All news

You have an interesting project idea, want to share it with others and look for project partners? 

The Joint Technical Secretariat of the Baltic Sea Region Programme together with the Regional Capacity Building Initiative are to organise a two-day information and training event in Belarus.

During the first day, 29 September, potential applicants from Belarus will receive information about the programme and the coming call for proposals.

At the second day, 30 September, a training workshop will be organised for the Belarusian partners from the projects approved in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd calls for proposals. The aim of this workshop is to support partners from Belarus in carrying out their daily project routines.

The event will be held in English and Russian. More information will follow in September.

Should you have any questions regarding the event, please contact Ms Elena Kolosova at the Baltic Sea Region Programme JTS (Tel: +371 6 735 06 46, e-mail: elena.kolosova@eu.baltic.net).

Stakeholders and decision makers in the public sector are used to think and act in local, regional or national frameworks. They need to be made much more aware about the opportunities of transnational cooperation. What is the added value of working in a transnational cooperation project? What problems can be solved more effectively at international level? How do institutions benefit from being linked to transnational networks?

Representatives of managing authorities and secretariats of ten transnational cooperation programmes met in Brussels on 8 July, and agreed that the benefit of transnational cooperation has to be highlighted in a more effective way. To this end, they set up a "steering group" responsible for organising a joint conference involving all European transnational cooperation programmes in 2011. One joint event will better demonstrate the European impact of transnational cooperation across the whole continent. Still, geography matters: territorial cooperation needs a territorial reference - such as the Baltic Sea region.

Poland will hold the EU Presidency in the second half of 2011 and offered to host the event. Participants were pleased to be informed that the Polish minister of regional development already indicated to open the conference if it was to take place in Poland. Thus the event would get the necessary public attention. Representatives of the programmes now also count on high level representation from the European Commission.

The Monitoring Committee of the Baltic Sea Region Programme had already expressed its support to the event at its last meeting in Helsinki, on 9 June 2010. The Baltic Sea Region representatives strongly supported the Polish offer to host the event. The steering group will met again on 29 September 2010, and again at the EU office of the Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein in Brussels. Susanne Scherrer, director of the JTS, and Alke Elisabeth Voß, JTS communication officer represent the Baltic Sea Region Programme at the steering group.

The EIB contributes to the implementation to the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region by offering financing opportunities to the projects. Overall, the EIB has lent more than EUR 20 billion to activities in the Baltic Sea Region in the years 2007-2009.

To learn more please check the brochure "The EIB in the Baltic Sea Region".

Six transnational cooperation projects co-funded by the EU Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 presented their investment ideas to international financing institutions in Hamburg on 5th May.

The seminar is addressed to the representatives of the audit companies, providing the first level control (FLC) service to the Lithuanian partners implementing projects of European Territorial Cooperation CBC programmes in Lithuania. The seminar will be organised on Thursday, 27 May 2010 at 09.00-17.00 in premises of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania (Šventaragio str 2, Vilnius, Lithuania) by the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania in cooperation with INTERACT.

The aim of the seminar is to present to the FLC the background information on general European support and financial matters on the project level, to acquaint them with national eligibility rules for ETC Programmes implemented in Lithuania, to offer a forum for them to discuss main questions, issues and challenges of certifying project expenses.

For more info see the invitation, agenda and registration form.

We are looking for a new colleague supporting the preparation and implementation of transnational projects, in particular the monitoring of financial reports. Training on the job will be provided by JTS finance officers. The job can be started as soon as possible. The new colleague will be employed to replace one of the Finance Officers being on parental leave, so the contract will end on 31 December 2011. The candidate shall have a relevant university degree and proven experience with administration of EU-funded programmes.

Candidates are requested to send their CV, a Motivation Letter and their expectation towards the annual gross salary by e-mail to info@eu.baltic.net. All documents shall be submitted in English language. Closing date is Monday, 31 May 2010.

For more information please see the job advertisement.

The Baltic Sea Region Programme conference "The power of the Baltic Sea macro-region" in Jyväskylä, Finland on 30 Nov-1 Dec 2010 will gather policy makers and representatives of national, regional and local authorities from all those countries bordering the Baltic Sea and beyond. We are also expecting participants from Non-Governmental Organisations, researchers and academics, project partners and interested project promoters - and all those dedicated to further developing the Baltic Sea region towards a model region in Europe.

The President of Finland Ms Tarja Halonen will provide the key note opening speech at the conference. From Mr Mauri Pekkarinen, Minister of Economic Affairs, we will get the Finnish viewpoints for the European Union's cohesion policy beyond 2013. Mr John Bachtler, Director of the European Policies Research Centre (Glasgow), and Mr Ole Damsgaard, Director of Nordregio, will provide the academic grounds for an informed exchange of views among conference participants about the much debated concept of macro-regional strategies in the European Union. We also expect prominent speakers from the European Commission and the Danube region to reflect on similarities and differences of building up a macro-regional development strategy. The transnational cooperation projects funded by the Baltic Sea Region Programme will demonstrate their achievements and contributions to the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea region. We also intend to open the final call for project applications and inform project promoters how to receive funds from our programme. Conference participants will have space to network and learn more about the City of Jyväskylä and the region of Central Finland at the pre-conference programme and get-together as well as conference reception.

The conference is organised by the Baltic Sea Region Programme in co-operation with the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy, the Regional Council of Central Finland and the City of Jyväskylä. Have you not been there yet? Jyväskylä is situated 270 km north from Helsinki, and very well connected by flights and trains. We look forward to welcoming you in Jyväskylä, the human technology city!

Detailed agenda and practical information will be made available at eu.baltic.net.

The highlights of this newsletter edition are:

• 61 applications received in the 3rd call
• Interview with MEP Olejniczak on macro-regional strategy
• Strategic project: TransBaltic
• Review on the latest events

The third call for project applications is closed. The Secretariat received 61 applications and will start now with the admissibility check.

More than 120 participants and 46 project ideas were present at the Lead Applicant seminar in Malmö on 13-14 January. The staff of the Joint Technical Secretariat informed about requirements from the Programme and gave advice on how to fill in the application form.

Many projects will submit applications to the Baltic Sea Region Programme in the third call (deadline 22 March). 21 project ideas received consultations on 14 January.

Downloads:

• Agenda
• List of participants
• Presentations

The responsible Finnish authorities will arrange a national event to inform about the third call of the Baltic Sea Region programme and the fifth call of the Northern Periphery programme in Helsinki on 11 February 2010. In addition to informing about the specific calls, authorities will also inform about the possibility for Finnish partners to apply for State co-financing and about the Finnish First Level Control system.

Downloads:

• Invitation, preliminary programme and registration form

• Quo Vadis, Programme?
• Third call for project applications open from 4 January till 22 March 2010
• Project: JOSEFIN - Joint SME Finance for Innovation
• Enlarged DEEP user group met in Vienna

Almost 70 participants gathered in Schwerin, Germany on 11 December to learn more about the Baltic Sea Region Programme and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Below you will find agenda and presentations from the event.

Downloads:

• Invitation and agenda
• Presentations (part 1)
• Presentations (part 2)
• List of participants

Many project promoters have decided to come for the Lead Applicant seminar to Riga on 2nd - 3rd December 2009. 110 participants attended the event and submitted 40 project ideas. Secretariat ran presentations and workshops that helped project developers to learn about the requirements and to prepare project applications. Below you can download presentations and agenda from the seminar.

You can register for the next Lead Applicant seminar in Malmö on 13th - 14th January 2010. Online registration and additional information are available here. Deadline for registrations is 7th January.

The Baltic Sea Region Programme will open the third call for project applications on 4th January 2010. Application package (announcement note, application form, updated Programme Manual and partner declarations) will be available here. Deadline for submitting applications is 22nd March.

Downloads:

• Agenda
• Presentations from the seminar (zip/pdf)

To present your project idea please fill in the project idea form and register for the conference at www.regionsjaelland.dk/BSSSC. Deadline for sending the ideas is 7 October. You can participate in the Café also without sending a project idea.

The progress report templates have been sent out to the 1st call approved projects. Also the guidance to the progress report, which provides help when filling in the report.

Around 65 participants representing 24 approved first call projects took part in the first Lead Partner seminar of the Programme on the 24-25 February in Rostock/Germany. Below you can download the documents and presentations from this seminar.

The event will take place on 4 March in Minsk, Belarus.

More than 70 participants took part in the second Finnish national info day on the Baltic Sea Region Programme in Helsinki on 9 February 2009.

More than 130 participants took part in the Info seminar on the Baltic Sea Region and North Sea Programmes in Kiel on February 2009.

Agreement between participating EU Member States and Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein (IB), acting as the Managing Authority, Certifying Authority and the host of the Joint Technical Secretariat, on the implementation of the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 has been signed. Also the formal Declaration of Consent by the Kingdom of Norway concerning its participation in the Programme has been concluded.

Around 400 representatives of the Baltic governments, local authorities, business, NGOs and academia took part in a final two day conference on the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region in Rostock on 5-6 February 2009. Also the Baltic Sea Region Programme representatives contributed to this conference.

Around 100 participants representing 60 project ideas took part in the Lead Applicant seminar of the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007 - 2013 on the 4-5 February in Rostock Warnemünde/Germany. Below you can download the documents and presentations from this seminar.

The Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein is looking for an EU-specialist for its Enterprise Europe Network and for tasks of the Managing Authority of the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013. Deadline for application is 13 February 2009.

As Russia did not sign the Financing Agreement the ENPI funding that was allocated to the Programme will not be used to finance the involvement of Russian organisations taking part in the activities of the projects. For more information please see the modified Announcement Note for the 2nd call. To download click here.

The review of the Baltic Sea Region Programme Conference 2008 is made available.

The Monitoring Committee’s Task Force “Programme Strategy” met in Berlin on 14 January to look into the most urgent issues before launching the second Call for project applications (19 January – 31 March 2009).

We are glad to invite you to the Lead Applicant Seminar in Rostock on 4-5 February 2009. Below you will find invitation, practical information, agenda and project idea form. Registration has been closed.

After more than three years of joint programme preparation, the Monitoring Committee of the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 approved 24 transnational cooperation projects at its meeting in Copenhagen on 23 - 24 October 2008. Around 66.1 Million Euro or 29.8 % of the total available EU/Norwegian programme co-financing was allocated. The second call will be opened from 19 January till 31 March 2009.

Elisabeth Schroedter, since 1994 Member of the European Parliament, met staff members of the Joint Technical Secretariat at Rostock.

If you are planning to apply in the 2nd call for project proposals, you can register for the consultation. The individual consultations will be offered by the Joint Technical Secretariat in Rostock and Riga on the following dates:

• Rostock: 7, 14, 28 October & 4, 11, 18 November

• Riga: 7, 9, 30 October & 6, 13, 20 November

The Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 will run a project idea café the BSSSC Annual Conference in Kaunas on 18 September 2008. The Joint Technical Secretariat would kindly invite you to take an active role in the café! You are welcome to present and discuss your project idea.

The Monitoring Committee of the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 will meet in Berlin to discuss strategy for the forthcoming meeting on 23-24 October 2008 in Copenhagen.

110 project applications were received in the 1st call. At its meeting in Copenhagen the Committee will have to select proposals that suit the Programme the best.

A new section with the main Programme information in Russian now available online at eu.baltic.net. This section will support Russian speaking partners in their work with documents and proceedures. The Operational Programme in Russian is also available.

Click here to go to Russian section of the website.

We have the pleasure to announce the Baltic Sea Region Programme Conference 2008! We would be glad to meet you in Tallinn on 26 November 2008. Please mark this date in your calendar!

Around 300 participants took part and more than 100 project ideas were discussed during the Lead Applicant seminars of the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007 - 2013 on the 2- 4 April in Hamburg and 9 - 11 April in Riga.

Presentations from the seminar you can download below.

The Joint Technical Secretariat has developed a Project Planning Tool which should help applicants to set up a high-quality project. The tool reflects major requirements arising from the programme documents. For downloading click here.

The 1st call for project applications is open as from 25 February 2008. The call will be closed on 30 May 2008 by 16:00. For more details please go here.

More than 30 decision makers from eleven countries came to Rostock on 14-15 February. They launched 236 million Euros of European Union's funding for transnational cooperation in the Baltic Sea region.

Chaired by Denmark in 2008, the Monitoring Committee further decided about opening the first call for project applications on 25 February. The call will be closed on 30 May. The Lead applicant seminars together with individual consultations will be held on 2-4 April in Hamburg and 9-11 April in Riga. Registration will be opened at the end of February on eu.baltic.net.

Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013: new partnership opportunities for Russian and Belarusian regions

Around 430 representatives from national, regional and local authorities, educational institutions, and NGO's from Russia, Belarus, Norway, and the European Union took part at the Baltic Sea Region INTERREG III B Neighbourhood Programme conference "Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013: new partnership opportunities for Russian and Belarusian regions". Confernce was held in Hotel Park Inn Pribaltyskaya in St. Petersburg on 16-17 April 2008.

Conference related information and all the presentations in English and Russian are available for downloads below.

On behalf of the Monitoring Committee and the Managing Authority, the Joint Secretariat opens a call for tenders for Evaluation Study on use of outcomes produced in the Baltic Sea Region INTERREG III B Neighbourhood Programme. The call for tenders will be closed on Friday, 29th February 2008 at 20:00 hrs, German time.

The latest Inforegio Panorama magazine with the title "Regions as partners - The European Territorial Co-operation objective" is now available in English on the Inforegio website.

The Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 was approved by the European Commission on 21 December 2007 (decision No. 2007CB163PO020 21/12/2007 C(2007)6550) after the Programme document was resubmitted to the Commission on the 14 November 2007.

Approved Programme document can be downloaded here.

Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein, Department EU-Funding/Euro Info Centre located in Kiel, Germany is looking for an EU-specialist for its Euro Info Centre and the Managing Authority for the NTERREG/Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-13. The job can be started as soon as possible. Deadline for applications 20 December 2007.

The November issue of the newsletter from the Baltic Sea INTERREG III B programme and the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007 - 2013 is available for download below.

The Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 document including annexes and the final environmental statement was officially resubmitted to the European Commission on the 14th of November.

BSR Programme 2007-2013 is the only programme which needs joint approval from DG Regio and DG Aidco. The official approval of the programme is still expected this year.

How far is the Programme Manual of the BSR Programme 2007-2013?

This was the main issue discussed at the Task Force meeting on the 7-8 November in Rostock, Germany. Both days were dedicated to reflect on comments submitted by participating countries, discussions and JTS responses to the Programme Manual.
The next steps will be drafting of still missing chapters, incorporation of further comments received and general editing. The next amended version of Programme Manual will be send to participating countries again. The Final draft Programme Manual is expected to be approved by the Monitoring Committee in the first meeting.

The European Commission made several comments on the Baltic Sea Region programme 2007-2013 document submitted on 24 May 2007. By now negotiations with the Commission are closed and amended Programme document was sent to the Joint Programming Committee (JPC) for approval. All comments from DG ENV, DG TREN, DG RELEX and DG AIDCO have been clarified. If by 13 November members of the JPC will not raise any substantial comments, the managing Authority will submit the document to the Commission.

A new flyer from the Baltic Sea INTERREG III B Neighbourhood Programme is available for download below.

This publication presents “Facts & Figures” for 2000 – 2006.

The Baltic Sea Programme 2007-2013 Partner Search Forum on 14 September in Turku, Finland attracted more than 100 participants and 29 project ideas. The forum was organised in the frame of the BSSSC annual conference “Sustainable energy: Contribution to meet the threats of Climate Change”, which gathered more than 300 participants.

More than 500 participants from 21 nations representing ministries, municipalities, cities, regions, counties and Baltic organisations gathered for the event that took place in Hamburg on 10-11 May. The conference offered practical information about the future programme, its priorities and new project ideas.

This is the first newsletter with more detailed information about the new Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007 – 2013 and its priorities, as well as about the Baltic Sea INTERREG III B programme. We hope you will find the combination of information about the achievements of the current programme and the introduction into the future programme, as well as our new design interesting.

Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 conference will start in a week’s time. After the registration the most popular workshops are `Interregional co-operation` and `Attractive and competitive cities and regions`. These workshops will be held for each thematic priority and future of interregional co-operation. The aim is better understanding of the priorities and the nature of projects that will be supported.

The registration for the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007 - 2013 conference is already closed and the maximum number of participants (500) reached.

The event will take place in Hamburg, Germany on 10 - 11 of May 2007. For practical information please visit the conference website at conference.baltic.net.