Consultation EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Contribution from Local Government Denmark. About Local Government Denmark

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1 European Commission DG Regional Policy, Unit E1 Territorial Cooperation CSM2-1/ Brussels Belgium Consultation EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Contribution from Local Government Denmark Referring to the European Commission s public consultation regarding the new strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, Local Government Denmark hereby submits its views. About Local Government Denmark Local Government Denmark (LGDK) is the member organisation of the Danish municipalities. It is voluntary to be a member of LGDK, but all 98 Danish municipalities are members. The mission of LGDK is to safeguard the common interests of the Danish municipalities vis-à-vis the Government, the Danish Parliament and the European institutions. LGDK works towards strengthening local self-governance and enhancing the financial and political scope of the municipalities. Furthermore, LGDK assists municipalities with consultancy services and advice to ensure that they are provided with up-to-date and relevant information. 23 December 2008 J.nr P22 Sagsid Ref. UWE uwe@kl.dk Tel. direct Weidekampsgade 10 P.O. Box Copenhagen S. Denmark Tel Fax /5 Danish local authorities undertake the major part of the citizen-related services such as care of elderly, child care, primary schools, nature, environment and employment. I.e. local authorities in Denmark are both service providers, authorities and social partners. Introduction In these pages, Local Government Denmark would like to present what, in our view, should be the top-priorities of the new strategy.

2 Local Government Denmark welcomes the European Commission s initiative for a strategy to secure that the Baltic Sea Region remains a viable and dynamic area. Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region has proved to be key to growth and development. 1989, with the changes in Central and Eastern Europe, marked a milestone in the Baltic Sea cooperation. Since then, there has been an increasing number of contacts between local governments in the region in terms of town-twinning, projects and networks. An example is the Union of the Baltic Cities, a forum of 103 cities in the countries round the Baltic Sea. The nature of the cooperation has changed the past 20 years. In the 1990s, the cooperation was very much based on aid from the Nordic countries and Germany to Poland, Russia and the Baltic States. Both aid in terms of equipment (computers, hospital facilities etc.) and in terms of transfer of knowhow (on environment protection, for instance). Today, the Baltic Sea cooperation has changed. The enlargement of the EU in 2004 with Poland and the three Baltic States, has developed the Baltic Sea into a region with less focus on aid from one group of countries to another and more focus on a cooperation on an equal basis. Local Government Denmark is aware of the fact that some countries in the region still are developing their public institutions. We have therefore launched an initiative through the Committee of the Regions which aims at the formulation of a political reference framework between the Committee of the Regions and the European Commission. This reference framework represents a unique opportunity to reassess existing structures and types of collaboration, in a bid to further advance cross-border cooperation between local and regional authorities in Member States, candidate countries and potential candidate countries. Furthermore, the development of good governance in public institutions should be an overall dimension in the new strategy. In this respect, the role of municipalities as a driving force for development and innovation is important. Municipalities are responsible for the implementation of a wide rage of decisions, taken at the national or European level, and therefore the involvement of local governments in the strategy is essential. In Local Government Denmark s view, it is also crucial that the new strategy bear in mind all the work that is already done by numerous organisations, institutions and NGOs, dealing with cooperation within the Baltic Sea. The new strategy should first of all not duplicate work that is already being done. 2

3 Objective 1: To Make the BSR an Environmentally Sustainable Place The Baltic Sea is facing serious environmental problems. The problems concern, among other things, pollution, overfishing and oil spills. Local Government Denmark urge the new strategy to address this problem the environment must be a top-priority in the Baltic Sea cooperation. An extensive legal framework for the environment of the Baltic Sea already exists in terms of the HELCOM convention and EU directives for the environment. The purpose of the Baltic Sea strategy should therefore be to look into the need for better coordination and more efficient implementation of existing rules. Many environmental rules and regulations are implemented and realised at the local level therefore it is crucial to involve municipalities in this process. Furthermore, as proposals for new environmental initiatives may entail financial and administrative burdens for the local governments, it is important that new environmental demands also are followed by new resources to the municipalities. Objective 2: To Make the BSR a Prosperous Place Local Government Denmark sees a coherence between the objective of the Danish strategies for economic development and the strategy for the Baltic Sea, namely to strengthen the interplay between research, education and business as well as the concept of establishment of clusters for companies within a specific branch of businesses. This is also an important element in the regional Danish Growth Forums ( Vækstfora ). Furthermore, the Danish strategies for economic development focus on entrepreneurs an central part of the work carried out by the regional Business Link Centres in Denmark ( Væksthuse ) is thus targeted at entrepreneurs. Many Danish municipalities are also developing the tourism in these years, with focus on new types activities for the tourists and thematic cultural events. As most countries in the Baltic Sea Region have had an increasing number of tourists the past years, tourism as a part of the local economy should also be a dimension in the new strategy. Objective 3: To Make the BSR an Accessible and Attractive Place From a local government point of view, it is important to underline that the free movement of labour force across borders is of utmost importance. Not only in the growth centres such as Copenhagen, but also the periphery such 3

4 as the islands Lolland and Falster in the south of Denmark which focus on the attraction of labour force from Germany and Poland. Regarding barriers for foreign investments, the Danish experience is that it is often a challenge for small and medium-sized enterprises to raise capital and as this group of businesses is important for the economic growth, it should be another priority in the strategy. Local Government Denmark not only views the eastern part of Denmark as a transit area for sea transport, but increasingly a hub for uploading cargo from ships to trains and trucks. Increased focus on this type of so-called intermodal transport also entails new jobs in the concerned seaports. Objective 4: To Make the BSR a Safe and Secure Place The guarantee of security and safety in the Baltic Sea Region is a challenge that has many dimensions. In Local Government Denmark s view, special attention should be paid to improvement of the safety at sea. In this context, the EU s integrated maritime policy is a useful starting point. The past decades, the traffic by sea has been increasing with currently 2,000 ships in transit in the Baltic Sea every day. This also means a risk for, among other things, the leak of oil that will cause environmental damage at the shores of the Baltic Sea. Surveillance of the safety at sea is a national responsibility, but Local Government Denmark suggest the Baltic Sea strategy to include new initiatives for cross-border coordination of the current work that is being done by the Baltic Sea States in this respect. Governance Issues Local Government Denmark views the strategy as a launch of a few, new priorities where the Baltic Sea cooperation needs action or where present activities require coordination. In many ways, the cooperation within the Baltic Sea is already working very well. A huge number of organisations, institutions and NGOs, dealing with cooperation within the Baltic Sea, already exist. And, as all Baltic Sea States with the exception of Russia are members of the EU, the cooperation in the region is also to a high extend governed by the cooperation within the EU in terms of, for instance, EU directives and regulations for the environment. 4

5 Local Government Denmark does not rule out the idea of establishing a new discussion forum for decision-makers that is to follow and monitor the Baltic Sea strategy. However, before the establishment of a new forum, it should be investigated if an existing forum could serve a platform for future discussions on the implementation of the Baltic Sea strategy or if the organisation, from time to time, of stakeholder conferences on Baltic Sea issues is a more desirable solution. Close coordination between the Baltic Sea strategy and EU funding programmes is to be established. This both concerns the programme Interreg VI B Baltic Sea as well as other EU programmes for instance structural funds, educational programmes and funding for the environment. When applicants for EU funding present projects that are in line with the Baltic Sea strategy, it should be taken into consideration as a plus when the applications are evaluated. A special attention should be paid to projects that address economic development and new ways of cooperation between private businesses this is above all and urgently needed in the light of the impact which the financial crises has had in the region. Final Remarks Local Government Denmark is following the launch of the Baltic Sea strategy with big interest the association took part in the Stakeholder Conference on 30 September 2008 in Stockholm and will also join the upcoming Stakeholder Conference on 5-6 February 2009 in Rostock. Furthermore, Local Government Denmark is dealing with the Baltic Sea strategy through the Interregional Group Baltic Sea Regions in the Committee of the Regions. The European Commission is welcome to contact Local Government Denmark for further information or concrete examples of the experience and projects that Danish municipalities have made in the Baltic Sea Region. Local Government Denmark, Copenhagen, 23 December 2008 For Further Information Please Contact Mr. Uwe Lorenzen, Head of Office Local Government Denmark Tel , uwe@kl.dk Mr. Peter Fjerring, Head of Section Local Government Denmark Tel , pfj@kl.dk 5