Highlights
Newsletter June 2010
1 Ten new projects selected 1 Interviews with project partners 1 Project: BalticClimate 1 Programme conference in Jyväskylä 1 Project Idea Café in Tallinn
Ten new Baltic Sea cooperation projects selected – powerful cooperation for transport and environment The Monitoring Committee of the Programme examined project proposals submitted under Priority 2 and 3 (3rd call) and selected 10 best projects at its meeting in Helsinki on 9-10 June 2010. The approximate total budget of the approved projects sums up to around 32.3 million euro. The Baltic Sea Region is confronted with major challenges - structural barriers of smooth traffic flows within the region and an increase of the pollution of the common sea are two of them. But an effective transport economy and a clean Baltic Sea do not have to be antipodes – as two of the new cooperation projects will show. The project CleanShip will fight the pollution of the Baltic Sea caused by ship emissions. Led by the Swedish Port of Trelleborg, 21 project partners from nine countries will put the focus on joint strategies to reduce the poisoning of the Baltic Sea by phosphorus and nitrogen. The partnership includes port cities, shipping business and research institutions. The aim is to turn the Baltic Sea Region into the worldwide first model region applying a common clean shipping strategy. The project will receive 2.2 million euro of Programme funds and from Norway. The project BaltAdapt will address the effects of climate change. Eleven strong partners led by the Danish Meteorological Institute will develop an overall climate change strategy for the Baltic Sea region focuss-
ing on the sea but also on its coastlines. In total, 2.9 million euro will be invested, of which 2.2 million euro will be allocated from the Baltic Sea Region Programme.
The ten approved projects involve 167 project partners from the Baltic Sea area. Project CleanShip was selected as strategic projects of the Programme.
“This meeting showed that the Baltic Sea region Programme is able and willing to take an active part in the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region”, emphasized Harry Ekestam, chairman of the Programme’s Monitoring Committee, on behalf of the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy. In 2009, all EU governments had agreed on the strategy to fight pollution of the Baltic Sea and improve business opportunities in the Baltic Sea region by implementing joint actions. Both CleanShip as well as BaltAdapt are flagship projects of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.
In total 61 project applications were received in the 3rd call that was closed on 22 March 2010, 19 of them in priority 2 & 3. For the coming fourth call around 8 million euro of Programme funding is still available in Priority 2 (Internal and external accessibility) and 12 million euro in Priority 3 (Baltic Sea as a common resource). Projects that applied during 3rd call in priority 1 (Fostering innovations) and 4 (Attractive & competitive cities and regions) will be selected by the Monitoring Committee in Kiel, Germany on 15-16 September 2010.
Harry Ekestam, Finland, MC-Chair, Susanne Scherrer and Ute Neumann, Joint Technical Secretariat Part-financed by the EU
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Newsletter June 2010
Projects approved in the 3rd call, MC meeting in Helsinki Priority
Area of support
Project acronym
Project title
Lead Partner institution, Country
Approximate total budget
2
2.1
RBGC
Rail Baltica Growth Corridor
City of Helsinki, FI
3,587,085.69 EUR
2
2.1
NECL II
North East Cargo Link II
County Administrative Board of Västernorrland, SE
2,696,320.00 EUR
2
2.1
BALTRIS
Improving Road Infrastructure Safety in the Baltic Sea Region
Lithuanian Road Administration under the Ministry of Transport and Communications, LT
1,593,822.22 EUR
2
2.1
Baltic.AirCargo.Net
Improving the air cargo transport sector by service oriented ICT-methods and processing logistic network
Wismar University of Applied Sciences: Technology, Business and Design, DE
3,073,000.00 EUR
2
2.1
BSR InnoShip
Baltic Sea cooperation for reducing ship and port emissions through knowledge and innovation-based competitiveness
The Baltic Institute of Finland, FI
3,621,447.61 EUR
2
2.1
CleanShip
Clean Baltic Sea Shipping
Port of Trelleborg, SE
2,982,065.00 EUR
3
3.1
BERAS IMPLEMENTATION
Baltic Ecological Recycling Agriculture and Society Implementation
Södertörn University, Costal Management Research Centre, SE
4,517,130.00 EUR
3
3.1
BalticDEAL
Putting Best Practises in Agriculture into Work
Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre, LV
3,774,232.07 EUR
3
3.2
SUBMARINER
Sustainable Uses of Baltic Marine Resources
The Maritime Institute in Gdansk, PL
3,580,592.21 EUR
3
3.4
BALTADAPT
Baltic Sea Region Climate Change Adaptation Strategy
Danish Meteorological Institute, DK
2,858,925.50 EUR
Project partners per country
Lead Partners per country
Part-financed by the EU
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Newsletter June 2010
Interviews with project partners In this newsletter we present interviews with the representatives of the Finnish Environment
Institute and the Maritime Institute in Gdansk. Both institutes participate in several projects
part-finaced by the Baltic Sea Region Programme.
Interview with Ms Ansa Pilke and Mr Seppo Hellsten, Finnish Environment Institute
Ms Ansa Pilke, Senior Researcher, Finnish Environment Institute
Mr Seppo Hellsten, Head of Unit, Finnish Environment Institute
The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) participates in several projects part-financed by the Baltic Sea Region Programme. What are the benefits for your organisation from participation?
or socio-economic situations need and provide various solutions for problems in environmental issues.
International projects widen significantly the scope of projects compared to the situation that the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) would work with Finnish partners only. In Baltic Sea Region cooperation with partners from even almost ten countries of the area gives various approaches to tackle tricky questions and to find common solutions to countries in the Baltic Sea catchment. In EU countries the common basis for legislation, for instance, highlights the need of cooperation. What are the advantages of transnational cooperation? Main advantages are ability to study in projects common transnational problems such as combating against pollution. Additionally it is valuable to see how different nature conditions
Do you see an added value for your organisation in participating in different projects? Information exchange with other partners is valuable and actually a precondition to a satisfactory work and research. SYKE as a research- and development institute benefits significantly from cooperation in projects. Which are the biggest difficulties for you when taking part in projects? Application phase and start of the project are always a challenge. Depending on the issues of the project, and set of partners, building elements of cooperation may be more or less time-consuming. Relatively intensive reporting intervals are also challenging and also need proper allocation of resources. What would be your message to other organisations that are
planning to participate in a project? Preparations of a project are a fundamental basis, which should be started as early as possible. Find out proper partners and key-players of the project field. Finnish Environment Institute participates in projects Baltic COMPASS, WATERPRAXIS, COHIBA and BRISK.
The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) is both a research institute, and a centre for environmental expertise. SYKE’s research focuses on changes in the environment, and seeks ways to control these changes. SYKE’s research programmes assess environmental problems from a multi-disciplinary perspective, by integrating socio-economic considerations into scientific research. Research may focus on global environmental issues such as climate change and declining biodiversity, or on regional and local issues. Part-financed by the EU
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Newsletter June 2010
Interview with Ms Urszula Kowalczyk and Mr Juliusz Gajewski, Maritime Institute in Gdansk
Ms Urszula Kowalczyk, Head of Economics and Law Department and Mr Juliusz Gajewski, Researcher and Project Manager, Maritime Institute in Gdansk
Maritime Institute in Gdańsk participates in projects partfinanced by the Baltic Sea Region Programme. What are the benefits for your organisation from participation? What are the advantages of transnational cooperation? The participation in projects allows our research team to be involved in transnational co-operation and improve standards of research. It is particularly vital for a non-profit R&D institute like Maritime Institute in Gdańsk (MIG). It gives us operational possibilities to check and verify quality of ideas developed in MIG against problems of other regions and proposed different solutions. This is also a chance to promote the results of studies, improve access to new technologies, enhance co-operation with enterprises and institutions both at national and regional level, transfer the knowledge and raise awareness of the local and international actors about the regional needs. Do you see an added value for your organisation in participating in different projects? The image of the whole institutional setting and collaboration frame is changing – it is no more an isolated R&D institute
focused only on itself and its research, but it has become a dynamic team of specialists open to exchange of experiences, ideas and information with international, regional and local communities. Participation in international projects entitles MIG to be considered as a regional leader in research that is applied to solve local/regional problems. It is worth mentioning that internal communication has improved as well due to multidisciplinary problems, which are often a subject of such projects. Which are the biggest difficulties for you when taking part in projects? There are many challenges at all stages of the project – there are difficulties in proper partnership organisation during the project proposal phase. Organizational differences in work between different project partners quite often lead to misunderstandings and delays. There is also important issue of financial reporting. The procedures are incredibly time-consuming, e.g. especially with central certification system used in Poland. What would be your message to other organisations that are planning to participate in a project?
It is worth the effort as you get the practically unlimited access to the results of studies, priceless contacts with practitioners, researchers, regional and local activists from various regions and countries. In many cases it is also a chance to inform the market about existing solutions and possibilities of developing new business scenarios. It is a great opportunity to broaden the scope of co-operation network, improve standards, introduce and implement your ideas and learn from the others.
Maritime Institute in Gdańsk participates in projects BalticMaster II, TransBaltic, BaltSeaPlan, BRISK, EfficienSea, Eco-Region and SMOCS. Maritime Institute in Gdańsk (MIG) is the multidisciplinary research and development institute founded to support maritime administration in Poland. MIG has over 100 employees organised in departments covering various aspects of maritime affairs from environmental protection through operational oceanography to hydro-engineering, and from maritime economics to spatial planning.
Part-financed by the EU
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Newsletter June 2010
Project: BalticClimate - Baltic Challenges and Chances for local and regional development generated by Climate Change How to deal with climate change – not as an unsolvable problem, but as a manageable situation? Even though international and national guidelines and recommendations are being developed, the local and regional levels lack support, resources, knowledge and experience on how to deal with climate change. In addition to mitigation measures, early adaptation is required. It will reduce unavoidable negative effects and may bear new chances for the economy, the environment, and the social sector. The project “BalticClimate” is aimed at small and mediumsized cities and rural areas within the Baltic Sea Region. The project will identify how to approach climate change pro-actively in daily practice regions und municipalities and long-term planning to open up new opportunities for development. For the Target Areas in 7 countries BalticClimate will regionalise various climate change scenarios, assess impacts on the local and regional level, and carry out vulnerability assessments to identify fields of action. Partners will assess alternatives for spatial and traffic plan-
ning, location and structure of residential areas, energy solutions, and farming decisions. The project will also prepare a climate change SWOT analysis for the Target Areas. To guide planners, decision makers and business, the project will develop a transferable ICT toolkit. The final toolkit – tested on Target Areas - will contain tools such as stepwise approach to handle the impacts of climate change relevant on local and regional level. The BalticClimate Toolkit will be widely distributed for free on local and regional level in all Baltic Sea region countries. Achievements of the project so far Partners checked how well the issue of climate change – mitigation and adaptation - is known and reflected in the every day activities and long term strategies. They also collected data and studied regionalised climate scenarios for the Target Areas to assess how climate change will influence their areas. Moreover BalticClimate examined existing guides for dealing with climate change and raised awareness about climate change through local media.
Project in Keywords: Proactive approach to climate change in a cooperative, integrated and sustainable way for municipalities, regional and local stakeholders
EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region: Priority Area 5 (to mitigate and adapt to climate change). BalticClimate is a part of the flagship project that anticipates regional and local impacts of climate change through research.
Partnership: Spatial and environmental research institutes, municipal, regional and national authorities, business incubators and universities from Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden Number of partners: 23 Lead Partner: Academy for Spatial Research and Planning, Germany Approximate total budget: 4,2 million € ERDF funding: 3,4 million € Duration: 36 months (January 2009 - January 2012) Contact person: Dennis Ehm Tel.:+49 511 349 42 49 Ehm@ARL-net.de www.BalticClimate.org Part-financed by the EU
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Newsletter June 2010
The power of the Baltic Sea macro-region - Baltic Sea Region Programme Conference 2010
Jyväskylä harbour, photo by Kirsti Pehkonen
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.
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 President of Finland Ms Tarja Halonen will provide the key note opening speech at the conference. Mr Mauri Pekkarinen, Minister of Employment and the Economy, will address 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
The conference is organised by the Baltic Sea Region Programme in co-operation with the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy, the City of Jyväskylä and the Regional Council of Central Finland. Jyväskylä is situated 270 km north from Helsinki, and very well connected by flights and trains. The draft programme will be available online and sent to you before summer vacation. The registration will start in September 2010.
Qualifying the Region for the Future - BSSSC Annual Conference in Tallinn, Estonia and presentations of projects and best practice.
On 12-14 October 2010 you will have the opportunity to learn and discuss about the chances, challenges and changes of the Baltic Sea Region towards a knowledge-based society. More than 300 participants from all regions around the Baltic Sea as well as representatives of Ministries, pan-Baltic organisations and the European Commission are going to meet for a series of informative workshops
The conference "Qualifying the Region for the Future - Implementing the EU Baltic Sea Strategy" will be organised back to back with the Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, 14-15 October. The Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-operation (BSSSC) Annual Conference is also enriched by two side events – the BSSSC Youth Event on 12-13 October with 50 young people from all around the Baltic Sea and the Project Idea Café organized by the Baltic Sea Region Programme. Find out more and register for the conference at http://bsssc.eu.
The Baltic Sea Region Programme will organise the Project Idea Café - a creative meeting place for sharing project ideas, finding project partners and learning more about the funding opportunities in the region. The Café will be opened during the BSSSC Annual Conference on 13 October 2010 from 13:30 to 18:00. Join the Project Idea Café and you will have the opportunity to present your idea and discuss it with an interested audience. You can register for the Café and find the Project Idea Form at the conference website bsssc.eu. Fill in the form and send it to info@eu.baltic.net until 6 October 2010.
Part-financed by the EU
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Newsletter June 2010
Flagship projects of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region The Baltic Sea Region Programme is part-funding 19 flagships or projects being a part of a flagship project of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Some of the run-
ning projects are still clarifying their status with the Priority Area Coordinators. New flagships are Bioenergy Promotion, BSR Quick, BSR InnoShip, CleanShip, BalticDEAL and
Projects online database
Updated calendar of the programme events
You can also find out more about projects online in the database at eu.baltic.net
BALTADAPT. SCANDRIA is also “upgraded” as an official part of a flagship. The Action Plan of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region was updated in April 2010.
Date
Place
Monitoring Committee meeting
15-16 September 2010
Kiel, Germany
Project Idea Café at the BSSSC Annual Conference
13-14 October 2010
Tallinn, Estonia
Task Force meeting “Programme Strategy”
26-27 October 2010
Berlin, Germany
“The power of the Baltic Sea macroregion”, the Baltic Sea Region Programme conference
30 Nov-1 Dec 2010
Jyväskylä, Finland
Subscribe to the Baltic Sea Region Programme newsletter at eu.baltic.net
New publication: Power of cooperation. 46 transnational projects The brochure features 46 projects part-financed by the Baltic Sea Region Programme and their contribution to the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. The projects were approved in the 1st and 2nd calls.
Power of cooperation. 46 transnational Projects … contributing to the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region
You can order copies from Alke Voß (av@eu.baltic.net). Joint Technical Secretariat Rostock/Riga
Part-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund and European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument)
Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein Grubenstrasse 20 18055 Rostock, Germany Phone +49 381 45484 5281 Fax +49 381 45484 5282 email info@eu.baltic.net eu.baltic.net
State Regional Development Agency Ausekļa iela 14-6 Riga, LV-1010, Latvia Phone +371 6 735 7368 Fax +371 6 735 7372 email info@eu.baltic.net eu.baltic.net
European Union
eu.baltic.net
For Further Information please go to eu.baltic.net
feel free to contact the Joint Technical Secretariat.
Rostock office Phone +49 381 45484 5281 Email info@eu.baltic.net
Riga office Phone +371 67357373
The Baltic Sea Programme 2007-2013 is investing in Europe’s future by fostering sustainable growth of the region.
Part-financed by the EU
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