The Union of Baltic Cities had its 13th (XIII) General Conference 27-30 October in Gdynia Poland. The biennial General Conference is the UBC´s highest authority and has power to take decisions concerning any activities of the Union. The Conference elected 29th October the President, 3 Vice-Presidents and Executive Board Cities.

The General Conference elected current President Mr Per Bødker Andersen, Councillor, Kolding, Denmark for the next two year period. In addition, current Vice-Presidents of the UBC Marie-Louise Rönnmark (1st Vice-President), Mayor of Umeå, Sweden and Jarkko Virtanen, Deputy Mayor of Turku, Finland were elected to continue their work for two years period. A new Vice-President elected from Estonia, Ando Kiviberg, Mayor of Viljandi, was a new candidate.

The Executive Board consists of one member city from each of ten countries surrounding the Baltic Sea. General conference accepted the following cities:

Denmark – Naestved

Estonia – Elva

Finland – Lahti

Germany – Rostock

Latvia – Liepāja

Lithuania – Kaunas

Norway – Kristiansand

Poland – Gdynia

Russia – St. Petersburg

Sweden – Växjö

Also observing member status to the host city of the UBC Secretariat without voting right was accepted (Gdańsk).

The Board of Audit elected to continue their work also for the next 2-year. The Board of Audit representatives are: Marta Chełkowska, Director of Tourism Department, Marshal Office of Pomorskie Region, Poland; Jukka Vilen, Director of the City Office, Kemi, Finland; Roger Kaliff, Chairman of the City Council, Kalmar, Sweden

The City of Växjö, Sweden was elected to be host city/Country to the next General Conference to be held in 2017.

The General Conference´s topic smart cities underlined opportunities and challenges of the cities using smart solutions in all areas of life. The Conference brought together approximately two hundred professionals around the Baltic Sea states.

The General Conference, held in the premises of Pomeranian Science and Technology Park, was also a forum to discuss the future of the UBC. The Conference discussed also new UBC Strategy, evaluated its achievements and highlighted the priorities for the next period; the UBC Sustainability Action Programme 2016-2021 was adopted. Also two resolutions were adopted; Resolutions on the refugee situation in Europe and Resolution on dumping Swage in the Baltic Sea.

For more information:

• Secretary General Pawel Żaboklicki, pawel.zaboklicki@ubc.net, + 48 602 343332

• Communications Manager Anna Kotaviita, anna.kotaviita@turku.fi, +358 40 848 6242

Attachments: Resolution on the refugees situation in Europe (73.98 KB), Resolution on Dumping Sewage in the Baltic Sea (88.86 KB) and UBC Sustainability Action Programme 2016-2021 (412.05 KB)

Please, find the General Assembly´s documents here: http://ubcconferencegdynia.pl/conference-documents/