The 34^th meeting of the UBC Executive Board was held on 7-8 June 2002 in Viljandi, Estonia, upon the invitation of Mr Peep Aru, Mayor of Viljandi.

UBC Action Plan
President Andersen reminded that the Action Plan was deeply discussed by the Board at the meeting in Toensberg. Several amendments have been made. Afterwards, the document has been sent out for comments to all member cities. The Board decided to adopt the Action Plan.

Social Charter
Ms Hamann, Rostock, reminded that the Social Charter was adopted at the General Conference in Rostock. Commission on Health & Social Affairs was authorised to make a working program on Charter implementation. The Commission intends to prepare the guidelines broadly describing the Charter and to elaborate a catalogue of indicators to evaluate how cities reach social standards stated in the Charter. Next step is to elaborate a catalogue of measures through which the Charter could be implemented. The Commission plans to prepare the first analysis on Charter implementation for the nextGC.

Next General Conference
The Board decided to hold the VII UBC General Conference in Klaipeda on 17-19 October 2003. The City of Klaipeda warmly invites all member cities to attend the event. As regards the theme of the conference President Andersen stressed the EU enlargement in the Baltic Sea Region seems to be the most important question, as the enlargement is expected in 2004.

Updating the UBC Strategy
The present Strategy was adopted by the GC in Stockholm in 1999. The President appointed a working group whose task is to update the Strategy. The WG proposed there should be a clear connection between the basic UBC documents: Statute, Strategy, Action Plan, Regulations. The targets of the Strategy shall be the Member Cities, potential members, other local authority organisations, European institutions. The new Strategy is to be adopted at the next GC

UBC voice in European matters
The Board expressed an opinion that UBC should contribute to the Convention of the EU Future. The process has started and it is important that we should all be in touch with our national convention members, to influence them as much as possible. Mr Lohikoski, Turku, informed that the EC produced a White Book on the reform of European Governance and requested comments from different organisations. While the Convention is looking at how to build a new Europe and how to reform the structures, the White Book has a more limited goal - how to make the present system functioning more properly. In the White Book the EC rediscovered the role of regional and local authorities which is important for us. The Board adopted a UBC comment on the White Book.

New UBC Commission
President Andersen reminded that the Board in Toensberg authorised St.Petersburg to host a meeting and discuss whether UBC should create the Commission on Information Society. The meeting was held and its main conclusion was that present cities proposed to create the Commission on IS. The Board decided to create the Commission on IS with S tPetersburg as the lead city.

Agreement with Eurocities
President Andersen informed that the cooperation agreement between the UBC and Eurocities was signed on 6 June 2002 in Helsinki between himself and Ms Eva-Riitta Siitonen, President of Eurocities. The first practical cooperation between UBC and Eurocities took place in Brussels in July where both organisations jointly contributed to the conference "EU Enlargement from a Local and Regional perspective".

Commissions reports
The chairmen and coordinators of UBC Commissions and Networks held a working meeting in connection with the Board meeting. The leaders submitted activity reports from the period October 2001 - May 2002. The Board praised the Commissions & Networks for their active work and encourage them to continue their important tasks.

Youth matters
The Board meeting in Toensberg authorised a working group on youth to work out a document describing the goals of projected UBC Youth Network. Ms Gustafsson, Kalmar, presented the document. She proposed to hold the conference directed to youth and civil servants responsible for youth matters, in spring 2003. The Board approved the proposal.

Campaign "Without Limits"
The City of Gdynia introduced the concept of the UBC Social Campaign for the disabled entitled "Without limits". The campaign would be held in connection with the European Year of the Disabled in 2003, announced by the Council of Europe. The campaign also refers to the UBC Social Charter. The Board supported the idea. The inauguration of the campaign took place at the conference in Gdynia in September.

By Pawel Zaboklicki
UBC Secretary General