EU enlargement is the European Commission's priority, especially as joining of new member states is likely to happen soon. The accession process, being the key target for Poland, should involve not only the governmental level, but first of all the local one. 
Attempting to meet this challenge, Gdynia Municipal Government adopted the Strategic Plan to give the city a European dimension. Accordingly, Gdynia participates in numerous EU supported projects, varying from small to big multi-partner network projects. 

Opening of the Council of Europe Park in Gdynia

The first ones developed by Gdynia City resulted in raising young people's awareness and knowledge about Europe, especially through trainings by highly qualified teachers. (e. g. Working out a model for European Education and its implementation in Gdynia's Schools - a project cofinanced by PHARE Fund for Small Grant Facility Fiesta II). Further, they brought knowledge about activities strengthening European integration at the local level in Gdynia's twin-cities presented during the seminar "European Integration at the Local Level". The seminar was supported by the Community Aid for Twinning Programme. 
Another good example of a CBC project, currently developed, is the mid-scale project CLEAN - Coal, Logistics, Environment and Neighbourhood prepared by the Gdynia City Hall, Port of Gdynia in co-operation with Helsinki. It aims mainly at improving coal handling and transportation system. 
Besides direct benefits from EU financial assistance, development of such projects brought other 

important advan tages. Projects stimulated changes in the job structure, generated new team working skills, and provided the local administration with knowledge of the European Union legislation. Although uniting crossborder efforts towards undertakings around the Baltic Rim is a highly valuable initiative, some problems have arisen from unsynchronised decisions by the European Commission. Gdynia City is involved as the national lead applicant in several projects prepared in collaboration with the EU's municipalities to tackle common issues, mainly in the field of sustainable spatial development and environmental protection. 
Applications of three network projects TEM/TER Development Zone, Waterfront Urban Development, and Sustainable Spatial Development with a Network of Ports for Boat Tourism in the BSR were submitted to the PHARE CBC Baltic Sea Region Joint Project with INTERREG. More than six monthes have passed since the submission deadline. We are still waiting for the Commission's approval, while the EU partners in the two above mentioned projects have already obtained financial assistance. Delays in making decisions related to the Phare projects cause difficulties in the cooperation between partners, especially to keep deadlines. 
To develop Gdynia's activities in project development and to support the city departments the European Integration department has been established within Gdynia city hall structures. The department' s scope of activities also includes collecting and spreading information on EU issues among the citizens.

Much has changed in Turku since Finland's membership in the EU. With growing competition between cities and urban regions, government funding of local authorities has decreased radically, while the municipal development is gradually becoming dependent on the local authorities. 
The city's vision is that "Turku is an international centre of culture and growth in the Baltic Region". The paths are defined as long-term tasks. The Turku administration, elected city government and its officials, have worked themselves through the strategy process, and came out of it more united and goal-oriented. Our present strategy for 1997-2000 will be changed soon. 
If Turku had become a EU Structural Fund Objective area when Finland had joined the EU, we would have had a more or less guaranteed income per capita per year from the ERDF. Turku had opted to become an Objective 2 area. The city would have gained the status of a declining industrial area. Turku fulfilled the unemployment criteria all but too well, but did not gain Objective 2 status. 
One lesson from this, and from subsequent competition for the EU Urban Pilot Projects and Urban Community Initiatives has been that cities with similar interests must learn not only to compete, but also to collaborate. There are lessons to be learned from corporate life. Companies in the same field join forces to lobby for the whole branch, and compete with each other within the given frames they have been able to achieve through co-operation. The stronger each city is committed to its own development strategy, the easier it is for the city to open up to others. 
Although named a "White City", i. e. without Objective status, Turku has been able to construct many successful EU projects, including several major Social Fund projects, like the Turku Local Employment Initiative. The city has been involved in four EU Research Programme projects. A special unit of the city central administration, ABONET, is acting as an internal consultant to the whole city on translating good ideas into projects.