reason, I am glad about this ministerial meeting happening here today. Such meetings generally lead to more forceful follow-up actions. That is why we call for these ministerial meetings to happen regularly every year, as we have also asked of the CBSS, making HELCOM more politically powerful again. “As early as 5 years ago, at the last HELCOM Ministerial Meeting in Copenhagen, the BSPC reiterated its appeal to governments for forceful efforts to implement the Baltic Sea Action Plan. “Apart from all the progress achieved by HELCOM in the meantime, the current situation shows us that appeals alone are not enough. We must act more widely and stringently and make greater efforts. The priorities from our point of view also include eutrophication, marine litter, hazardous substances and underwater noise. “Dear Ministers of Environmental Affairs, “like you, we support the agreements in the new ministerial declaration and the path you are taking on this basis. At the same time, however, we call for stricter action at the national level to guarantee the achievement of the objectives that in our mind are necessary in order to reinstate the health of the Baltic Sea. “The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Åland on 26-28 August 2018 will offer dialogue, debate, solutions, friendship and a strong will to increase cooperation, prosperity, sustainability and a healthy environment in the region. “I invite you all to come to the conference. Let us – parliaments, governments and societies – strengthen our efforts working toward a good environmental status of our Baltic Sea, which is a lifeline for all of us. “You all are welcome to participate in order to fulfil the will of all people depending on the health of the Baltic Sea!” BSPC President Pettersson also had an intensive conversation with the European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, on the ocean-related UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, on the particular situation of sea islands, on topics related to the environment, maritime affairs, the impact of Brexit, especially in regard to fisheries policies and hunting issues. He further spoke with the Finnish Minister of the Environment, Energy and Housing, Kimmo Tiilikainen, in view of the upcoming 27 th annual conference of the BSPC on 26-28 August 2018 in Mariehamn as well as with HELCOM Chair Marianne Wenning, HELCOM Executive Secretary Monika Stankiewicz, Ambassador Hans Olsson, Chairman of the CBSS Committee of Senior Officials, as well as Deputy-Director of the CBSS Secretariat Bernd Hemingway. Document Statement by BSPC, HELCOM Ministerial Meeting, 6 March 2018, Brussels https://portal.helcom.fi/meetings/HELCOM%20MINISTERIAL%202018-507/MeetingDocuments/Statement%20by%20BSPC.pdf

Under the Chairmanship of BSPC President Jörgen Pettersson, the BSPC Standing Committee gathered at the European Parliament in Brussels on 22 February 2018 to inquire about the latest issues of European policy, to exchange information about current common issues with partner organisations and to prepare the upcoming Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Mariehamn. Representatives and delegations of the European Parliament, the European Commission, the Council of the Baltic Sea States, HELCOM, Interreg Baltic Sea Region Managing Authority , and of the BSPC members from the Åland Islands, the Baltic Assembly, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, the German Bundestag, Hamburg, Latvia, Lithuania, the Nordic Council, Norway, the Russian Federation and Sweden participated in the meeting. The Standing Committee was greeted by Mr Jørn Dohrmann, the Standing Committee member and Chair of the EP Delegation for relations with Switzerland and Norway and to the EU-Iceland Joint Parliamentary Committee and the European Economic Area Joint Parliamentary Committee. Mr Dohrmann emphasized the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation and political dialogue in the Baltic Sea Region as can only be achieved by a joint effort common goals. He mentioned that the European Parliament had also hosted the Fifth Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum where President Pettersson had represented the BSPC. The participants of the Fifth Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum had adopted a statement highlighting the importance of practical regional cooperation in sustainable development, public health and social well-being, culture, environmental protection, logistics, connectivity and transport. The statement had also mentioned the huge importance of addressing the urgent environmental challenges of the Baltic Sea Region and called on all the Baltic Sea states and the EU to take measures and actions to improve the quality of their waste-water effluents and to clean up the heavily polluted sea. The Impact of Brexit on the Baltic Sea Region Mr Werner Kuhn, MEP, in his presentation The Impact of Brexit on the Baltic Sea Region – in Particular with Regard to Fisheries Policy , reminded his audience of the referendum held on Thursday 23 June 2016 to decide whether the UK should leave or remain in the European Union. ‘Leave’ won by 51.9% to 48.1%. The referendum turnout had been 71.8%, with more than 30 million people voting. As the result of that, Article 50 of the 2009 Lisbon Treaty had been triggered, starting negotiations over a withdrawal agreement. The UK was expected to leave the EU in March 2019. The negotiated draft deal would have to be approved by the European Council, requiring the approval from at least 20 countries with 65% of the population. The next step would be the ratification of the draft deal by the European Parliament. Mr Kuhn pointed out that the primary objective for the Brexit negotiations was the protection of the good future of the remaining EU27. The anticipated impact on the industrial sector might manifest as GDP depreciation, less investments and a slowdown of domestic demand in some areas. A high impact was predicted for such branches as automotive, chemicals, paper energy, machinery and equipment, agri-food, construction; moderate and low impacts were predicted for IT services, pharmaceuticals, aeronautics and transport. Another challenge was related to the fact that 51.4% of British goods were headed to the EU, while 6.6% of the EU goods were exported to the UK. Among the countries that might be affected most were Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland. Another issue was the migration of skilled employees, as approx. 600,000 skilled workers were planning to ‘brain drain’ out of the UK, most with a view to go to Germany. The next issue of great importance was payments requested and offered in connection with the UK leaving the EU. The opening request by the EU was 60–100 billion Euro, against 40-55 billion of the UK government’s offer. During phase 1, three main issues had been negotiated by Michel Barnier, European Chief Negotiator for Brexit: the UK’s outstanding financial obligations – „the UK bill“ –, the rights of EU27 citizens in the UK versus the rights of UK citizens in the EU27 and the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. With regard to fisheries, Mr Kuhn noted that the situation was still unclear. After Brexit, EU-UK relations would be governed by international law, such as for instance UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea –1982), UNFSA (United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement –1995), and the EU-UK trade relations would be subject to WTO terms. There would be control over territorial waters (200 nautical miles), shared stock management and settlement provisions. Among the biggest challenges of the future EU-UK fisheries agreement, Mr Kuhn mentioned: around 100 shared fish stocks and their joint management, reciprocal access to waters and resources and the impact on the market for fish and seafood. He said that the negotiations were both crucial and difficult because the UK-EU fisheries relationship was very intensive as both sides were each other’s most important partners. Ending his presentation, the speaker underlined that currently at least three possible frameworks for fisheries relations could be taken into account – firstly, SFPA (Sustainable Fisheries Partnership agreement) including buying access and technical assistance; secondly, a Northern agreement enveloping Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, as a loose framework with informal negotiations, and, finally, very informal Coastal State consultations. However, it was also possible that none of the existing EU fisheries agreements would be suitable, concluded the speaker. Progress Report from the CBSS Ambassador Hans Olsson, Chairman of the Committee of Senior Officials of the Council of the Baltic Sea States as well as Ambassador of Sweden, gave an overview of the recent developments within the CBSS’ working areas as well as proposed points of collaboration between the CBSS and BSPC. With regard to Sustainable Development and Climate Change, the Ambassador informed the audience that the Baltic 2030 Unit was currently preparing an analysis on Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on the common challenges and discrepancies across the Baltic Sea countries (including Russia), with the goal of creating a regional dialogue. The speaker proposed an annual CBSS-BSPC event to discuss how to coherently implement SDGs and environmental agendas across the region. In addition, on behalf of Baltic 2030, he invited the BSPC to participate in ReGeneration 2030 – a joint initiative by the NCM and the CBSS, focusing on youth engagement in the Agenda 2030, which will take place on 18-20 August 2018 in Mariehamn. Finally, he invited the BSPC to nominate their representative to the BSR Climate Dialogue Platform. With regard to economic issues including labour, science, research and maritime topics, Ambassador Olsson recommended closer cooperation on labour, employment and migration issues, e.g. reinforcing the BSPC’s interaction with the Baltic Sea Labour Forum, jointly using the Policy Recommendations Paper, including points from the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference’s (25 th BSPC) Resolution, as well as proposals from the BSLF members, taking part in events and projects carried out by the BSLF. He also invited the BSPC to nominate their representative to the renewed CBSS Expert Group on Maritime Policy, focusing on a sustainable maritime economy, the Blue Growth Agenda and a cross-sector approach between governments, academia and businesses. Ambassador Olsson reported that in 2017, a major achievement in the civil security area had been the adoption of the Joint Position on Enhancing Cooperation in Civil Protection Area at the 15 th Meeting of the Directors General for the Civil Protection in the Baltic Sea Region, held in Keflavik (Iceland) on 12 May 2017. The document set out a long-term perspective for enhanced cooperation between national authorities responsible for civil protection in the Baltic Sea region. In the field of culture, education and youth, the speaker remarked that contact with the BSPC in this regard had been established and both organisations might use the opportunity for further cooperation, for instance on cultural heritage which would be a priority of both the incoming Latvian presidency of the CBSS (2018-2019) and the EU (European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018). Ambassador Olsson underlined that the CBSS recognized a great foundation for the development of the dialogue and collaboration between CBSS and BSPC, hoping for a positive response to the invitation for new collaboration points. He offered his thanks for the invitation to the 27 th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Mariehamn. Progress Report on the activities of HELCOM Ms Marianne Wenning, Chairlady of HELCOM, presented the current state of the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan 2021 and pointed out that not much time was left for completing the plan. The Action Plan had been structured around a set of Ecological Objectives used to define indicators and targets, including effect-based nutrient input ceilings, and to monitor implementation. To the four main objectives of the BSAP – 1) a Baltic Sea unaffected by eutrophication 2) a Baltic Sea undisturbed by hazardous substances 3) a Baltic Sea with environmentally friendly maritime activities and 4) a favourable conservation status of Baltic Sea biodiversity –, three new issues were added: seabed disturbance, underwater noise and marine litter. Ms Wenning noted that during the European Union Chairmanship of HELCOM, the State of the Baltic Sea 2017 Report had been presented. This holistic assessment, covering and linking within one conceptual framework all important ecosystem components and pressures from human activities, as well as social and economic analysis, was based on over 30 core indicators. Various ecosystem components had been analysed: pelagic and benthic habitats, fish, seals, birds which had been subjected to various pressures: eutrophication, hazardous substances, alien species, extraction of fish through commercial fishing, marine litter, underwater sound, and seabed disturbance. Regrettably, the graph shown by Ms Wenning indicated mainly a poor state of the Baltic Sea. For instance, the Baltic Sea was still highly affected by eutrophication, even though phosphorous and nitrogen inputs – causing eutrophication – had been reduced significantly. There were some positive signs regarding the status, though, such as a decrease in nutrient concentrations and improved water clarity in parts of the Baltic Sea. That would indicate that several measures to improve the status of the Baltic Sea were operating but might not be sufficiently comprehensive or had not been in place long enough to have an effect. Furthermore, she admitted that the Baltic Sea Action Plan had not yet been fully implemented. About 70% of the agreed joint regional actions in the Plan had been carried out. Regarding actions to be implemented on a national level, the corresponding number was between 35% and 60% depending on the country. If all agreed actions of the Baltic Sea Action Plan were to be taken, this would bring about increased human welfare and economic benefits to citizens in the coastal countries, as evidenced in the State of the Baltic Sea report. Ms Wenning emphasized that total losses due to eutrophication had been estimated at 3.8 – 4.4 billion euros annually for the Baltic Sea region. In other words, citizens’ welfare would increase by this much each year if a good eutrophication status was achieved. Similarly, recreation values would increase by 1 – 2 billion euros each year in a good state of the environment. The speaker noted that HELCOM had been considering the results of the assessment in order to plan further steps. The Ministerial Meeting under the EU Chairmanship in HELCOM on 6 March 2018 would be an opportunity to strengthen existing commitments and determine new important areas of action. Progress Report on the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Mr Peter Schenk from the Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission presented a number of assessment reports on the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. He reported that the First Commission Report on the implementation of all four macro-regional strategies had been adopted by the European Commission in 2016 and followed by Council Conclusions in April 2017, the Committee of the Regions’ opinion in November 2017, and the European Parliament resolution in January 2018. The report provided an assessment of the state of implementation of the current strategies and took stock of the main results achieved to date. It presented a number of recommendations on possible developments of the strategies and their action plans, also in the light of the future cohesion policy. Mr Schenk referred to the recent study ‘Macro-regional strategies and their links with cohesion policy’, contracted by the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, aimed first at describing the main features of each macro-region (Baltic, Danube, Adriatic and Ionian, and Alpine) through a range of macroeconomic, competitiveness, integration and governance indicators. It assessed to what extent the strategies were contributing to coordination and synergies between European Structural and Investment Funds and other EU policies and instruments. The study looked at the potential of the macro-regional approach to contribute to the future cohesion policy and was composed of five documents: one core report summarizing the main findings of the study and one annex per strategy compiling data and conclusions concerning each of them. The main findings of the study were: the EUSBSR had set the relevant objectives, addressing relevant needs, with meaningful achievements both in terms of content and process. The funding of the strategy projects had been accomplished mainly by Interreg, but also by other EU funding sources. Nonetheless, there was a need for more strategic alignment between the MRSs and ESIF (regulatory framework and programming stages). The recommendations referred to the need for cross-sectoral and cross-territorial coordination in any new EU policy and in EU funds; better support for matchmaking between transnational collaboration proposals and funding (MA networks). Mr Schenk mentioned a number of important events and future initiatives such as a High-level Group meeting on Macro-Regional Strategies in 2017, the ongoing preparation of a 2 nd Commission Report on the implementation of all four macro-regional strategies, to be launched by the end of 2018, ongoing preparation of the Communication “Update and implementation of the Communication Strategy for the EUSBSR”. In closing, he invited the participants to the EUSBSR Annual Forum on 4/5 June 2018 in Tallinn and to the 10 th anniversary of the EUSBSR Forum in Gdansk in 2019. Added Value of Transnational Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region Ms Susanne Scherrer, Director of the Managing Authority/Joint Secretariat in Rostock, Kiel and Riga pointed out that Interreg transnational cooperation programmes had been operational for more than 20 years, implementing actions in the framework of the EU Cohesion Policy. An informal working group including representatives from transnational programmes and interregional programmes had recently elaborated a document identifying the role and achievements of Interreg transnational programmes. Ms Scherrer presented selected examples of the achievements of transnational cooperation particularly relevant to the Baltic Sea region. She informed her listeners that Interreg transnational cooperation as a part of the EU cohesion policy consisted of 105 cooperation programmes with a total budget of 10.1 billion euros of cohesion funds. Interreg Baltic Sea Region was one of 15 transnational cooperation programmes including 74 projects carried out by 1000 partners. Thereafter, Ms Scherrer presented examples of projects which responded to transnational cooperation goals. With regard to the goal of reducing disparity, she mentioned the project Science Link and Baltic Tram which created a network of large-scale neutron and photon labs. The network provided more even access to research and innovation structures. With regard to tackling challenges across borders, the project Baltic InteGrid responded to the need for a better use of offshore wind energy production. Ms Scherrer pointed out that currently less than 15% of its capacity for offshore wind energy production was used in the BSR, due to missing connections between electricity grids, gaps in R&D and insufficient cooperation. Interreg connected energy operators, industry, policy makers, authorities and academia from all Baltic Sea countries. The projects CHEMsea and DAIMON helped authorities to improve their services in dealing with tons of munitions dumped into the sea after WWI and II. Ms Scherrer underlined the fact that Interreg TN funding was decisive for making macro-regional strategies work and enabled cooperation with Russia. She concluded that there was great potential for even more cooperation across the Baltic Sea Region. The 27 th BSPC in Mariehamn The Standing Committee then was informed by BSPC President Jörgen Pettersson on the progress of preparations for the upcoming 27 th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference. The main themes of the conference would be sustainable societies in the Baltic Sea region, cooperation and integration. As possible subthemes, he mentioned “The Baltic Sea as our lifeline” and the state of the Baltic Sea regarding the environmental state as well as maritime policies – sustainability and circular economics. Mr Pettersson also noted topics being considered for another session: the Baltic Sea labour market challenges in a time of growing urbanization or sustainable energy, smart energy distribution platforms. He also underlined the importance of involving young people and their views in the work of the BSPC. In keeping with the tradition of the BSPC, he will therefore give two representatives of the Youth Summit Regeneration 2030, which was previously mentioned by the CBSS, the opportunity to contribute the results of this youth conference, which ideally will take place from 18 to 20 August 2018 on the Aland Islands, to the annual conference. The BSPC Working Group on Migration and Integration The meeting also discussed the follow-up to the 26 th resolution and the activities of the BSPC Working Group on Migration and Integration. The Standing Committee appointed Hans Wallmark from the Swedish Parliament as Chairman of the WG, who will be represented by Pyry Niemi from the Swedish Parliament if unable to attend. The Standing Committee had also been informed about the first WG meeting in Hamburg and a survey elaborated by the Vice-Chair of the WG, Carola Veit , on the basis of the deliberations in the WG to be answered by the governments. The Standing Committee expressed its appreciation of Carola Veit’s commitment to the Working Group. The BSPC Rapporteur on Culture The BSPC rapporteur on culture, Karin Gaardsted , Denmark, reported on a number of meetings and events conducted mainly in Denmark with a view to learning more about e-sports. She also informed her audience that a short questionnaire had been prepared referring to the government’s involvement in e-sports, the organization of e-sports, talent development, e-sports and the school system, the perception of and view on e-sports, job opportunities in the e-sports business as well as obstacles and challenges for e-sports. The Standing Committee supported that the questionnaire should be sent to the governments. The answers would serve as a basis for the further deliberations on this topic. Documents The Impact of Brexit on the Baltic Sea Region – Werner Kuhn CBSS Briefing to the BSPC Standing Committee HELCOM Priorities under the EU Chairmanship 2016-2018 – Marianne Wenning EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region – Peter Schenk Transnational cooperation in the Baltic Sea region – Susanne Scherrer Presentation of rapporteurship on cultural affairs – KARIN GAARDSTED

27 years after the BSPC was launched on the initiative of the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament, Mr. Kalevi Sorsa, BSPC President Jörgen Pettersson pointed out with a view to the upcoming annual conference, that the 27 th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Åland on 26–28 August 2018 will offer dialogue, debate, solutions, friendship and a strong will to make the Baltic Sea more prosperous than ever before. He invited to participate in this process. In an article of Baltic RIM Economies he underlined that a fair solution to any challenge can only be achieved by dialogue and cooperation, particularly in times of crisis. He explained on the basis of the history of the Åland Islands how they developed from crisis to the ‘Islands of Peace’. He also emphasized, that the ‘Åland Example’ is living proof of a functional crisis management and the fact that discussions and agreements can be reached even when circumstances are challenging. He also pointed out the crucial foundation of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference as a political platform for cooperation, for commitment and for competence in the political dialogue of parliaments, governments and civil societies in the Baltic Sea region and explained the priority issues for the BSPC during the Åland Islands Presidency in 2018. The whole article can be found here (www.utu.fi/pei. Jörgen Pettersson . From crisis to success , how Åland . became the Islands of Peace . Expert article • 2259).

The new BSPC Working Group on Migration and Integration, which was established by the 26 th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Hamburg on 5 September 2017, held its first meeting on the premises of the Hamburg Parliament, the so-called Bürgerschaft, on 5 December. Delegations from the Baltic Assembly, Denmark, Estonia, Hamburg, Latvia, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Norway, Schleswig-Holstein and Sweden participated in the meeting. The President of the Hamburg Parliament, Carola Veit, who chaired this meeting as both Vice-President of the BSPC and Vice-Chair of the Working Group, underlined that migration and integration were among the great challenges and tasks of our time. “This applies equally to all members of the BSPC,” Carola Veit said. “It makes sense to work on the subject together, regardless of any differences.” Mandate, Scope of Work and Work Programme At the beginning of the meeting, a number of key issues for the next two years were discussed. The mandate of the Standing Committee was confirmed, and an extensive work programme was adopted. The first step in said programme is to develop an overview of the different approaches to migration policy and existing integration projects in the Baltic Sea countries. The scope of work covers primarily: a survey on the current situation of migration and integration in the Baltic Sea region, best practice examples and political recommendations. The Working Group plans to discuss the causes of flight and migration, migration policy goals, governance guidelines, demographic development and migration, status and trends in migration, challenges and prospects of migration and of integration. Speeches and presentations Ms Aydan Özoğuz , Minister of State at the Federal Chancellor’s Office and Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration, and Mr Ulrich Weinbrenner , Head of the Staff Unit for Social Cohesion and Integration in the Federal Ministry of the Interior, addressed the WG at the meeting in a round of presentations about integration work in Germany. They provided detailed information regarding the intensive efforts of Germany to integrate foreigners into society. Both provided important background information and answered the numerous questions by working group members about the experiences of the Federal Republic of Germany in the integration of refugees and migrants. Minister Özoğuz pointed out that the BSPC’s decision to focus on migration and integration had been a timely and well-chosen signal. These issues were exerting a significant influence on our politics, our economies and our societies, as well as our day-to-day lives. According to Minister Özoğuz, migration had always been the rule rather than the exception in Europe’s history. It had been the Baltic Sea region where one of the most influential migration processes in human history began. Migration had been normal in the history of all the societies of the BSPC. She underlined the necessity to shape societies in which all can live together peacefully and to develop societies into communities that offer a future to all their members. While she conceded that integrating the large number of refugees was a major challenge, she warned against populism in this context. The minister mentioned that we were facing an extremely emotional debate when it came to migration, making it a lot more difficult to talk about facts and find solutions. She stressed the necessity of both immigration laws making immigration more transparent and a European agreement on how to deal with such situations in the future. She was convinced that a fair distribution key could help all. She appealed to the Working Group not to stop searching for data and facts that help to make migration and integration explainable and understandable. In addition, Mr Weinbrenner gave an overview of integration measures in Germany, specifically the German Integration Act, the integrated management of refugees, language tuition programmes at the federal level as well as additional measures such as migrant advisory and integration projects. He mentioned that 18.6 million Germans had a migrant background (= 22.5 %) – 90.5 % of those living in the former West Germany, 5.5 % in Berlin and 4 % in the former East Germany. He noted the number of applications for asylum filed and decisions taken between 2012 and October 2017 (in 2016: 745,545 applications and 695,753 decisions). Funds for integration courses had increased in 2017 up to 850 million €. The total number of participants in integration courses as well as the percentage of refugees had risen enormously in 2016. This had caused tremendous challenges for integration policy and the integration course system. Mr Weinbrenner also informed the Working Group about migration-specific advisory services – provided by voluntary welfare organisations – complementing integration courses. Further procedure and next meeting The Working Group further discussed common questions to be sent by each delegation to their respective governments. This way, the Working Group wants to obtain a better survey and results regarding the situation in the whole region, learn from best practice examples and develop proposals to improve cooperation in the integration of migrants. The next meeting will take place on 19 March 2018 in Stockholm. Speech by Ms Aydan Özoğuz , Minister of State at the Federal Chancellor’s Office and Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration Presentation by Mr Ulrich Weinbrenner , Head of Directorate of social cohesion an integration at the Federal Ministry of the Interior Mandate and draft Scope of work of the BSPC Working Group on Migration and Integration