57^th UBC Board Meeting in Næstved

The 57^th meeting of the UBC Executive Board was held on 17 February 2010 in Næstved, Denmark, upon the invitation of Mayor of Næstved Henning Jensen.

The main topic of the meeting was the EU Strategy for the BSR adopted by the European Council on 30 October 2009 and its Action Plan with flagship projects. Following the decision made at the last UBC General Conference in Kristiansand, several member cities and commissions sent their proposals to join some of the flagship projects listed in the Action Plan. The Board decided to join four flagship projects: 5.1 "Anticipate regional and local impacts of climate change through research"- Umeå, 8.1 "Promote young entrepreneurs"- Commission on Education and Paide, 8.4 "Make the Baltic Sea an Eco-efficient region" - Commission on Environment, 11.1 "Complete the agreed priority transport infrastructures"- Liepāja.

President Per Bødker Andersen informed that the international organisation Eixo Atlantico - an association of cities from Galicia (Spain) and North Portugal invited UBC to join the new international network Conference of European Cross-border and Interregional Cities Networks. The other partners in this network will be Mission OperationelleTrans-frontaliere, Red Iberica de Entidades Transfronterizas, Conference of Atlantic Arc Cities, Forum of Adriatic and Ionian Cities and Medcities. The aim of the new organisation is to establish a direct line with the EU for negotiations on the future of the regional policy, and cooperation of partners in various fields. The Board decided to join CECICN, but without financial commitments.

Secretary General Paweł Żaboklicki presented the UBC financial report for 2009 and the budget for 2010, approved by the Board.

Gdańsk sent a proposal to start cooperation between the cities in the field of public order and local safety. Several member cities expressed willingness to join this action. The first meeting on local safety and public order in the light of national and local regulations was held in Gdańsk on 26 March 2010. The Board decided to give the UBC honorary patronage to the festival the "Sound of the Sea" organised by the city of Słupsk. The Board accepted two new member cities: Ősthammar and Söderhamn. The next 58^th Board meeting will be held inTrelleborg, Sweden on 4 June 2010.