Baltic Sea Council

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Baltic Sea Council
CBSS

Logo of the Baltic Sea Council
 

Member States
English name Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)
French name Conseil des États de la mer Baltique (CEMB)
Russian name Совет государств Балтийского моря (СГБМ)
Seat of the organs Stockholm (Sweden)

CBSS Secretariat
P.O.Box 2010
Slussplan 9
103 11 Stockholm
Tel: +46 8 440 19 20
Fax: +46 8 440 19 44
Chair Denmark
Secretary General Ambassador Maira Mora
Member States 11 + European Commission
Official and working languages

English

founding

March 6, 1992 in Copenhagen (Denmark)

www.cbss.org
CBSS Reykjavík Ministerial 2017

The Baltic Sea States (English Council of the Baltic Sea States , CBSS) is in on 6 March 1992 Copenhagen ( Denmark founded) International organization with the goal of economic, political, cultural and environmental cooperation between the countries bordering the Baltic Sea as well as Norway and Iceland . The then foreign ministers of Germany and Denmark, Hans-Dietrich Genscher and Uffe Ellemann-Jensen are considered to be the initiators .

The Council maintains an international secretariat in Stockholm ( Sweden ).

Denmark has held the annually rotating Council Presidency since June 2019. The current director is Ambassador Maira Mora from Latvia.

tasks

The reason for the establishment was the change in the economic area of ​​the Baltic Sea since the end of the East-West conflict . After several decades of economic and social isolation from other countries, the countries bordering the Baltic Sea are given the opportunity to cooperate and exchange ideas - both on an economic and a cultural level.

The Baltic Sea Council also has the goal of serving the well-being of the entire region by making optimal use of all potential synergies between the states. In addition to economic and political cooperation, the Baltic Sea Council also has environmental policy goals in mind, the transport infrastructure should be improved through cooperation and joint campaigns should promote tourism in the region. Since the respective EU presidency and the European Commission take part in the Council meetings, Russia's relations with EU member states can also be strengthened and improved. With the founding of the Baltic Sea Council, an important contribution has been made to European policy in the future 21st century, because from now on many of the former Soviet states should no longer belong to the “enemy” of the West, but rather begin a friendly and profound cooperation with the EU. These common goals were adopted in the Copenhagen Declaration on March 5, 1992 .

Members

Are members

The membership of Norway, but especially Iceland, may seem surprising at first glance, as these are not countries bordering the Baltic Sea. However, it should not be forgotten that the Nordic countries have been closely linked for decades. Norway and Iceland are members of the Nordic Council and the Nordic Passport Union alongside Denmark, Finland and Sweden . This close connection can be seen as the reason why the two non-Baltic Sea residents are also members of the Baltic Sea Council. Another reason for membership of Norway and Iceland in the literature is the common commitment of all Nordic countries in the Barents Council and in the Arctic Council , thus referring to a kind of "solidarity support" within the respective councils.

Enjoy observer status

To this end, there are strategic partnerships with a number of organizations, including HELCOM and IOM .

organization

The Baltic Sea Council consists of the foreign ministers of the member states and a representative of the European Union. The plan is for the foreign ministers to meet every other year and the heads of government every other year.

A Committee of Senior Officials (CSO), representatives from the respective foreign ministries, oversees the work of the Baltic Sea Council. This committee is chaired by the country that holds the presidency and organizes the monthly meetings that guide the day-to-day work of the secretariat.

Similar to the Council of the EU , the Baltic Sea Council is also headed by a presidency. The presidency rotates annually between the member states and begins on July 1st of each year.

  • 2019-2020 Denmark
  • 2018–2019 Latvia
  • 2017-2018 Sweden
  • 2016-2017 Iceland
  • 2015–2016 Poland
  • 2014–2015 Estonia
  • 2013–2014 Finland
  • 2012–2013 Russia
  • 2011–2012 Germany
  • 2010–2011 Norway
  • 2009-2010 Lithuania
  • 2008-2009 Denmark
  • 2007–2008 Latvia
  • 2006–2007 Sweden
  • 2005-2006 Iceland
  • 2004–2005 Poland
  • 2003-2004 Estonia
  • 2002-2003 Finland
  • 2001–2002 Russia
  • 2000–2001 Germany
  • 1999-2000 Norway
  • 1998–1999 Lithuania
  • 1997-1998 Denmark
  • 1996–1997 Latvia
  • 1995–1996 Sweden
  • 1994–1995 Poland
  • 1993–1994 Estonia
  • 1992–1993 Finland

job

Since it was founded in 1992, the Baltic Sea Council has developed into an important player with a broad network in numerous specialist areas in the region. In 2014 the Baltic Sea Council agreed on three new long-term priorities:

  • Creation of a regional identity
  • Promote a region of sustainability and prosperity
  • Promoting security in the region.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ cf. Prigge, Karla: The Baltic Sea Council - A contribution to civilizing the international system? , Göttingen 2007, p. 4.
  2. ↑ Carsten Shymik: Nordic interests in the Baltic region . In: Eckart D. Stratenschulte (Ed.): The European Sea: The Baltic Sea as an area of ​​action . 1st edition. tape 1 . Berlin Wissenschaftsverlag, Berlin 2011, p. 82 .
  3. ^ Statement on Hungary's observer membership of the Council of the Baltic Sea States. In: Government. Retrieved July 18, 2016 .
  4. ↑ CBSS: External Cooperation , accessed November 4, 2014