Opening Oslo V24 8

26/08/2019 10:16Speech by Mr Jorodd AsphjellPresident of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC)28th Baltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceNorway, Oslo, Stortinget, Plenary Hall26 August 20199.30 OPENINGChair: MP, Jorodd Asphjell, President of the BSPCVice-Chair: Jörgen Pettersson MP, Vice-President of the BSPCStortinget, Plenary HallJorodd Asphjell, MP, President of the BSPCIntroductionCheck against deliveryHonourable Mme Speaker of the Storting,dear colleagues, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for kind words and inspiring remarks to introduce the twenty eight BSPC.As we heard in the opening speeches the historical context in which the BSPC have taken place has been changing.Today, we find ourselves in a situation of constructive collaboration in many policy fields in which we can all only benefit from cross-border cooperation. The statements of our governments on the implementation of our resolutions underline that.However, at the highest political level, we see rising tensions worldwide. It is time to ask how we can contribute to reducing tensions and how we can maintain and stabilise peace and prosperity.At the request of the Nordic Council, we will deal with the fundamental questions of political developments and changes in Europe concerning peaceful and intensive cooperation.It is important to us that this cooperation is based on democratic values, the rule of law, human rights and equal opportunities for all. I am very grateful that we have the former European Commissioner for Human Rights to speak on this issue.Additionally, we invited a representative from the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy of the Hamburg University.I would be delighted if all delegations would actively contribute to the debate.In the second session, we will keep our promise from last year to use our joint forces for a back-to-back event with the CBSS at the high ministerial level.I am very grateful that we will do that on a central theme of this year's conference. The ILO celebrates 100 years this year and the future of working life concerns all of us. The ever more rapid changes in our working world require us, as parliamentarians, together with the governments, not only to react to current challenges but also to look to the future. We must work with our governments to develop visions for the future.I would therefore like to thank the Ministers and the State Secretaries from the Labour Ministries of the CBSS countries very much for being here with us today. I am very delighted that the Transport Minister of Latvia, who presides over the Northern Dimension for transport and logistics, is with us today, as is the State Secretary from the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, who this year holds both the Presidency of HELCOM and the chairmanship of the EU Council in environmental affairs. We have dealt intensively with this topic with a large number of experts in the Standing Committee of the BSPC in my hometown of Trondheim, but we also want to discuss the technical possibilities for sustainable, environmentally sound use of the seas with all members of the delegations here today.I warmly welcome you all here and we are looking forward to hearing more from you this afternoon.For our costal nations there is hardly anything more essential than saving and sustainably preserving the oceans.Tomorrow morning we will discuss the topic of the working group on migration and integration. The topic is still right at the top of the agenda throughout Europe and will continue be so in the coming years. That is why the involvement of young people is particularly important. Representatives of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth Forum, who have discussed this with the members of the working group, will present their proposals, recommendations and the results of this two-day event.Finally, we will vote on the resolution that we unanimously recommended for adoption yesterday in the Drafting Committee.Ladies and Gentlemen,I will provide you with a detailed report on the progress we have made in our work over the past year on our website. At this point I would just like to make a few summary remarks:At last year's Standing Committee meetings, we dealt intensively with the main topics of our strategy and work programme for 2018 and 2019. The topics were discussed in depth with a large number of experts. This was the basis for our conference here in Oslo and for the draft resolution.As part of the meeting in Trondheim, the BSPC Standing Committee was informed of the latest research results from Trondheim in the areas of Clean Ocean, Renewable Ocean Energy and Smart Maritime as well as the development of environmentally friendly ships.This was also a topic during the meeting in Brussels in February. We discussed with the Vice-President of the European Parliament and asked about the developments in the field of the European regional and maritime policy. We also looked at current issues of the Baltic Sea Strategy as well as transnational project funding within the framework of macro-regional strategies. In addition, the CBSS informed us of its current priorities during the Latvian Presidency.During our Standing Committee meeting in May in Hamburg, we discussed challenges in our region and how to improve trust between neighbours.The BSPC Working Group, the BSPC rapporteurs and I have taken part in many events to promote and support our positions in the implementation of our recommendations for action.In the past year, the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference has visibly and in every respect fulfilled its programmatic and strategic objectives and achieved significant progress: On the basis of our strategy and work programme 2018-2019 and our resolution,we have communicated our principles and core messages at many Baltic Sea-relevant events and beyond,we have intensified the cooperation with our partners, andour programmatic concerns and contents are perceived more strongly.We are becoming increasingly successful in influencing government action.Wherever possible, we have emphasised and strengthened the parliamentary dimension of cooperation.We have grown even closer on the inside and more coordinated on the outside.We have reached new fundamental goals.We have deepened the cooperation with our main partners andare increasingly listened to in our calls for action.I hope that year after year, we will succeed better and better for the people who elected us.Ladies and gentlemen,Let's get to work,Let's get involved,Let us develop ideas and visionsthat help the people who elected usand help future generationsto live in a peaceful and sustainable world.