Intervention at CBSS 18th Ministerial meeting in Kaliningrad 6 June 2013

Intervention by Ms Laine Randjärv, MP, Chair of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC), at the 18th Ministerial Session of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, Pionersky, Kaliningrad, 6 June 2013Honourable Chairman,Honourable Ministers,On behalf of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, let me first of all thank you for inviting me to the 18th CBSS Ministerial Session. We place great value on the opportunities to address your Ministerial as well as Summit meetings.We feel that CBSS is our sister organization in the Region. I am glad to state that our contacts and cooperation at all levels continue to flourish. We have a regular and pragmatic exchange at both political, staff and expert levels. There is a close correspondence between both our political priorities and our practical activities.In the 21st BSPC Resolution, we called on Governments to provide stable and long-term resources to CBSS. We also highlighted the need to improve coordination between stakeholders in the Region, for instance by promoting interaction between the North-West Russia Socio-Economic Development Strategy, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, and the Northern Dimension. CBSS is a central regional driver for this purpose.In his speech at the 21st BSPC in St Petersburg, the Chairman of the CBSS CSO, Sergey Petrovich, made the remark that enhanced cooperation between the BSPC and the CBSS is considered by the Russian CBSS Presidency as very important because close coordination of activities between legislative and executive branches will facilitate implementation of the programme of the Presidency. We fully subscribe to this view.We commend the work of the Russian Presidency of the CBSS in 2012-2013. Great efforts have been made to stimulate multilateral cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region. Sustainable economic development has been given keen attention. One of the main priorities has been the development of cooperation in the field of modernization and innovation. We too see this as a main priority.Innovation is a means of strengthening economic progress, competitiveness and social welfare. It is therefore an inherent part of the efforts to secure the position and develop the advantages of the Baltic Sea Region in a wider European and international perspective.We believe that innovation is not confined to industrial production, but should be promoted in administrative sectors and for social governance as well. The challenges of the Region, such as e.g. environmental sustainability, labour market mobility, infrastructure and logistics, and organized crime, require innovative forms of cooperation and governance that transcend physical and organizational borders.Let me close by emphasizing that enhanced regional cooperation benefits from a free movement of people and enterprises. It is necessary to continue the efforts for a gradual phasing out of the visa regime between the EU- and non-EU- countries in the Region.The 22nd Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference will be convened in Pärnu on 25-27 August. The theme is “Sustainable Innovation for a Competitive Economy in the Region”. As always, CBSS is invited to the Conference, and we look very much forward to welcoming you in Estonia.