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On 10 June 2024, the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) Standing Committee convened in Copenhagen for a critical meeting marked by important discussions that will influence the future of the organisation. Originally planned to be held in the Faroe Islands, the meeting was relocated to Copenhagen due to unforeseen circumstances related to a public strike in the Faroe Islands. More than 30 participants, representatives and delegations of the BSPC members from the Åland Islands, the Baltic Assembly, Denmark, the German Bundestag, Finland, Hamburg, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the Nordic Council, Norway, Poland, Schleswig-Holstein and Sweden participated in the meeting. Opening Remarks BSPC President Henrik Møller opened the meeting by welcoming the participants to the Danish Parliament and noting the unique situation surrounding the meeting’s relocation. He highlighted the significance of addressing the ongoing challenges, particularly the increasing brutalisation observed during the European election campaign and the need for stronger democracies and social cohesion. Key Discussions and Decisions Follow-up on the 32 nd BSPC Resolution: President Møller reported on the responses received from various governments regarding the implementation of the 32 nd BSPC Resolution, with statements published on the BSPC website. https://www.bspc.net/statements-of-the-governments-in-the-baltic-sea-region-to-the-32 nd -bspc-resolution/ Working Groups and Reports: Energy Security, Self-sustainability, Resilience, and Connectivity (ESSRC) : The committee reviewed the progress of the ESSRC Working Group, which had held significant meetings in Helsinki and Greifswald. The group’s recommendations have been incorporated into the draft of the 33 rd BSPC resolution. Sea-Dumped Ammunitions : Rapporteur Anna Kassautzki provided an update on efforts in Germany to address the issue of sea-dumped ammunitions, including the construction of a prototype mobile platform for retrieval and disposal. SC members whovisited Finland’s eastern border underlined the importance of the visit, particularly under security aspects, and provided insights into the results of their conversations and conclusions. BSPC Secretariat: A significant portion of the meeting focused on discussing the future accommodation configuration of the BSPC Secretariat. And related questions. After a thorough discussion, the deliberations focused on a compromise solution that includes a transition period. The deliberations will be continued. Upcoming BSPC Events: The 33 rd BSPC Annual Conference and the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth Forum (BSPYF) will be held in Helsingør from August 25-27, 2024. The conference will feature distinguished speakers, including Danish and Swedish government officials, and will culminate in a reception at Castle Kronborg. Conclusion The meeting in Copenhagen underlined the BSPC’s resilience and commitment to addressing critical regional issues, even in the face of unexpected challenges. The negotiations were characterised by efforts to secure an ongoing high level of BSPC work in the further future and, by that, ensure the continuity and effectiveness of the BSPC’s work in promoting cooperation and security in the democratic Baltic Sea region. The BSPC looks forward to the upcoming annual conference in Helsingør, where important current fundamental challenges with a particular focus on the safety of the democratic Baltic Sea region will be further explored.

Third meeting of the BSPC Working Group on Energy Security, Self-sustainability, Resilience and Connectivity in Greifswald On 26-28 May 2024, the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference Working Group on Energy Security, Self-sustainability, Resilience and Connectivity (WG ESSRC) held its third meeting in Greifswald, Germany. About 40 participants – mainly delegations from the Åland Islands, the Baltic Assembly, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, the German Bundestag, Hamburg, Latvia, Lithuania, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Norway, Poland, Schleswig-Holstein, and Sweden, as well as officials and experts from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the European Commission – attended. The working group continued its discussions on energy policy and energy security in the Baltic Sea Region with a particular focus on Protecting Critical Infrastructure, Energy Transformation and Reducing Energy Dependency. The participants visited one of the world’s leading research facilities for the energy of the future and a decommissioned nuclear power plant to learn about the dismantling of the facility Vice-Chair of the WG ESSRC, Philipp da Cunha, emphasised that ensuring clean and affordable energy and its security is a common goal of the Baltic Sea region. Against this background, Greifswald was the ideal target for the working group, as the Lubmin site would secure a centrepiece of the state’s energy supply. The third meeting of the BSPC Working Group on Energy Security and Independence, Resilience and Connectivity of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) took place in the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald from 26 to 28 May 2024. The focus was on joint measures to reduce energy dependency and cooperation to ensure clean and affordable energy. The event began on Sunday evening, 26 May 2024, at the Pomeranian State Museum in Greifswald with a joint visit to the exhibition on the 250 th birthday of Caspar David Friedrich, the world’s most famous painter of Romanticism, and the exhibition on the historical development of the region and its changing anchoring in the Baltic Sea region. On Monday morning, the meeting was opened by Dr Christian Suhm, Scientific Director of the Alfried Krupp Wissenschaftskolleg Greifswald, who reported on the wide range of scientific events relating to the neighbouring country Poland and the Nordic and Baltic countries. Christian Pegel, Minister of the Interior, Construction and Digitalisation of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, emphasised in his speech that the security of critical infrastructure is fundamental for coexistence. Communication and power grids must be adequately protected. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has a large number of critical infrastructures, including the harbour in Rostock, numerous wind farms, gas pipelines and LNG terminals. In view of recent developments in the Baltic Sea region, there is an increased exchange of information between state and federal authorities, but a centralisation of responsibilities for the entire Baltic Sea region could be a more effective joint measure. NATO should also be made more aware of the need to protect the Baltic Sea region. Dr Stefan Fassbinder, Lord Mayor of Greifswald and World Mayor 2023 welcomed the participants from all over the Baltic Sea region and informed them about the city’s commitment to the Baltic Sea region. Protecting critical infrastructure The discussion on the security of critical infrastructure was deepened in a discussion with Mr Franco Accordino, Head of Unit “Investments in High Capacity Networks”, Directorate-General for Communication Networks, Content and Technologies of the European Commission. The focus was on the European vision for connectivity in the digital economy. The European Commission’s aim is to build an intelligent, efficient and resilient EU backbone infrastructure, to guarantee the EU’s sovereignty over critical assets and to strengthen the EU’s presence in the global context. Financing should consist of a mixture of funds and private investment. Prof Dr Andreas Noack from Stralsund University of Applied Sciences reported on the topics of cyber security and cyber crime. Criminal activities in cyberspace pose an ever-increasing threat to society. Companies are increasingly investing in their cyber security. Attackers come from different areas, including intelligence services, terrorists, organised crime, hacker groups and individuals. The greatest danger is “social engineering”, in which human weaknesses are exploited to create or find security loopholes. Cyber attacks are sometimes prepared and carried out over many years. One possible step towards prevention is the increased use of open source applications, as these can be analysed more comprehensively. Dr Henrich Quick, Head of Offshore at 50Hertz Transmission GmbH, spoke about the security of wind turbine s . Offshore turbines are particularly susceptible to drone attacks. A comprehensive security concept is therefore required. Even cables located deep in the water are not inviolable. At the same time, the grid expansion map with all projects in the 50Hertz grid area is publicly accessible. The aim of Russian scouting activities in the Baltic Sea is, therefore, not primarily to map the infrastructure but rather to create fear and uncertainty in order to influence the investment behaviour of potential investors with regard to large long-term investment projects. Dr Quick emphasised that we must not fall victim to this fuelled fear and uncertainty. Energy transformation and reducing energy dependency Prof Dr Thomas Luschtinetz from Stralsund University of Applied Sciences reported on the development and prospects of hydrogen. The import of green hydrogen to Germany could be particularly important for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, as it could lead to a significant increase in jobs and added value. He underlined that a stronger exchange of knowledge with the industry and the creation of transport routes are needed to utilise the potential of hydrogen sensibly and politicians must create the necessary legal framework and provide support. It is necessary to decarbonise industrial activities to reduce CO2 emissions in the Baltic Sea region and dependence on oil and gas imports. Dr Gabriele Hoffmann, a consultant at the Ministry of Economics, Infrastructure, Tourism and Labour in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, presented the “ GreenIndustrialAreas ” project, which has taken on precisely this task. The aim of the project is to certify green (climate-neutral) industrial areas to promote innovations to reduce CO2 emissions. A transnational standard for the certification of green industrial zones is to be supplemented by a toolbox that provides decision-makers with an overview of the latest technologies for the decarbonisation of commercial activities. Prof Dr Stephan Knabe, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche ReGas, gave an overview of the company and its contribution to the energy transition . In addition to an LNG terminal in Lubmin, preparations for an energy terminal in Mukran began this year. Another focus is the planning of the large-scale H2 electrolysis plant in Lubmin, which will be used to produce green hydrogen. The electricity required for production is to come from offshore wind power and onshore electricity. The aim is for the green hydrogen to be fed into the future hydrogen network via the planned GASCADE pipeline. Katrin Zschau, Chairwoman of the Committee on Climate Protection and Energy of the German Bundestag spoke in particular about the need to optimise cooperation between industry and the environment to improve industry’s interests in protecting expensive facilities in the Baltic Sea region. She cited underwater cables and wind turbines as examples. A look into the future and a journey into the past The meeting participants were able to experience the energy transition in Greifswald firsthand through two on-site visits. Mr PD. Dr Andreas Dinklage first presented the structure and operation of the “ Wendels tein 7-X ” experimental facility at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in Greifswald. During the subsequent tour, the MPs discussed with the experts the suitability of the “Stellarator” type of power plant and the potential of fusion energy as an alternative energy source. After a presentation by Mr Kurt Radloff, Head of Corporate Communications at “ Entsorgungswerk für Nuklearanlagen GmbH” (EWN) , on the dismantling of nuclear facilities and the challenges of decontaminating building materials and finding a final storage site for contaminated waste, the meeting participants visited the decommissioned Greifswald nuclear power plant in Lubmin, which is currently being dismantled. Working group: Planning and outlook Following the presentations and the exchange with experts, the MPs, led by WG Vice-Chairman Philipp da Cunha, discussed the interim report and the recommendations for action for the 33 rd Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, which will take place in Denmark from 25 to 27 August. Preliminary proposals and demands for the resolution were drawn up, which are to be adopted by consensus of all member parliaments at the annual conference. The Norwegian Parliament will host the next meeting of the BSPC Working Group on Energy Security and Independence, Resilience and Connectivity, which will take place on 24-26 November 2024.

Strengthening the Resilience of the Democratic Baltic Sea Region Boosting Democratic, Digital and Maritime Resilience Based on Reliable Neighbourliness and Close Cooperation The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) – gathered in the German Bundestag in Berlin – unanimously passed on 29 August 2023 the following 32 nd BSPC resolution: https://www.bspc.net/final-version-32-bspc-resolution-v-28082023_v1/ https://www.bspc.net/final-version-32-bspc-resolution-dt/ https://www.bspc.net/32 nd -bspc-resolution-lv/ The priorities of the 32 nd annual conference and resolution related to: Peaceful and reliable neighbourliness and intense cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region based on fundamental values Boosting democratic resilience and promoting digital resilience Strengthening the resilience of maritime ecosystems Enhancing the resilience of climate and biodiversity It has been customary for many years that the national and regional delegations to the BSPC – or the parliaments as a whole based on an appropriate decision – inform their governments about the outcome of the respective annual conference. With the BSPC resolution, the delegations call on the governments in the Baltic Sea Region, the CBSS, the EU, and other pertinent actors to implement various actions or measures. The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference and its Standing Committee highly appreciate that the national governments from the Baltic Sea area and most regional governments again sent statements on implementing the calls for action of the 32 nd resolution. Many comments are detailed and essential for political development in the areas addressed. Some parliaments explicitly invite their governments by a decision to implement the resolution within their competencies and to report to the Parliament on its implementation. To receive a comprehensive overview of the actions taken by the governments in the Baltic Sea Region in response to the resolution of the 32 nd Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, the members of the Standing Committee have asked their government to inform as far as possible on the following: Which measures, projects or actions have been a) planned, b) initiated, and c) implemented in support of the 32 nd BSPC resolution, particularly regarding the calls for action? The statements and information the governments provide form a unique and valuable overview of developments in the respective policy fields in the Baltic Sea Region. Based on these statements and comprehensive information, parliamentarians can track progress in different policy fields and identify further action needs. The compilation will be updated as soon as further statements are received. You can download the statements of the governments here .

Parliamentarians of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference from Finland, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden visited in Finland the EU’s eastern border of the Baltic Sea Region. This visit emphasised the need for a comprehensive approach to security, readiness, cooperation, and countering hybrid threats at local, national, and regional levels within the Baltic Sea region. On 29 April 2024, at the Vartius Border Station in Kuhmo, the participants witnessed firsthand the operational complexities of managing the EU’s external border. The Finnish Border Guard showcased a proactive strategy for safeguarding national borders, underlining the importance of regional cooperation to combat geopolitical threats effectively. This visit highlighted the crucial role of the Finnish Border Guard in ensuring border security and its cooperation with regional entities to address potential threats. The next day, 30 April 2024, the participants visited the Kainuu Brigade, where they gained insight into its role in readiness and training personnel for the defence of Finland’s northern parts. The brigade’s efforts in forming units equipped for comprehensive defence were underscored, showcasing the importance of preparedness and training in maintaining national security. Reflecting on the visit, parliamentarians stressed that the EU’s eastern border in the Baltic Sea Region must be secured against hybrid warfare, as exemplified by the orchestrated influx of refugees, as well as against all military threats. The parliamentarians emphasised the urgent need for a joint and coordinated border defence approach, highlighting the shared responsibility to defend the EU’s eastern borders. They called for heightened awareness, stronger focus, and enhanced cooperation among all democratic states of the Baltic Sea Region and the European Union, especially in light of Russia’s ongoing aggression and increasing threats. Given recent geopolitical developments, the parliamentarians underscored that governments must prioritise developing a coordinated strategy to protect common borders, societies, and infrastructures more effectively. They stressed that the European Union should consider eastern border security a priority and allocate necessary resources to bolster cooperation and readiness within the Baltic Sea region. In this context, the EU Commission President’s announcement during her visit to Lappeenranta, Finland, on 19 April 2024, to support Finland with 230 million euros and operational assistance from Frontex, including border guards and surveillance equipment, was widely welcomed. The parliamentarians view this as an essential step toward reinforcing the region’s security, urging immediate implementation. This visit complemented the detailed deliberations of the BSPC Working Group on Energy Security, Self-sustainability, Resilience, and Connectivity (WG ESSRC) held on March 18, 2024, in Helsinki. These discussions focused on protecting critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, especially in the energy sector. Insights from this visit are intended to inform the BSPC Standing Committee during its meeting in June 2024, allowing for deeper engagement with the issues at hand. Moreover, the parliamentarians plan to incorporate findings from this visit into the upcoming Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference under the Danish Presidency, scheduled for August 25-27, 2024, in Helsingør. The theme “Safety in the Baltic Sea Region” will take centre stage, where the defence will also be a crucial topic of discussion. Highlights from Oulu and Kuhmo Welcome Speech by Mr Ari Alatossava, Mayor of Oulu The study visit began on 28 April in Oulu, where Mayor Ari Alatossava welcomed the attendees, highlighting Oulu as the largest urban centre in Northern Scandinavia with a significant technological hub, notably Nokia. The city’s efforts to diversify its focus with investments in various sectors, aiming to build a promising future for its citizens, were emphasised. Oulu has been selected as the European Capital of Culture in 2026, reflecting its ongoing commitment to cultural and technological development. Presentation on 6G by Mr. Matti Latva-aho, University of Oulu Mr. Matti Latva-aho of the University of Oulu presented the 6G Flagship project, shedding light on the future of wireless connectivity and the strategic collaborative efforts in 6G research. The project’s objectives, including resilience, security, and digital inclusion, were discussed. The research agendas are aligned with global collaboration to ensure Europe’s strategic advantage in next-generation technologies. Environmental Insights by Ms. Satu Maaria Karjalainen and Ms. Anna-Kaisa Ronkanen Ms. Satu Maaria Karjalainen and Ms. Anna-Kaisa Ronkanen from the Finnish Environment Institute highlighted the ecological importance and challenges of the Bay of Bothnia, emphasising the need for sustainable land use and cross-border cooperation. Their insights into the state of the bay and ongoing projects underscored the critical efforts required to preserve this unique ecosystem. Visit to the LUMI Supercomputer at the CSC Data Center in Kajaani Following their environmental insights session, the group transferred to Kajaani to visit the LUMI Supercomputer at the CSC Data Center. LUMI (Large Unified Modern Infrastructure) is a petascale supercomputer and, as of January 2023, the fastest supercomputer in Europe. Hosted at the CSC Data Center, LUMI exemplifies cutting-edge technology and sustainability in supercomputing. During the visit, Mikko Kertuulo explained that the LUMI Data Center is a brownfield solution utilising approximately 10 MW of power. Notably, LUMI achieves a high Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) value, indicating optimal energy consumption. The heat generated by LUMI is fed into the city’s heating system, showcasing an impressive energy reutilization factor, which even allows the centre to achieve a carbon-negative status. Mikko Kertuulo highlighted key elements essential for data centre sites, including electricity stability, heat reuse capability, connectivity, and ecosystem support. An undersea connectivity project is underway to link Finland with the USA and Japan, enhancing global connectivity. LUMI is operated by a consortium of eleven countries with a total budget of 200 million euros. It supports various applications such as climate research, data science, plasma physics, and life sciences; 20% of its capacity is dedicated to industrial applications. The supercomputer aids in developing AI models and simulations, reinforcing its role in technological innovation and industry support. Moving Forward During the visit’s open discussions, participants underscored the importance of coordinated efforts at both the national and EU levels. The initiative to create a document outlining a unified strategy for handling eastern borders and related security issues was proposed, highlighting the need for shared responsibilities and collective action against hybrid and military threats. The parliamentarians agreed on the necessity of political advocacy to ensure these insights influence broader European legislative and strategic frameworks. Concrete actions and closer cooperation are imperative to protect the Baltic Sea region’s security and stability, reinforcing the values of shared responsibility and collective effort in the face of evolving threats. This visit has set a collaborative framework for future engagements, aiming to enhance security, readiness, and cooperation among the Baltic Sea states and the broader European community. With ongoing geopolitical shifts, the BSPC remains committed to fostering a united and proactive defence strategy for the region.

Back-to-Back to the Annual Conference of the BSPC in Helsingør Decisionmakers of today meet region builders of tomorrow. The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth Forum of 2024 will take place in connection with the Annual Conference of the BSPC to promote dialogue between the region’s young people and policymakers. The purpose is also to capture input from the young generation, which is crucial in ensuring an environmentally and democratically sustainable peaceful future for the Baltic Sea Region. Register now for the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth Forum 2024 and take an active role in addressing pressing issues such as resilience, energy security, and climate change. Young innovators and active minds from the Democratic Baltic Sea Region are invited to apply for this all-expenses-paid experience in the parliamentary world. To promote youth engagement in regional parliamentary work, the CBSS, in partnership with the Danish Presidency to the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC), has opened registration for the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth Forum 2024 (BSPYF). The event will be hosted in the picturesque coastal city of Helsingør, Denmark, from 24 to 27 August 2024. The forum explicitly seeks 25 young participants who are active in local, national, or regional initiatives or organisations and can contribute innovative and impactful ideas for improving the future of the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). This year’s forum will address critical topics such as resilience, energy security, and climate change, providing a unique platform for future policymakers and region builders to engage in discussions, foster networks, and collaboratively develop concrete recommendations. The youth recommendations developed during the BSPYF will be presented to parliamentarians from the region during the subsequent 33 rd Annual Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC). The BSPC has traditionally invited young people to its annual conference for several years. Prospective forum participants are invited to submit their applications and proposals for recommendations by 24 April 2024. Before the event, an initial online meeting will be convened for the selected participants, offering them an opportunity to familiarise themselves with each other, initiate discussions, and receive information from the organisers. Additional online sessions are planned to aid participants in refining and consolidating their recommendations. Invited to Apply : Individuals aged 18 to 29 who reside in or hold the nationality of any CBSS Member State. The organisers and the BSPC will cover travel and accommodation expenses. Please Apply Before 24 April 2024 at 23:59 CET : https://forms.office.com/e/8UTH3Pbzz4 Additional information: https://cbss.org/youth/open-calls/baltic-sea-parliamentary-youth-forum-2024

Second meeting of the BSPC Working Group on Energy Security, Self-sustainability, Resilience and Connectivity in Helsinki On 17-18 March 2024, the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference Working Group on Energy Security, Self-sustainability, Resilience and Connectivity (WG ESSRC) held its second meeting in Helsinki, Finland. About 30 participants – mainly delegations from the Åland Islands, the Baltic Assembly, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, German Bundestag, Hamburg, Latvia, Lithuania, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Norway, Poland, Schleswig-Holstein, and Sweden and Finnish experts – attended. The working group continued its discussions on energy policy and energy security in the Baltic Sea Region with a particular focus on geopolitics and the protection of critical infrastructure concerns. Chair of the WG ESSRC, Andris Kulbergs, opened the meeting by emphasising that due to all recent turbulences, the work of the BSPC WG is more critical than ever. As the next winter will be crucial in terms of energy, there is a need for the Baltic Sea region to be better prepared. He highlighted the need to act with the knowledge available to foresee the threats, make more interconnections in energy matters and exchange information and experience. On-Site Visits: Hybrid CoE and NESA The participants had the opportunity to visit the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE). Head of International Relations, Mr Tapio Pyysalo , informed them that it is an international, autonomous network-based organisation promoting a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to countering hybrid threats. Participation in the Centre’s activities is open to all EU and NATO countries, and the number of Participating States has grown to include 35 states today. Hybrid CoE aims to strengthen the security of its participating states and organisations by providing expertise and training to counter hybrid threats. Afterwards, the working group members visited the National Emergency Supply Agency of Finland (NESA). They were welcomed by the Chief Executive Officer of the National Emergency Supply Agency, Mr Janne Känkänen , who informed them about the organisation’s work, such as planning and operative measures related to developing and maintaining the security of supply. Cooperation with other authorities and the private sector ensures that the continuity of the critical functions of Finnish society can be safeguarded during crises and disruptions. They are a part of the Finnish Comprehensive Security Model, and their key focus areas now are military conflict, hybrid operations and the global economy. During the visits, the parliamentarians from the Baltic Sea states also had the opportunity to ask questions and gain insights into potential areas of cooperation, such as the protection of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea or maintaining the security of supply and stocks in the region . Expert Presentations Ministerial Adviser of the Finnish Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Jussi Soramäki , informed the working group members about geopolitics a nd maritime policy in Finland . He stated that Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has further emphasised the importance of maritime transport as now the national Finnish border shared with Russia, which is 1344 kilometres long, is almost entirely closed. After assessing the good examples of cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region, he encouraged the Baltic Sea States to focus on possible connectivity and environmental threats to ensure the continued success of the cooperation . Docent of Russian Resource and Energy Policy at the National Defence University of Finland and professor at the University of Helsinki, Mr Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen , informed about Russia’s strategy of being a Great Power of flows – all flows, such as energy and transport routes, are seen as means of coercion and repression. Fear is the country’s main export commodity. During discussions, it was concluded that fear is a reaction, and courage is a decision; therefore, it is time to change the aim – for Russia to change, Ukraine must win . Leading Researcher at the Finnish Institute for International Affairs, Mr Marco Siddi , informed about the geopolitics of renewable energy and the impact of the war in Ukraine on EU energy systems . After assessing shares of electricity production and energy consumption in each of the countries in the Baltic Sea Region, he emphasised the need to find availability for joint funding/financing to develop and maintain interconnectivity and regional cohesion . Programme Director of the Natural Resources Institute in Finland, Ms Johanna Kohl , stated that Europe needs the bioeconomy to transition from niche to norm . She recommended the Baltic Sea States start investing in research, technology development and innovations to improve resilience and self-sufficiency in nutrients, energy and food components, support the development of regional solid business clusters and value chains promoting circular bioeconomy principles, and educating the new generation of farmers. Chairman Andris Kulbergs concluded lively discussions between the members of the WG and experts by emphasising the pivotal role of the BSPC in finding solutions to current and future challenges and the potential to enhance cooperation of the Baltic Sea states in the areas covered by the WG. He encouraged the participants to find areas in which joint actions would be of more excellent value, such as stockpiling or banning Russian vehicles in the Baltic Sea region. Afterwards, the WG ESSRC members assessed the WG recommendations and questions for the intergovernmental survey. It was agreed that the next meeting will occur on 26-28 May 2024 in Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Germany).

With a focus on recent developments in energy security and ocean policy and it’s impact on climate change The BSPC Standing Committee met in the European Parliament in Brussels to learn more about the current situation and the activities of their partner organisations, the CBSS and HELCOM. Representatives of the European Parliament and European Commission spoke about the current challenges in Europe, energy security, and ocean conservation. Further preparations were made for the annual conference in Helsingør on 25-27 August and the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth Forum while considerations were given to a BSPC Standing Committee Study visit to investigate the security situation at the eastern Finnish boarder line as an urgent topic of interest. More than 40 participants, representatives and delegations of the European Parliament, the European Commission, the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) and the BSPC members from the Åland Islands, the Baltic Assembly, the European Parliament, Denmark, Estonia, the German Bundestag, Finland, Hamburg, Latvia, Lithuania, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the Nordic Council, Norway, Poland, Schleswig-Holstein and Sweden participated in the meeting. Introduction BSPC President Henrik Møller welcomed the Standing Committee to the European Parliament in Brussels. Opening Remarks by Mr Andreas Schwab , Chairman of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Northern Cooperation and for relations with Switzerland and Norway and to the EU-Iceland Joint Parliamentary Committee and the European Economic Area (EEA) Joint Parliamentary Committee Mr Schwab pointed out that Baltic Sea cooperation might never have been as influential as it was in the present, stressing the unity of the nations. Given the ongoing security issues in Europe, he approved of the Danish BSPC presidency having chosen Safety in the Baltic Sea Region as their main topic, along with energy security, defence, and climate change. The security of the region and Europe hinged on the outcome of the war Ukraine had been fighting for more than two years against Russian aggression. BSPC President Møller underlined the importance of continuing the support for Ukraine in its defence of Western democracies for as long as it would take. He cherished the fact that Sweden was now approved to join NATO, which, in the words of Jens Stoltenberg, would make all of them stronger and safer. Lasting unity and solidarity – between countries but also governments and their people – were more important than ever. Under various aspects, 2024 was becoming the test year for democracies. One such testbed would be the upcoming European Parliament elections. This was important not least because issues such as climate change could only be resolved in an international and global context, with the European Parliament as a major player. BSPC Vice-President Johannes Schraps voiced his hope that in the coming term, the European Parliament would play a stronger role in its membership of the BSPC, reinforcing its part in Baltic Sea cooperation. Presentations Current Challenges in Europe and the Future of Europe Mr Martin Hojsik , Vice-President of the European Parliament Mr Hojsik appreciated Mr Schraps’ call for a greater commitment to the BSPC, not just from the European Parliament delegation but all of them. Historically, the Baltic Sea had been an abode of cooperation but also of division. With the Russian aggression since the 2014 annexation of Crimea, a split had once again occurred, profoundly affecting the security situation in the region. He echoed the appreciation for Sweden about to join NATO. Europe had to be able to defend itself as well as support Ukraine in defending their territorial integrity and freedom. Indeed, 2024 would be a crucial year for democracy. For him, one of the gravest concerns was that Russia was not only fighting directly but also waging a hybrid war seeking to destabilise the democratic countries from within. The other priorities of the Danish BSPC presidency, energy security and climate change, were also major issues in the European Parliament. Renewable energies were vital for the continent’s security as well, after having been so reliant on Russian gas. He highlighted Latvia’s transition to being able to run on 100 % renewable energy, at least for a while. Mr Hojsik hoped for even greater commitment to Baltic Sea cooperation. BSPC President Møller asked about the establishment of a European military. EP Vice-President Hojsik saw closer collaboration than ever before in security in the future as Europe was realizing the necessity to defend itself. The EU and NATO collaboration had to be reinforced. Joint purchasing of arms across countries would save money and ensure better coordination of the militaries. Mr Schraps thanked Mr Hojsik for his call for more European Parliament engagement and assured him that the BSPC delegations would also encourage EP candidates from their countries to be active in Baltic cooperation. Energy Security on the Way to Climate Neutrality Ms Paula Pinho , European Commission, GD Energy, the Director for Just Transition, Consumers, Energy Efficiency, and Innovation Ms Pinho agreed with Mr Hojsik that the energy security and the clean transition were two sides of the same coin. Renewable energies replacing fossil fuels was the way forward to an autonomous Europe, although greater efficiency and energy saving were also vital. She pointed to the RePower EU plan to strengthen the continent’s security of supply by reducing the dependence on Russian gas, by diversifying supply sources, and by accelerating the energy transition to reach climate neutrality by 2050. Ms Pinho highlighted the effective bans on Russian gas imports by Baltic and other countries as part of the Baltic Sea region’s transition – ironically accelerated by Russia’s actions. Between the summer of 2022 and the end of 2023, gas consumption had been reduced by 18 % in the EU, exceeding the voluntary 15 % goal. That morning, the Energy Council had endorsed further reduction of gas demand. Diversification had also been exemplified by the Baltic Sea region through a range of sources including Norway or as LNG from the US but also shared usage of infrastructure across the region, e.g., flexible floating storage regasification units. The regulatory framework TEN-E had pushed forward a number of relevant infrastructure projects, such as the gas connection between Poland and Lithuania, further integrating the Baltic states and Finland into the European energy market. The Baltic Sea region benefited from competition and diversified supply sources. At the same time, the importance of back-up supply lines had recently been highlighted. The Baltic electricity market had also been coupled with the Nordic market, another key step in the integration of all EU member states. This Baltic Synchronisation Project was still ongoing to fully integrate the Baltic states, aiming for early 2025. As for renewables, Ms Pinho pointed out that 2023 had been the first year that electricity had been produced more by renewable energy than fossil fuels. The potential of offshore renewable energy was particularly high in the Baltic Sea region. The decarbonisation of the energy market was proceeding well. However, the protection of critical infrastructure was of paramount importance, as evidenced by the damage to the Baltic interconnector or the disruption of the Estland tube. Legislation such as the Directive on the Resilience of Critical Entities from 2023 or the Directive on Measures for a High Common Level of Cyber-Security across the Union were key pieces of solidifying EU security. President Møller pointed to the upcoming meeting of the BSPC Working Group on Energy Security, Self-sustainability, Resilience, and Connectivity two weeks later in Helsinki which would deepen a number of those concerns. In light of Ms Pinho’s comments about diversified sources and types of energy, Mr Staffan Eklöf raised the recently built nuclear reactor project in northern Finland which had stabilised the energy supply for Sweden as well. As such, he wondered about the Commission’s view on how nuclear power could be integrated in this transition. Ms Pinho replied that the Commission considered nuclear power part of the energy mix and the prerogative of member states to choose their own supplies, although the Commission was highly encouraging non-fossil energy sources. Prof Jānis Vucāns referenced the infrastructure security concerns, wondering about the financial tools that could protect this infrastructure. Ms Pinho noted that some stress tests were currently being run to determine opportunities for improved cyber protection. In that respect, additional funding was being discussed. Mr Johannes Schraps approved of Ms Pinho’s overview of what had already been achieved while he also appreciated the challenges still to be overcome. He asked about priorities in ensuring that all EU countries had sufficient numbers of connections. Ms Pinho said that there were two work streams here: One was the expansion of renewable energy as domestic energy sources. Yet gas could not be phased out quickly, and she highlighted the diversification of sources through new infrastructure projects over the past two years. The Commission continued to analyse where infrastructure could be reinforced or added. She underlined that they were already working on ensuring the energy supply for the next winter. Mr Alfons Röblom from Åland noted the recent explosion of interest in offshore wind farms. He asked if the Commission could provide guidance to smaller states and communities, such as best practice examples or on investment. Ms Pinho noted the high-level group BEMEP as an example of a forum identifying and sharing best practices. The Commission also provided guidance on offshore energy facilities. Ms Anna Kassautzki pointed to a German tech fund for open source software development for infrastructure and cybersecurity. She asked if a European equivalent, crossing borders, was being developed. Ms Pinho said that the directives she mentioned before also addressed the software aspect of cybersecurity. They were also intended to promote training in the respective skills. Secretary General Bodo Bahr stressed that by far the major CO 2 emitters in the world were China, the USA, and India. He wondered how the progress of the Baltic Sea region and Europe as a whole could influence these countries to curtail their emissions. Ms Pinho concurred since the countries in question represented more than 50 % of greenhouse gas emissions while the EU produced 9 %. One example of the EU’s influence was the global pledge by 130 countries at the latest COP to double energy efficiency by 2030 and tripling renewable energy capacity. This pledge had been initiated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Decarbonisation was no longer just a European journey but a global one. President Møller added that Denmark had a minuscule share of global emissions, but the Danish solutions could impact the world, noting a green partnership with India. Progress Report from the Council of the Baltic Sea States Ambassador Helena Tuuri , Chair of the Committee of Senior Officials of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, Ambassador for Baltic Sea Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland Ms Tuuri listed the three cross-cutting themes of the Finnish CBSS presidency: overall societal security, crisis preparedness, and resilience. The CBSS was strictly divided in the political level and practical cooperation. The latter made up the major task of the organisation across several ministries. The Russian war of aggression had deeply changed and modernised the CBSS, renewing the working group level and concentrating the practical work on a safe and secure region – one of the fundamental priorities of the organisation. Ms Tuuri noted that member states had become more interested and invested in this work. A recent innovation was the youth forum which was also contributing to the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea region as well as cooperating with the BSPC in their own youth forum. A youth ministerial meeting – focused on the activation of young people in elections – would accompany the foreign ministers’ meeting. The latter, looking into resilience and such geopolitically influenced topics, was still being prepared by the Finnish delegation. Mr Bodo Bahr noted the BSPC’s recommendation for the CBSS to return to head of governments’ meetings alternating with the foreign ministers’ meetings. He wondered about any progress in this regard. Ms Tuuri said there had been a few conversations but no concrete achievements. Mr Johannes Schraps was glad that democratic cooperation in the Baltic Sea region had been reinforced and was no longer seen as just a bridge to Russia. He cherished the CBSS secretariat’s work in youth participation. Mr Staffan Eklöf appreciated the practical side of the CBSS, such as working on solutions to the horrors of human trafficking. He wondered if more topics would be opened up in that approach. Ms Tuuri regretted that was not the case at this time. Progress Report on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Oceans and the Current Main Activities of the EU Commission regarding the Ocean Policy with a Particular View to the Baltic Sea Ms Veronica Manfredi , European Commission, GD Environment, the Director for Zero Pollution Ms Manfredi remarked that the biodiversity crisis had not spared the Baltic Sea where pollution was still ever-present as was eutrophication. Together with pressure from shipping, vital socio-economic activities were affected, in particular the fishery sector. Here, she noted that even if all fishing were to stop at this moment, rebuilding the fish stocks would take several decades. Thus, a holistic approach beyond just fishing quotas was needed, also targeting aforementioned issues such as eutrophication. The Commissioner had organised two Our Baltic ministerial conferences, leading to significant developments. Overall, the implementation was advancing rather well. Efforts on improving marine biodiversity and reducing pollution had progressed far; eutrophication, though, needed more work. Commitments on a sustainable economy were still at an early stage. At the European level, implementation was going well, too, especially thanks to the Green Deal. She was proud of four achievements in particular: Between 2022 and 2023, EU-wide limits for marine litter, seabed loss, and other water noise had been enacted. In January 2024, new European rules supplementing the urban wastewater directive had been adopted, strengthening nutrient standards and treatment of nitrogen and phosphorus. At the regional level, in 2021, HELCOM had updated the Baltic Sea Action Plan with more than 200 measures aimed to achieve a good environmental status of the Baltic Sea. At the national level, all Baltic Sea member states had complemented the other measures with their own initiatives to reduce plastic pollution. Nonetheless, it was clear that more still had to be done. The focus in revamping efforts should be on eutrophication as this was suffocating the sea and marine life. Ms Manfredi highlighted efforts to save the harbour porpoise. Fishing impacts had to be reduced. She also spoke on sea-dumped munitions, a favoured topic of the BSPC: Some 50,000 tonnes of conventional and chemical weapons were estimated to be on the bottom of the Baltic Sea, posing a danger to human and marine life as well as to economic development. Offshore wind farms, undersea cables and pipelines as well as their security increased the odds of encountering these munitions. The Commission had been working on a holistic approach since 2019, inventorying the extent of the munitions in the Baltic Sea as well as funding projects such as DAIMON I to develop appropriate, environmentally friendly tools and technologies to tackle this matter. Today, it was known that these munitions already heavily affected marine biology. At a 2023 meeting, further commitments had been agreed upon, strengthening all regional forums as well as comprehensive mapping and risk assessment. Priorities for coordinated action would be set by 2027. Meanwhile, relevant financial options for funding retrieval measures would be explored. The Commission had allocated 2 million euros for this purpose. Ms Anna Kassautzki , BSPC Rapporteur on Sea-Dumped Munitions, appreciated the topic being on the Commission’s agenda. Rather than 50,000 tonnes, her information was that there were 400,000 tonnes of conventional munitions and 40,000 of chemical ordinance in the Baltic Sea. She underlined the BSPC’s goal of having these munitions removed within the coming twenty years, also in light of the Baltic Sea’s slow water exchange, worsening the impact on the local ecosystem. Moving on, she noted that the rules on state aid were hindrances to her state transforming their fishery fleet to a sustainable model. She wondered if changes might be implemented in the future. Ms Manfredi underlined the current EU call for developing the highly complex technology needed for munitions retrieval and disposal. Regarding the fishery question, she was not aware of any such plans, yet pointed to a financial tool of the EU that might be of help. Mr Alfons Röblom wondered about the Commission’s view on deep-sea mining as its effect on the ecosystem was not fully explored. Ms Manfredi answered that the permission process echoed that on land, i.e., that sufficient understanding of the risk had to be provided. In deep-sea mining, the Commission called for maximum caution. Mr Staffan Eklöf asked how the Commission decided which resources to allocate for which desired outcome as well as how conflicting goals were tackled, such as offshore wind farms being built on bio-intensive shallows. Ms Manfredi replied that the political priorities were set by the president of the Commission, to be validated by the European parliament and the EU heads of state. One such priority was the Green Deal. She noted that major environmental risk assessments were required before such placements were chosen so that – in an ideal world – no such permit should be granted and irreparable damage avoided. Mr Johannes Schraps applauded the fact that directors like Ms Manfredi were well-versed in the fields the BSPC had been working on and encouraged the Commission to launch more initiatives which would receive the BSPC’s support. He asked about the Commission’s current stance on CO 2 storage. Ms Manfredi agreed the high importance of such marine storage which was likely to play a greater role than land-based restored nature. Secretary General Bahr noted that the member governments of the BSPC provided overviews on their implementation of the BSPC resolution’s demands. He suggested a similar statement, on topics such as sea-dumped ammunition or biodiversity, from the EU Commission. Prof Jānis Vucāns saw the problem of local fishing was often hampered by too little information, sometimes because of lacking cooperation across scientific institutions in various regions. He also asked about fish farms and marine laboratories to investigate the effects of wind farms. Ms Manfredi was glad that all the Commission’s work was based on scientific advice, noting that scientific communities were moving closer and closer together, especially in fishery. Here, she highlighted HELCOM. For offshore wind farms, the Commission was aiming for win-win situations for all sides which could also include connected fish farms and targeted fishing permits as well as tourism. “Being smart by design” was her headline for these activities. HELCOM Update 2023, 2024 – and beyond Mr Rüdiger Strempel , Executive Secretary of the Helsinki Commission Mr Strempel noted that HELCOM was all about the Baltic Sea – a unique and vulnerable sea with a huge catchment area quadrupling the sea area itself. HELCOM had ten contracting parties, including Russia and the European Union. He underlined that HELCOM was science-based, referring to the expert groups feeding scientific information to the – currently eight – working groups, structured around the Secretariat and the meetings of the Heads of Delegations. Based on the Helsinki Convention, HELCOM issued recommendations to governments, which, though not legally binding, were generally implemented. Action plans and projects – in particular the Baltic Sea Action Plan at the heart of the organisation’s activities – addressed the bigger picture. Monitoring and assessments reviewed the progress made. The geopolitical changes since 2022 had necessitated a so-called strategic pause, postponing all official HELCOM meetings, with informal consultations of the other nine Contracting Partners (H9) taking their place. Due to the unanimity requirement, decisions taken by the H9 were communicated to Russia through the Secretariat by means of a written procedure. Russia’s willingness to cooperate on this basis had decreased over time. He moved on to the third HELCOM holistic assessment of 2023, detailing the state of the Baltic Sea, providing decision-makers with the state of the environment during the period assessed, as well as information on the spatial variation, trends in development over time, the distribution of pressures, and the effects of enacted measures. Unfortunately, there had been scant overall progress in the review period from 2016 – 2021. However, regional measures were seen to have a beneficial effect on the marine environment of the Baltic Sea. Mr Strempel pointed to HELCOM’s central roadmap towards a healthy status of the Baltic Sea, the2021 Baltic Sea Action Plan (2021 BSAP), focusing on a healthy ecosystem, hazardous substances and litter, sustainable sea-based activities, and eutrophication. Overarching topics interacting with those focuses comprised climate change, financing, knowledge exchange, and monitoring, among others. The 2021 Baltic Sea Action Plan’s 199 actions each had individual target years for implementation, specific criteria to assess said implementation, and ownership had been assigned to certain HELCOM bodies. Mr Strempel highlighted the HELCOM Explorer on their website, allowing real-time tracking of progress in implementing the 2021 BSAP for any visitor. Other tools HELCOM had developed included the Climate Change Fact Sheet – detailing current scientific understanding, the Science Agenda, and a regional roadmap for maritime spatial planning. As for the present activities, the Baltic Sea Action Plan would continue to be implemented. In 2023, HELCOM had restructured its working groups and completed its third holistic assessment. That assessment had also shown that hazardous substances appeared to be equally significant as eutrophication as a major problem in the Baltic Sea, which HELCOM would address with greater vigour. A few days before, the annual Baltic Stakeholder Conference had been held in Helsinki, dedicated to Protect Baltic, a biodiversity-related project and the biggest projtc HELCOM had ever engaged in. In April, the Informal Consultation Meeting of the Helsinki Commission would be held in Riga, followed back to back by the Ministerial Meeting on the Baltic Sea Marine Environment. In conjunction with that, HELCOM would celebrate its 50 th anniversary, also in Riga. Mr Strempel stressed HELCOM’s cooperation with partner organisations, such as the BSPC, and a number of regional and global frameworks, including the EU and the CBSS. He mentioned that HELCOM was currently chaired by Latvia, which would hand over to Lithuania in July 2024. Latvia’s priorities were maintaining HELCOM as an effective and well-functioning organisation, the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan as well as strengthening the role of regional cooperation. The priorities of Lithuania were still being defined and would likely be announced at the upcoming ministerial meeting in April 2024. In the future, the work on the Baltic Sea Action Plan with its goal of 2030 would continue while the fourth holistic assessment was being prepared. Mr Enn Eesmaa asked if HELCOM had considered the possible effects of the Gulf Stream changing or ceasing to exist. Mr Strempel pointed to HELCOM’s Climate Change Fact Sheet which also scientifically investigated future impacts, although no changes to the Gulf Stream were included here. Ms Anna Kassautzki regretted that pressing security concerns had reduced the focus on the issue of sea-dumped ammunitions, wondering if that could be pushed to the fore at the meeting with environmental ministers in the autumn. Mr Strempel still saw sea-dumped ammunition as a firm part of the agenda, having gained momentum in the past couple of years. It was also part of the Baltic Sea Action Plan. While it might not be central to the public discussion, the munitions were still at the forefront of HELCOM’s efforts. Mr Mikko Polvinen inquired about the contacts to Russia. Mr Strempel considered the effect of the Russian war of aggression on HELCOM to be more institutional rather than environmental. He referred back to the strategic pause on the political level taken by the organisation. Some technical and scientific data, though, had been provided by Russia, although he could not foretell if or for how long this would continue. It was impossible to tell if Russia was implementing the Baltic Sea Action Plan. Future Accommodation of the BSPC Secretariat and Related Questions The BSPC had discussed finding a new accommodation for the BSPC Secretariat for a long time, mulling over a number of options with various pros and cons. Ms Kristina Herbst , President of the Parliament of Schleswig-Holstein, submitted the offer to take on these tasks. From the 2025 budget on, the parliament could take over the budgetary functions from the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as well as serve as an employer for the Secretary General and an assistant. Ms Herbst deepened two alternatives. Schleswig-Holstein was offering to provide these services for five years, with an option to negotiate an extension if needed. President Møller remarked that the previously explored options had proven more complicated than expected. Prof Jānis Vucāns maintained that at some point in the future, the BSPC would have to become an officially registered international organisation with a headquarters of their own. BSPC President Henrik Møller , Mr Alfons Röblom , Ms Kristina Herbst , Prof Jānis Vucāns , Mr Johannes Schraps , Ms Carola Veit, Mr Staffan Eklöf and Mr Bodo Bahr further considered this matter. BSPC President Møller noted that this discussion would be resumed at the upcoming meeting on the Faroe islands, envisioning a decision to be taken in Helsingør in August. Possible Joint Meetings of the BSPC with other parliamentary assemblies President Møller reviewed the situation and development since the Standing Committee meeting in Maribo. He noted the letter from the BSPC member organisation Baltic Assembly stating their position regarding the current situation unequivocally. Mr Johannes Schraps, Mr Staffan Eklöf, Mr Andrius Kupčinskas, Ms Carola Veit pointed out their current view on the situation. The meeting underlined it’s decision from November not to pursue joint meetings with other parliamentary organisations if an apparent and sufficient distancing from the aggressor is not fulfilled. President Møller said that this discussion would be continued at the next meeting on the Faroe Islands. Various Matters President Møller remarked that the first meeting in Riga of the Working Group on Energy Security, Self-sustainability, Resilience, and Connectivity (ESSRC) had been quite interesting and voiced his hope for the next meeting in Helsinki to be equally fruitful. Ms Anna Kassautzki , Rapporteur on Sea-Dumped Munitions, was pleased that the European Commission was still focused on this topic since the national discussion in Germany had been dominated by questions of the Russian war against Ukraine. She called on her colleagues to expedite the governmental response to this topic. Furthermore, she said that she would continue her cooperation with the CBSS and HELCOM to remove the ammunition from the Baltic Sea in the next 19 years. Mr Alfons Röblom , the new head of the Åland delegation, was appointed Vice-President of the BSPC, as a precursor to serving as President of the BSPC during the Åland BSPC Presidency 2024 – 2025. The Standing Committee approved the budget report for the preceding year and the budget for 2024. Mr Mikko Polvinen suggested an informal meeting of the Standing Committee in the near future in his home country. He noted that Finland had the longest land border with Russia, citing the rise of hybrid attacks in recent times, including the push of migrants into democratic countries. As such, he asked for the Standing Committee to more deeply investigate the security situation of the Baltic Sea region. Part of that was to learn from the Baltic states how they had handled similar events. Further photos are available under the following link.: https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/photoset/p_EP-165505A

On 24 November 2023 in Tallinn, Estonia, more than 100 parliamentarians, experts and government representatives of the Baltic States, as well as the countries from the Baltic Sea, Nordic, Benelux and GUAM regions, met for the annual 42 nd Session of the Baltic Assembly and the 29 th Baltic Council. Current affairs and cooperation in the economy and civil defence were discussed during the events. During the session in the parliament of Estonia, experts from the Baltic States were informed about the economic impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and how the Baltic States are joining forces towards a region more resilient to financial and energy market pressures. The need for an effective and coherent regional civil defence through close consultations and coordination was also assessed. Alongside the Session, the 29 th Baltic Council, a cooperation platform for parliaments and governments, was held, during which the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the three Baltic States reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine. Speech by the President of the BSPC During the Session, President of the Baltic Assembly Timo Suslov highlighted that the Baltic Assembly can only imagine their work with international experience. “We highly value our cooperation with international partners because by acting together and pooling our forces, we become stronger,” he emphasised. Afterwards, the representatives of the international partner organisations addressed the Session participants. BSPC President Henrik Møller conveyed the warmest greetings from the BSPC to the Baltic Assembly and informed that the close cooperation between the two organisations has been based on deep mutual trust, reliability, and friendship for many years. Many colleagues of the Baltic Assembly are also very involved in the BSPC’s work. Mr Møller assured the Chair of the Cooperation Council of the Baltic Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Margus Tsahkna, who had expressed concern about being left alone that the Baltic countries are not alone – not now and not in the future. “The same goes for Ukraine – you will never be alone in the war against Russian aggression. Not now and not in the future,” he stated. President Møller also pointed out that strengthening the parliamentary dimension of international cooperation is of fundamental importance, particularly in these times of war. The Baltic Assembly and the BSPC have common goals, particularly about the war of aggression by the Russian Federation against the sovereignty, the independence, and the people of Ukraine. That full-scale brutal military attack rattled the foundations of continental stability and beyond. Russia has trampled on the principles that had been the cornerstone of peace and stability for many decades. Therefore, the Russian attack on Ukraine, contrary to international law, was again one of the core topics of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in August. Regarding the unanimously adopted resolution, the president explained that the first part of the resolution deals exclusively with the war in Ukraine. It is once again an expression of the BSPC’s full support for Ukraine and powerfully underlines the need to fully restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity, which explicitly includes the Crimean peninsula. Lastly, Mr Møller highlighted that during the Danish BSPC Presidency, the focus will be on safety in the Baltic Sea region through the lenses of energy supply security, defence, and climate change. Energy supply security is a fundamental component of regional stability. “It is essential that we meet with each other and work with each other for these common goals. Let us continue to work together with unwavering commitment and cooperation on a future for the Baltic Sea region that is safe, green, and filled with opportunities for our youth,” he encouraged. Future work of the Baltic Assembly At the end of the Session, the participants were introduced to the programme for Lithuania’s Presidency of the Baltic Assembly for 2024. The motto of the Lithuanian Presidency will be “Growing strong and resilient together”. The focus will be on three priorities: 1) the Baltic region confident in its security, development, and resilience; 2) connected, innovative and sustainable Baltic States; and 3) unity, support, and consistency in facing regional challenges. Vice President of the Baltic Assembly Andrius Kupčinskas affirmed that connectivity, innovations and sustainability are of great importance for regional development. Therefore, that will also be at the core of the work of the Baltic Assembly in 2024; regional connectivity, smart growth and sustainable development have always been high on the agenda of the Baltic Assembly, and in 2024, the parliamentarians will continue to work towards improving existing and finding new solutions to common challenges. After adopting the Resolution and the Final Document of the 42 nd Session, the President of the Baltic Assembly, Timo Suslov, transferred the presidency statuette to Vice President Andrius Kupčinskas , symbolising that Lithuania will take over the presidency in the Baltic Assembly on 1 January 2024. Intensifying Cooperation In the margins of the session and afterwards, the members of the BSPC delegation deepened the cooperation and joint issues with the Baltic Assembly, experts and the representatives of the International parliamentary organisations. For additional information, see: https://www.baltasam.org/42-session-ba-29-baltic-council

During the second day of its meeting in Maribo, Denmark, the BSPC Standing Committee toured the site where the Danish end of the Fehmarn Belt tunnel is being built. Set to fundamentally improve, facilitate and accelerate transport flows between Scandinavia and continental Europe from various perspectives, it is expected to become a major transport route. Afterwards, the Standing Committee discussed ways to better protect maritime infrastructure and to improve safety and the security landscape in the Baltic Sea Region. Presentations BSPC President Henrik Møller remarked that the Fehmarn belt tunnel was one of the most significant projects in Denmark in recent years. He believed that it would have a great impact on the Baltic Sea area in cutting down travel times, comparing it to the Rail Baltica project the BSPC Working Group had visited in Riga. Within four weeks, the BSPC had visited Europe’s currently hugest construction sites and informed about the progress. Presentatio n by Mr Jens Ole Kaslund, Technical Director Mr Jens Ole Kaslund explained how the Fehmarn Belt tunnel would reduce travel times. A car would pass through at 110 km/hr in 10 minutes, a train in just 7 minutes at 200 km/hr. Thus, the current travel time from Copenhagen to Hamburg of about 5 hours would shrink to half that, saving 160 kilometres. He explained that at 18 kilometres of length this would be the world’s longest immersed tunnel and, simultaneously, the longest combined road and rail tunnel. The individual elements of the tunnel were pushed into place by tugboats and then sunk into the prepared tunnel trench. Special maintenance elements were interspersed over the length of the tunnel, allowing traffic to continue for most maintenance operations. Looking at the bigger picture, he laid out the various other connections that had been built earlier, such as the Fehmarnsund bridge on the German side and the Danish Hinterland Railway in Denmark. Several of the railway connections in both countries had to be upgraded to accommodate greater traffic volumes. Zooming out even further, the Fehmarn Belt was part of the overall trans-European transport network connecting the continent from the high north to the deep south. Mr Kaslund moved on to the financing which was based on state-guaranteed loans over an expected amortisation period of 28 years, with additional support of 1.1 billion euros from the EU. He mentioned that they had already proofed this financing model in the earlier Great Belt Bridge and Øresund Bridge projects. Its construction budget of 7.1 billion euros (in 2015 prices) would be wholly covered by the future users since all cars, lorries, and trains would have to pay a fee for transit, comparable to a ferry ticket. To a question from Mr Himanshu Gulati , Mr Kaslund explained that the ticket price would likely be around 90 euros. Considering the execution structure, he noted that the contractors were responsible for design, execution, and quality while the stateside was monitoring and supervising operations to ensure the work’s quality. A large number of companies had already been hired for the tunnel, the portals and ramps, the dredging and reclamation process, installations as well as finally the railway contracts. Moving on to the timetable, Mr Kaslund noted that two work harbours had already been built at both endpoints. The tunnel trench had been almost finished, requiring some additional work in 2024. The first portals and ramps would be installed in the coming months, expected to run well into 2025. From 2024 to 2027, the tunnel elements would be produced and placed. Placing the final connecting element between both tunnel ends, the ongoing installation work, and thorough testing would take the project into 2029 for its estimated opening. Mr Johannes Schraps inquired about the original schedule. Mr Kaslund replied that earliest estimates at the start of the undertaking in 2002 had targeted 2018. The approval process had taken unexpectedly long; moreover, a lawsuit in Germany had delayed the project for two years. Mr Bodo Bahr remarked that, to his knowledge, there were 100 people working on the German side while the Danish side employed 1,700 people. Mr Kaslund knew of several reasons for this disparity, but primarily, it was due to the factory producing the elements with 1,000 employees was situated in Denmark. In general, it was a Danish project with Danish financing. As far as the work on the tunnel was concerned, about the same number of workers were busy, and the German side would catch up to the Danish progress soon. Mr Schraps asked about the major challenges. Among those, Mr Kaslund saw the early optimism about the speed of the German approval process as a top obstacle that had to be overcome. This had led to difficult negotiations in the contracting process. Aside from that, more – as he put it – classic challenges were coming in the construction itself, with the exacting work of depositing and connecting the elements. Ms Anna Kassautzki asked about the emergency response plans as well as the compensation plans for the environmental impact, especially regarding carbon-capturing seaweed. On the safety side, Mr Kaslund noted that emergency doors were placed every 100 metres throughout the tunnel, allowing evacuation from the railway tube into the car section. Conversely, in the case of a car accident, people could transit into the road section in the opposite direction. In both cases, they would be picked up by bus and brought to safety. The sections would be closed off, to prevent people from trying to walk up to nine kilometres to the exit. Furthermore, the ventilation system would keep the other tubes clear. Regarding the environment, he saw the major impact on land since the dredged-up soil would be deposited behind the dykes on the Danish side. Some of that would form new beaches for leisure time, others would serve renaturalisation efforts. After the tunnel was in place, the seabed would restore itself through sand movement covering the construction. As for seaweed, most of the tunnel was too deep for the plants to grow, so they were investigating the shallower ends for replanting. Prof Jānis Vucāns was interested in the financing and ownership. Mr Kaslund explained that his company managing construction and later operations was fully state-owned. To a further question about the ferries, he noted those companies believed they would continue their operations. He also confirmed a comment by President Møller that the ferry enterprises had lobbied to stop the tunnel project. Mr Kaslund showed a number of pictures outlining the construction process at both endpoints and the elements. He also referred to the recent heavy storm “of the century” surge that had caused no damage on the Danish side but had crested the dyke on the German side, delaying work for two weeks. Moving on, he spoke about his side’s strategic priorities for sustainability, categorized into environment, social, and corporate governance. In the social aspects, his side was engaging the local community, creating well-paying, diverse jobs along with training the staff. With 500 apprenticeships, these were not only jobs but ensured future capabilities. Community engagement was represented by a newsletter for neighbours as well as visitor centres and lookout points. In addition, there were civic meetings and events such as open site visits or World Cleanup Day. Regarding the environmental impact, he noted that the tunnel was set to last for 120 years despite the harsh marine surrounding; they were trying to use as climate-friendly as possible materials, but unfortunately the older substances were the ones proven to survive such long-term exposure rather than the less carbon-heavy newer materials. The areas covered by construction were counterbalanced by renaturalisation projects. A round-the-clock monitoring system called Aegir had been set up that allowed for full transparency. Environmental experts could follow developments minute by minute, and the relevant data was saved. Mr Bodo Bahr remarked that the safety of critical infrastructure was becoming a crucial topic and asked how that had affected the tunnel project. Mr Kaslund replied that the construction was conforming to all the regulations but had not taken extra measures. He felt that protection was up to the navy or similar institutions. Ms Anna Kassautzki asked if the construction reflected the likelihood of more extreme weather events such as the recent “storm of the century”. Mr Kaslund confirmed that there were pressure systems to prevent flooding, adding that the dykes were set up to prevent so-called ten-thousand-year rather than hundred-year events. Mr Himanshu Gulati inquired about comparisons to other projects. Mr Kaslund reflected that the Øresund tunnel of some four kilometres length had served as a template, along with a similar project in Hong Kong. The Fehmarn Belt tunnel was the latest incarnation with the most developed technology. Ms Kristina Herbst wondered about working from two sides towards the middle. Mr Kaslund saw this as offering more flexibility in the construction process, ensuring that one side would always make progress even if the other might be facing problems. Overall, it was simply a faster process. To another question, he answered that the deepest point of the tunnel would be 45 metres below the sea level. The participants deepened further questions with Mr Kaslund during the subsequent tour of the visitor centre and the construction site. Moving on to the next presentation in Maribo, BSPC President Henrik Møller noted that defence was one of the cornerstones of the Baltic Sea region’s security architecture and one of the Danish presidency’s core issues. Thus, he was glad to welcome Mr Tobias Liebetrau from the Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen as an expert. His current research covered four main areas: cybersecurity, great power rivalry and technology development, big tech international politics as well as maritime sub-sea infrastructure. His presentation to the BSPC Standing Committee was entitled: Maritime Infrastructure and the Baltic Sea Security Landscape. P resentation by Mr Tobias Liebetrau, University of Copenhagen Mr Tobias Liebetrau started by pointing out the increased interest in maritime infrastructure – not just because modern society was more and more relying on it but also because of recent incidents threatening it. First, he explained that maritime infrastructure consisted of the sectors transport – shipping but also bridges –, energy – platforms, pipelines –, communications – data cables –, fishery – ships and aquaculture –, and eco-systems – biodiversity, carbon sink, and beaches. The latter two were often not included, yet these were also important to consider and protect. It was just as vital to acknowledge that they were reliant on each other. Therefore, it made sense to look at maritime infrastructure as a whole rather than splitting it up into separate fields. At the same time, it was different from region to region, with the Baltic Sea region for instance being quite congested. Unfortunately, this infrastructure field was weakly defined from a policy point of view, with a wide divergence among nations in what was considered politically what was critical and what was not. Moving on to the threats to this infrastructure, one distinction was whether they were intentional or not. The latter were natural disasters and accidents contrasted with the former, i.e., acts of war, terrorism, grey zone and hybrid attacks. Mr Liebetrau stated that preparations against conventional war-time attacks were in place across the board, but those incidents intentionally straddling the line – such as sabotage – were more difficult to tackle. He pointed out that many of these were not easy to categorise, as, for instance, state-sponsored sabotage could be made to look like an accident or terrorism. Deterrence had not worked, he noted, referring to the Nord Stream attack. Thus, resilience was crucial. Specifically, he addressed a recent incident when a Baltic connector and a telecom cable between Finland and Sweden were hit on 8 October 2023. While an accident could not be ruled out, suspicious though inconclusive evidence linked a Russian and a Chinese vessel, underlining the difficulty of identifying possible culprits or even intent in the first place. To him, that indicated the need for better protection of these vulnerable pieces of the maritime infrastructure. At the same time, he argued for better surveillance of the locations and actions of ships – such as the Russian vessel in question. Mr Liebetrau pointed to a number of initiatives to improve critical maritime infrastructure on the EU and NATO level. At the same time, one had to keep in mind that each region had its specific characteristics with different types of infrastructure, various countries, and divergent threats. As an example, he explained that sub-sea data cables in the Baltic Sea mainly connected two countries, were owned by one company or nation, and tended to be thirty years old and would have to be replaced. In the North Sea, on the other hand, many American big tech companies owned intercontinental data cables. The next aspect was greater collaboration and information exchange across countries but also between the public and private sectors as well as in-between private companies. He highlighted the often complex ownership structure, adding to the difficulty. Yet there was a lack of institutions clearly assigned to this task. Subsequently, he spoke about surveillance, threat detection, and rapid response. He saw these areas equally underdeveloped. Technologies such as undersea drones were available and could be put into action at affordable costs. Contingency and repair were the next field Mr Liebetrau addressed as it might mitigate the impact of any grey zone attack – which would also lower the interest in such actions. As an example, coordination between industry and public authorities might speed up repairs to undersea cables that otherwise would take weeks or months. This led him to call for better aligned governance and legislation, both at the Baltic Sea and the European level. President Møller asked how the surveillance situation had changed with Finland and – hopefully – Sweden both joining NATO. Mr Liebetrau confirmed that this would increase the capacity for keeping track of the goings-on, but it would require more governance measures for this integration. This opened a window of opportunity to implement these, to improve surveillance as well as cooperation and information sharing. Ms Anna Kassautzki was interested in specific measures to protect the infrastructure. Mr Liebetrau pointed to sensors that could be installed in data cables and pipelines which could detect sound and movement for surveillance, although this was a costly endeavour. Moreover, multiple different measures were needed for better coverage. At the same time, though, they could also be used to investigate biodiversity and the seabed. Prof Jānis Vucāns wondered how countries could enforce that private companies setting up such infrastructure would implement security measures. Mr Liebetrau conceded that such incentivising was a challenge, and it had been for decades since nations had sold off their infrastructure. 9/11, the Madrid bombings, and many subsequent cases had led to airflight security being tightened, more recently cybersecurity. Some of this experience could be drawn upon to transfer to maritime security. Mr Bodo Bahr wondered about plans protecting core projects in the Baltic Sea area, particularly regarding maritime law and the IMO. Mr Liebetrau was not aware of any legal initiatives. Again, he pointed to a better alignment of national laws and the interpretation of maritime law as a way forward. As for specific measures, he noted that some offshore projects were being delayed because it was uncertain what should be imposed on the private companies and how that would affect their profitability. In Denmark, this was a huge discussion. Mr Møller considered that covert measures would seem more probable. Mr Liebetrau sketched out the most likely scenario involving the use of fishing vessels or other commercial merchant ships disguised as normal traffic. Cables and pipelines could be sufficiently damaged with an anchor or a dredge; no high-tech explosives were needed. This was also where their side was more vulnerable. In other words, simple and limited measures could exact considerable damage. BSPC President Henrik Møller thanked the expert for the profound insight into the current challenges regarding Maritime Infrastructure and the Baltic Sea Security Landscape. The issue will be further deepened during the Danish Presidency. The BSPC Standing Committee meeting was concluded with an outlook on its next meeting on 4 March 2024.

The Standing Committee of the BSPC met for a two-day meeting in Maribo, Denmark, focusing on increasing interconnectivity as well as on defence and regional security. The meeting also reflected the past Annual Conference, cooperation across the wider region, and further redefining the organisation’s structure. Connections were at the forefront of the conversation as on the second day of the meeting, Monday 13 November 2023, the Standing Committee would visit the Danish construction site of the Fehmarn Belt tunnel about to improve the connections between Scandinavia and continental Europe. The meeting included more than 30 participants from the Baltic Assembly, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, the German Bundestag, Hamburg, Latvia, Lithuania, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Norway, Poland, Schleswig-Holstein and Sweden. Introduction BSPC President Henrik Møller explained that the area of Maribo had once been known for turnip production. These days, though, the Fehmarn Belt tunnel was being built to create a new connection between Denmark and Germany, setting completely new standards for transportation between both countries. It was raising the standard in this region and beyond. The Standing Committee would visit the site the following day. He outlined that he had already represented the BSPC at two international events: At the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament in Dublin, he had underscored solidarity with Ukraine, while at the Nordic Council session in Oslo, he had presented the central focal points of the Danish presidency: energy as the lifeblood of the Baltic Sea economy, defence as the cornerstone of regional security architecture as well as continued efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change. Mr Møller stressed that continued dialogue was more crucial than ever in these ongoing crises to overcome even the most challenging obstacles. Follow-up to the 32 nd BSPC President Møller appreciated the work of the German Bundestag in organising this year’s conference, the excellent programme, and the vivid open political debates. He also praised the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth Forum, which had been held back-to-back with the conference, for its engagement. The present members of the Standing Committee commented on the conference, highlighting the reception by the federal president of the Federal Republic of Germany apart from the political discussions. Regarding the Youth Forum, Secretary General Bodo Bahr underlined that the BSPC was currently the only organisation to include young people’s recommendations in their resolution. Regarding that resolution, the president explained that, as every year, the delegations would send it to their governments, asking for a report on its implementation. For the deadline, the Standing Committee agreed on 15 April 2024. Furthermore, it was noted that the written reports of the BSPC Rapporteurs on topics focused on by preceding working groups were available on the BSPC website, namely on Sea-Dumped Ammunitions, HELCOM, Integrated Maritime Policy, and Sustainable Tourism. BSPC Working Group on Energy Security, Self-sustainability, Resilience, and Connectivity BSPC President Henrik Møller explained that there had been changes to the working group since the originally appointed chairperson, Mr Kaspars Briškens, had in the meantime, become Minister of Transport of Latvia and thus was no longer available for the working group. In his stead, Mr Andris Kulbergs, also from Latvia, had been named chairperson by the members of the working group, with Mr Philipp da Cunha from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Mr Marius Arion Nilsen from Norway as vice-chairs. Mr Møller recounted the new working group’s first meeting in Riga, where they had visited exciting on-site facilities, such as Rail Baltica, along with high-level representation, among them the originally intended chairperson of the working group, now-Minister Briškens. Prof Jānis Vucāns provided some additional insight regarding the sites visited. The president noted that a detailed report was available on the BSPC website. He further explained that the working group had already set its upcoming meetings throughout the Danish presidency, along with which parliament would be hosting these. The Standing Committee confirmed the appointment of Mr Andris Kulbergs as Chair of the BSPC Working Group on Energy Security, Self-sustainability, Resilience, and Connectivity and took note of the further information. BSPC Finances As per the Rules and Procedures of the BSPC, the Standing Committee discussed its budget at this autumn meeting, in light of the intended changes to the structure of the organisation as well as the increased support for smaller parliaments hosting meetings and conferences. Ms Carola Veit , Mr Johannes Schraps , Mr Henrik Møller , Prof Jānis Vucāns , and Secretary General Bodo Bahr contributed. The Standing Committee decided to approve the current budget as well as maintain the sum of the contributions from the members for 2024. Possible Joint Meetings of the BSPC with other parliamentary assemblies The meeting discussed in-depth the conditions for joint meetings with other parliamentary organisations. It was strongly argued to avoid joint meetings with those not clearly distancing themselves from Russia. The meeting decided not to pursue joint meetings with other parliamentary organisations if an apparent distancing from the aggressor is not fulfilled. The 33 rd Conference in Helsingør in 2024 President Møller noted that preparations were in progress and that high-level participation was sought for the conference. Currently, they were in contact with appropriate representatives. Mr Møller , Ms Carola Veit and Mr Bodo Bahr considered increasing the framework for discussion among the parliamentarians. Prof Jānis Vucāns and Mr Johannes Schraps spoke about how the European elections might affect the invitations of EU representatives. Future Accommodation of the BSPC Secretariat Previously, an Enlarged Presidium Working Group had been formed, made up of the then-presidium under the German Bundestag presidency, enriched by former BSPC presidents, to explore this question. Their conclusion, after intensive and wide-ranging discussion had been to assign a BSPC representative to conduct negotiations with the Nordic House and the CBSS. Ms Kristina Herbst submitted a preliminary proposal of the Schleswig-Holstein parliament to take over the secretariat functions for five years, starting in view of their presidency of the BSPC in 2025, as the parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern had done nine years ago for a specific time. A complete proposal would be presented at the Standing Committee meeting in Brussels in March 2024. Mr Henrik Møller , Mr Johannes Schraps , Ms Carola Veit , Mr Timo Suslov , and Mr Bodo Bahr further considered this matter. The Standing Committee decided to, on the one hand, grant Schleswig-Holstein the time to finalise their proposal while, on the other hand, assigning a mandate for negotiations with the Nordic Council and the CBSS to Mr Møller, Mr Schraps, and Mr Bahr. A final decision was then envisaged at the March 2024 meeting of the Standing Committee. BSPC Rapporteurs and Observer The BSPC Standing Committee confirmed a rearrangement of BSPC Rapporteurs and Observers as Ms Saara-Sofia Sirén left her long-held position as BSPC Co-Observer at HELCOM. Apart from that, the chairman of the now concluded BSPC Working Group on Climate Change and Biodiversity, Mr Philipp da Cunha, had been appointed rapporteur on that field instead of his previous function as Co-Rapporteur on Integrated Maritime Affairs. In both cases, their respective colleagues will continue their long-standing reporting in these functions: Ms Beate Schluppon HELCOM and Mr Jörgen Pettersson on Maritime Affairs. BSPC President Henrik Møller thanked all BSPC Rapporteurs and Observers for their high engagement and precious work. Further Matters BSPC President Henrik Møller noted that the deputy presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament had expressed great interest in closer cooperation with the BSPC. The president invited the Scottish Parliament to attend the 33 rd BSPC Conference in Helsingør. The Standing Committee further discussed their upcoming meetings. A meeting planned for the Faroe Islands – for the first time in BSPC history – was set for 9 – 10 June 2024.

With the unanimous adoption of the 32 nd resolution on 29 August 2023, the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference established a new Working Group on Energy Security, Self-sustainability, Resilience and Connectivity. The ESSRC Working Group held its first meeting on 15-16 October 2023 in Riga, Latvia. More than 30 participants – mainly delegations from the Åland Islands, the Baltic Assembly, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hamburg, Latvia, Lithuania, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Norway, Poland, Schleswig-Holstein, and Sweden – participated. Within the framework of a comprehensive programme, the working group discussed intensively plans to strengthen cooperation for ensuring energy security, self-sustainability, resilience, and connectivity in the region. BSPC President Henrik Møller opened the inaugural meeting and wished the working group great success in reaching its goals. The working group unanimously appointed Mr Andris Kulbergs, Latvia, as chairman. Chair of the WG ESSRC Andris Kulbergs emphasised that the primary focus of the meeting was to establish a plan and the main principles that would guide the discussions and activities within the working group from October 2023 to June 2025. On-Site Visits: Hydroelectric Power and Rail Baltica Before the start of the detailed deliberations, the participants had the opportunity to visit the Riga Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP). During the visit, the Manager of Riga HPP Automation Service, Mr Dainis Pāls , and the Board Member responsible for Production, Mr Harijs Teters , informed the working group about the history and work of the HPP. They explained that the HPP is the newest and second largest power plant on the river Daugava, producing 402 MW generated by 6 hydraulic aggregates. The reservoir serves for the production of green energy as well as providing the city of Riga with technical and drinking water. Afterwards, the members of the working group undertook an on-site visit to the Riga Central Station. They were welcomed by the Minister of Transport of the Republic of Latvia, Mr Kaspars Briškens , who emphasised the importance of the Rail Baltica project and the progress that had been achieved. He stressed that Rail Baltica was not just a railway project – rather, it was an ecosystem that would help form a new economic and security corridor. “The construction site in Riga will create a modern and multimodal traffic hub. The construction and design progress can be seen throughout the Baltics,” Briškens said. The most important elements of the Rail Baltica global project update were presented by the Chief Technical Officer and Member of the Management Board at RB Rail AS, Mr Emilien Dang . Afterwards, the Chairman of the Board of the national implementing body Eiropas Dzelzceļa līnijas, Mr Kaspars Vingris , spoke about Latvia’s progress implementing the project, especially the ongoing work at two construction sites – Riga Airport and the Riga Central Station. Lastly, Mr Guntis Āboltiņš-Āboliņš , executive director of the construction association BERERIX, presented a video on the progress of the construction at the Rail Baltica Riga Central Junction facility. Later on during their visit, the parliamentarians were given a tour of one of the largest construction sites of Rail Baltica, representing a highly complex engineering task. Seeing that allowed the visitors to visually understand the project’s size and future functionality. During the meeting, the parliamentarians from the Baltic Sea states also had the opportunity to gain insights from experts in the field and assess potential areas of cooperation related to the topics covered by the working group. Expert Presentations Minister Kaspars Briškens identified n umerous potential areas of cooperation for the Baltic Sea states , including the development of integrated railway networks , air connectivity within and beyond the region, sea freight and passenger connections, broadband internet and 5G cooperation as well as supporting energy interconnections. Mr Briškens emphasised the vital role of the Rail Baltica project in the broader trans-European transport network, notably within the North Sea-Baltic Sea corridor and the Baltic-Black-Aegean Sea corridor. He added that the project would encompass increasing the potential of the infrastructure, enhancing regional connectivity and ensuring better integration into the national transport network as well as regional traffic. Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Climate and Energy of Latvia, Ms Līga Rozentāle , underlined Latvia’s reliance on renewable energy sources, particularly hydropower constituting 70 % of the country’s electricity generation. She highlighted cooperation with Lithuania for natural gas supply and collaborative efforts with Estonia to explore additional gas sources when needed. Ms Rozentāle also presented the energy policy roadmap and its focus on self-consumption improvement, wind energy development, synchronisation with continental Europe, and various initiatives to address energy poverty while stressing efficient resource utilisation and grid optimisation. Mr Kristaps Ločmelis , Regulatory Affairs Director of the state-owned Latvian electric utility company “Latvenergo” and Chairman of the Supervisory Board at “Sadales tīkls” maintaining and developing the country’s electrical network, gave another presentation. He emphasised his company’s leading role in energy supply and green energy generation within the Baltic States. He informed the participants about the company’s diversified portfolio, covering hydropower plants, combined heat and power facilities, district heating plants, and small decentralised units, all operating within the market. Mr Ločmelis also added that Latvenergo’s strategy was focused on climate neutrality, welcoming connectivity initiatives to tap into the Baltic States’ renewable energy potential, and drawing inspiration from neighbours dedicated to this path. Energy market analyst Reinis Āboltiņš informed the parliamentarians of the Baltic Sea states about the underutilisation of wind energy in the Nordic-Baltic region , particularly where demand was exceeding supply. He also underlined the importance of diversifying energy portfolios and implementing hybrid energy systems, further noting the challenges in competing with LNG. Mr Āboltiņš added that increasing the interconnectivity of markets in the region was vital but also that the potential for green gas to partially replace natural gas could be explored further. Chairman Andris Kulbergs concluded very active discussions between the members of the WG by emphasising the opportunity for the BSPC in strengthening and further exploring energy cooperation and interconnectivity of the region. He also highlighted the importance of energy security in the face of energy challenges that could be observed in Ukraine. Mr Kulbergs noted the necessity for harmonised efforts, especially concerning hydrogen policy, and the value of shared consumption and balancing plans as well as data collection for addressing common issues. The Chair of the working group also pointed out the significance of transport and digital connectivity in ensuring security and information exchange between the countries represented in the BSPC. Programme and Chairmanship of the New Working Group The members of the Working Group on Energy Security, Self-sustainability, Resilience and Connectivity appointed Mr Philipp da Cunha , Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Mr Marius Arion Nilsen , Norway, vice-chairs. The WG ESSRC has two main directions. The first concerns energy security and self-sustainability of the region, with the main topics including 1) joint approaches in preventing dependency on Russian fossil energy; 2) enhancing cooperation to ensure clean and affordable energy; 3) encouraging collaboration in energy and sustainability research and innovation; and 4) exploring cooperation regarding hydrogen policies in the region. The second direction deals with interconnectivity and resilience of the Baltic Sea states, focusing on 1) joint measures towards an open, competitive, fully integrated, and resilient regional energy market; 2) building interconnected, sustainable, and resilient transport systems together; and 3) accelerating the transition to a single digital market resilient to internal and external threats. The members of the working group agreed on the meeting plan and decided that the next meeting would be held in Helsinki, Finland, on 17-18 March 2024.

In Dublin, the presidents and speakers of parliaments and parliamentary assemblies like the BSPC declared their continuing support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, their drive to restore the people’s confidence in democracy, and reflecting those democratic values also through equal and diverse public representation in parliaments. BSPC President Henrik Møller addressed the conference. Introduction Every two years, the presidents and speakers of parliaments of the Council of Europe as well as interparliamentary assemblies come together to discuss the issues of the day. The latest meeting was held in Dublin from 28 – 29 September 2023, continuing a tradition begun in 1975. More than 60 parliamentary heads and some 400 delegates assembled at the Irish parliament to concentrate on three themes, after a pre-conference event had investigated “Hate speech and threats of violence against elected representatives”. Consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and role of national parliaments in Ukraine’s reconstruction As the 4 th Summit of the Council of Europe Heads of State and Government declared its support for Ukraine in its defensive war and the subsequent reconstruction efforts, the parliamentarians spoke about how they could help implement these goals. Speech by Mr Henrik Møller, President of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) Mr Møller began by stating that they were all living in a time of sea change. European peace and stability had been trampled on by Russia’s war of aggression. Ever closer cooperation was the only way to respond adequately. The BSPC’s most recent annual conference in Berlin had once more dealt in-depth with the war in Ukraine, underlining the need to fully restore Ukraine’s entire territorial integrity in its resolution. At the same time, it was the moral duty of parliaments to actively support the reconstruction of civil architecture in the country, through resources, joint initiatives, and advocating for international assistance in forums such as the UN and the EU. Along with infrastructure, the democratic structures of Ukraine and the rule of law had to be reinforced with the expert assistance of democratic parliaments – to shore up Ukraine’s democratic resilience and thus everyone’s long-term security. Preserving and rebuilding cultural heritage through exchange programmes, funding, and cooperation was another vital task. Mr Møller furthermore highlighted the need to further collaborate to investigate human rights abuses, war crimes, and violations of international law and hold those responsible to account. Here, he saw the Council of Europe as crucial in promoting democratic security, calling on his fellow parliamentarians to actively support its initiatives to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Supporting Ukraine not only benefited that country but all of Europe. Strong democracies could make a difference in their efforts for peace and prosperity: together and united – anchored in their values. In the light of contributions like the BSPC president’s, the delegates and speakers determined the importance of keeping the real stakes of this war in the public attention and using the strength of national parliaments to set the course of Europe’s destiny. National budgets had to ensure the continued support of Ukraine during the fighting but also already preview the reconstruction effort. The conference highlighted the democratic resilience of Ukraine which had to be both protected and nurtured on the country’s path into the European Union. It also fell to parliaments to contribute to alleviate the suffering of the Ukrainian civil population, in particular children and victims of sexual violence, not least by sheltering refugees. At the same time, it was deemed vital to pursue accountability for the Russian leadership in order to bring the perpetrators to justice. The challenges to representative democracy in volatile times Considering the low trust in representative democracy, with increased alienation and weakened links between the public and their representatives, misinformation and fake news exacerbated an already troublesome situation. The conference thus saw a need for strengthening – and perhaps even reshaping – the systems of governance as a firm bedrock from which to respond effectively to national and global challenges. The core values of democracy had to be reinforced through measures such as nurturing citizen engagement and bridging that disconnect between citizens and parliaments. Ms Yaël Braun-Pivet, President of the French National Assembly, called for a “new confidence pact with citizens.” The cornerstone of free and fair elections should be underlined, by combining elections on one day, facilitating secure online elections, and lowering the voting age limits. Mr Lauri Hussar, President of the Riigikogu (Estonia), pointed out that “innovative methods” such as online voting, as his country had established, would allow politics “to engage with young people.” This went hand in hand with combating disinformation, in particular through malign foreign actors, by greater transparency on the one hand and fact-checking as well as social media company accountability on the other. Such countermeasures were needed to shore up the democratic foundations, rather than permitting them to be undermined. Equality and diversity in public representation – the participation of young people, women and ethnic and social groups as members of parliament Picking up on the distance between the populace and their representatives, the conference agreed that equality in public representation was fundamental for true democracy, reflecting the people as a whole. This included in particular young people who were barely represented in public life but a large part of the population. Not only should they be given a voice but also granted inclusive education with opportunities for all. But women, disabled people, sexual and gender minorities, ethnic minorities, and disabled people had to take their seats at the table, too. Tools such as quotas had proven their worth in increasing equality and diversity, as had dialogue and scientific research to showcase the benefits to the population at large. The conference also stressed the need to adapt parliamentary infrastructure and working methods to remove practical obstacles and, at the same time, serve as an example to the nations. Intensifying Cooperation In the margins of the conference, the BSPC President and the BSPC Secretary General discussed a range of issues with Presidents and Vice-presidents as well as Secretaries General of attending parliaments and parliamentary organisations. For additional detailed information, see: https://pace.coe.int/en/pages/2023confpres