EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Pawel Zaboklicki
EDITING & LAYOUT
Iwona Smigerska-Belczak
EDITORIAL BOARD
Risto Veivo
Viktors Buls
Ewa Kurjata
Pawel Zaboklicki
Iwona Smigerska-Belczak
PUBLISHER
Union of the Baltic Cities
Secretariat
Waly Jagiellonskie 1
PL-80853 Gdansk
POLAND
tel. +48 58 3010917
tel. +48 58 3019123 fax +48 58 3017637
e-mail: info@ubc.net
www.ubc.net
ISSN 1506-6266
PROOF-READING
Ewa Kurjata
COVER PICTURE
A view from
Bryggareberget - an
entrance to Karlskrona
Photo by Birger Lallo
|
|
Dear UBC Friends,
It
has become a tradition for the Council of European
Union to encourage people and organisations to undertake
positive actions by promoting different ideas and
values each particular year. This year the Council
together with the European Parliament decided to announce
the European Year of Education through Sport. The
main objective of this year is to sensitize European
public to the importance of sport as an educational
tool. This bulletin shows how many sport events promoting
educational values are organised in the UBC member
cities.
I am writing these
words shortly after the 41st UBC Executive
Board meeting in Riga which raised a great interest
among cities - over 70 delegates from 32 member cities
participated in an open part of that meeting. The
meeting treated several important issues. I am happy
to inform you that the Union received an observer
status to the Committee of the Regions which proves
that Brussels recognizes the work carried out by our
organisation. Through the participation in the CoR
Plenary Sessions UBC will have a chance to influence
the work and policies of the important EU institution.
The Board in Riga
decided that the theme of the VIII General Conference
Turku 2005 will concern the transportation corridors
in the Baltic Sea Region. UBC realises that improvement
of transportation corridors is vital for further development
of the whole region. UBC received the EC consultation
document on "Motorways of the Seas" concept
to be financed through the revised TEN-T Guidelines.
UBC welcomes the Commission's implementation framework
of the "Motorways of the Seas" and hopes
it will contribute to the improvement of intermodal
transportation systems in our region. UBC Logistics
Task Force invites member cities to Brussels on 24
November to discuss how we can benefit from the EU
resources allocated to this initiative. UBC cities
are also invited to the conference "Baltic Sea
Region - Perspective 2010", Brussels 23 November,
at the premises of the CoR. The conference is co-organised
by several Brussels offices of our member cities.
The aim of this event is to promote the BSR amongst
the Brussels policy actors - politicians, representatives
of EU institutions, business community, NGOs, media.
UBC will take an active part in this important forum.
This summer UBC
signed the cooperation agreement with Conference of
Atlantic Arc Cities. Our cooperation with CAAC is
twofold - lobbying for cities interests and joint
projects between our cities. Acting together make
our voice stronger in Brussels. UBC and CAAC prepared
a comment on EC communication "Dialogue with
associations of local authorities on the formulation
of EU policy". In this paper the Commission informed
about launching annual hearings for associations to
inform them about major EU policy initiatives that
have a significant local impact. In the joint statement
sent to the EC President we welcomed an opportunity
to meet the Commission on regular basis and at the
same time we expressed opinion that organisations
should not only be informed about EU policies but
also should be given a chance to influence them. Our
reaction was noted in Brussels. Director General of
Regional Policy replied in a letter that annual meetings
"will offer the opportunity to the associations
to inform the Commission about expectations of their
members concerning the development of EU policies".
The Board in Riga
once again raised the issue of maritime borders in
the BSR. UBC calls the European Commission to treat
the maritime borders in the BSR in similar way as
the land borders. We oppose the limit of 150 km. In
case of BSR such distance cannot be set definitely.
We expect a more flexible approach taking into account
historical, social and economical factors, in order
to support the cross sea-border cooperation between
the Baltic cities. UBC cooperates closely with the
Council of Baltic Sea States. In Riga the chairman
of CBSS Committee of Senior Officials presented the
priorities of new CBSS Presidency (Poland) and informed
the UBC Board about current CBSS initiatives. Furthermore,
the leaders of 11 UBC commissions/networks presented
the annual activity reports since the General Conference
in Klaipeda. For me it is very encouraging to see
the vast range of projects, activities and events
carried out by our commissions and networks.
 |
|
Per Bodker Andersen
UBC President
|
Kolding, November 2004
|
|