Thoennes Speech at 27th BSPC

Franz Thönnes, former Parliamentary State SecretaryReport at the 27th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Mariehamn on 27.8.2018 as former rapporteur for "Work and Social Welfare" and representative of the BSPC in the “Baltic Sea Labour Forum”, working on forming a CBSS/BSLF Coordination Group on Labour and EmploymentEsteemed Presidium!Dear colleagues!Ladies and gentlemen,Many thanks for the invitation to the 27th BSPC in Mariehamn. As a long-standing rapporteur for "Work and Social Welfare" and representative of the BSPC in the "Baltic Sea Labour Forum", I am happy to respond to the request to report on the further development of one of the greatest successes of the Forum and thus also of the BSPC, for these are their roots.Founded in 2011, the Forum currently comprises 30 organisations, 11 employers' associations and 17 trade unions as well as the CBSS and the BSPC. Meanwhile, active partners from St. Petersburg and Moscow are also participating. A unique forum for the social dialogue of the social partners in Europe!Labour mobility, cross-border workers, fair working conditions and youth unemployment have been key issues so far. The common goal of all was to increase the competitiveness of the region, to guarantee cross-border commuting with social security in place and to strengthen training and employment. Experiences were exchanged, common positions worked out and published.At the 26th BSPC in Hamburg, I was able to report that as a result of the labour market policy recommendations of the BSLF, for the first time in the 25-year history of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, a meeting of the Labour Ministers of the member states took place in Berlin in June 2017. Also present were representatives of the BSPC and the BSLF.In their statement, the Labour Ministers underlined the importance of the BSLF and adopted all our recommendations. They discussed the areas:- Promoting closer labour and employment cooperation to improve the competitiveness of the Baltic Sea region- Labour mobility and youth employment- Labour market research- Demographic development and people with disabilities- Migration and integrationFurthermore, the Committee of Senior Officials at the CBSS was asked to consider setting up an ad hoc working/expert group in conjunction with the CBSS Secretariat, the BSPC, the Northern Dimension Partnership on Health and Social Wellbeing and other organisations dealing with these issues. Close cooperation with the BSPC and its Migration/Integration Working Group was recommended.In October 2017 and April 2018, two informal ad hoc group meetings with representatives of the Labour Ministries of the Baltic Sea Council members and a roundtable of the BSLF took place in Stockholm and Riga.Several BSLF meetings, including two round tables and the ministerial round table, were held within the framework of the Baltic Sea Labour Partnership project supported by the Swedish Institute as well as in part with the EU Baltic Sea Strategy in the policy area of education by the Norden Association.The result is an informal cooperation platform formed by the CBSS Secretariat and BSLF: the "CBSS/BSLF Coordination Group on Labour and Employment" (CG). It functions thanks to the voluntary participation of representatives of the member states of the Council of the Baltic Sea States.The task of the group is:- to create closer labour and employment cooperation to improve the labour market as a cross-cutting issue for competitiveness and welfare across the Baltic Sea region;- to promote innovative regional cooperation among different levels of government and partnership between different interest groups, including labour markets, social innovation and cross-border employment; and- to actively contribute to the continuation of the CBSS's long-term priorities.The efforts are focused on issues of common interest, such as the future of work, new qualifications and better links between training and labour market needs, the importance of lifelong learning and the broad outlook for the future of the labour market as well as research and demographic development.The group will serve as a platform and information centre for mutual learning, the regular exchange of experiences and work with good examples of the main actors in the labour market and report on their work results.It will work with a holistic, cross-sectoral approach, bringing together joint efforts of governments, regional and local authorities, research and education, social partners and NGOs.Diverse forms of commitment are possible. The main topics are to be determined by the members of the group. It is also up to them to form thematic working groups for further policy and project development in selected fields. Decisions should be made by consensus. Their own Rules of Procedure have been accepted, and work will now begin with a first meeting in Stockholm at the end of September.Also, the CBSS' intention to apply to the European Social Fund for a "BSLF for a sustainable working life" project is important for three areas of the CBSS member states, but also for the entire EU: demographic development, active ageing and lifelong learning. The social partners in the BSLF, in particular, are important partners in these efforts, offering them good opportunities for participation.This great success of the BSPC and the BSLF was not least due to the excellent preparation of Daria Akhituna, Senior Advisor at the CBSS Secretariat, where the administration of the BSLF is now also located.Thanks are also due to CBSS Director General Maira Mora and her deputy Bernd Hemingway for their support. I would also like to thank Anders Bergström from Norden Association with the Baltic Leader Program, the Swedish Institute and BSPC Secretary General Bodo Bahr. I would also like to thank the Presidencies of Iceland and Sweden in the Council of the Baltic Sea States, during whose term of office this process was intensively promoted.The history of the BSLF is thus an excellent example of the sustainable and successful work of the BSPC. What matters now is broad support and commitment from every member country: from the parliaments, the governments and the social partners.Now, the time has come to breathe life into these new opportunities. There is plenty of room for manoevre. It is important to participate and formulate common interests. Nothing can be created out of nothing!I wish you success in your efforts and thank you for your attention.