The UBC Board met in Kuressaare
The 53rd UBC Executive Board meeting
was held on 5 June in Kuressaare upon the invitation of
Mrs Urve Tiidus, Mayor of Kuressaare and theUBCVice-President.
 The
process of creation the new EU Baltic Sea Strategy and contribution
of Baltic Cities & Regions to this action was the main
topic of the meeting. The Council of Ministers asked in
2007 the European Commission to develop the EU strategy
for the Baltic Sea Region. The idea is to align already
existing policies and fundings in the region, brand the
region and use best EU relations with Russia and Belarus,
etc. The Board decided that UBC, as a one of the main stakeholders
in the Region, should contribute to the process of drafting
this new Baltic Sea strategy. The city of Turku in cooperation
with Brussels Antenna would prepare the first draft of the
UBC position paper on the new Baltic Sea Strategy.
The Board discussed also the proposal of
signing the declaration of common interest between Committee
of the Regions (CoR) and Baltic Sea organizations: UBC,
BSSSC, B7 and CPMR BSC. The agreement could foster BSR cooperation,
visibility and presence in Brussels which would be beneficial
for the Baltic organizations. UBC was willing to sign the
declaration with CoR as an equal partner. The final decision
will be taken after receiving the draft of the new declaration.
Mr Jarkko Virtanen, UBC Vice-President, Deputy
Mayor of Turku, reminded that at the previous Executive
Board meeting in Brussels the task force to follow the new
EU Maritime Policy was created. A call was sent later on
to the UBC member cities inviting to join this task force.
So far several cities responded and nominated a person to
take part in the TF meetings.
The Board's members got acquainted with a
UBC reply to the consultation on the EC Green Paper on Urban
Mobility. In this document UBC advises, among others, to
prepare and promote a guide for comprehensive mobility plans
for urban areas.
Ms Anu Vares, Chairman of the Board of the
B7 Island Network introduced that organisation. The B7 is
a cooperation of the 7 largest islands in the Baltic Sea
from 5 countries.
The next 54th UBC Executive Board
meeting takes place in Växjö on 29 October 2008.
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