Round Table Discussions |
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The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates acknowledged the great importance of discussion in the search for truth. Discussions also take place in Balticness, in order to seek better solutions to various topical issues facing the Baltic Sea states, regarding environmental protection, the creation of an information-based society, energy, protection of national minority languages, tourism etc. Participants in the debates include academics, state civil servants, experts, students and public figures.
02 June 2008, Riga. Round table discussion "Thinking regionally, acting globally - creating a brand image for the Baltic sea region" Students, academia, experts, public officials, diplomats and other interested persons are welcome to participate in this seminar.
09 May 2008, Vilnius. Round table discussion "Baltic Sea Region transport - a network of innovation, efficiency and competitiveness" It is apparent that mobility of people, goods and services will increase in the near future in our region and in general. For our region to become more competitive and stay competitive the region's infrastructure is in need of an overhaul. The seminar participants all agreed that the challenge is to increase the quality of transport services to meet the needs of people and industry but at the same time reduce overall transport impacts. Efficient and safe transport solutions need to be found based on a major shift of cargo transport from road to sea and rail, whilst shifting passenger traffic from air to high-speed rail for regional connections. Currently it was noted that national authorities are too focused on internal interests.
24 April 2008, Warsaw. Round table discussion "Demographic Deficit, Brain Drain, and Challenged Integration: the Complexity of Migration in the Baltic Sea Region" As the result of today's challenges, closer co-operation is necessary between immigration policy makers and providers of international development assistance. Likewise, a co-ordinated EU migration policy should be developed and solutions should be sought to combat the side effects of migration, that is, illegal migration and human trafficking. The key issues mentioned were global competition, improving efficiency in pricing of goods and services, technological development, demography and dissatisfaction with personal welfare, unemployment, inflation, the high cost of living, international conflicts and variations in living standards. During the discussion, the phenomenon of migration was examined both as an opportunity (a stimulus for the national economy, a barrier to economic slowdown, an alternative to the shortage of labour), and as a problem and a threat (the impact on the social environment, social tension, integration-assimilation, illegal migration, xenophobia, human trafficking, segregation).
22 April 2008, Berlin. Round table discussion "Deepening Cooperation towards a fully-fledged Maritime Economy in the Baltic Sea Region" Opening the seminar, Bernd Henningsen, Director of the Department for Northern European Studies and the Baltic Sea School at Humboldt University Berlin, informed about BalticSeaNet, the aim of which is to promote education within the Baltic Sea Region through offering an interdisciplinary study programme (politics, economy, social issues) in association with several universities of the region. Stefan Musiolik, Head of the Policy Staff for the Baltic and North Sea Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Employment and European Affairs, Government of Land Schleswig-Holstein, emphasized that by 2015 the goal foreseen to be achieved is the Baltic Sea as a good practice example in European maritime affairs. For the facilitation of these goals, the organization for the Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-operation (BSSSC) has established a Maritime Policy working group, which will formulate the region's vision on Baltic maritime policy issues. During the discussion, an idea emerged that the region needs a co-ordinator, for instance, the Council of the Baltic Sea States, which would promote the implementation of maritime economy and policy goals. The key challenges mentioned were as follows: the protection of the maritime environment, reduction of emissions, interoperability between sea and land transport, transit policy, fair competition, etc. The most significant problems in their turn were: the slow pace of establishment of connections between harbours and the railways, border crossing (the Baltic states and Russia, Belarus), electric power provision for vessels in harbour, fair trading conditions, environmentally friendly technologies, etc.
17 March 2008, Copenhagen. Round table discussion "The Environmental standing of the Baltic Sea: from political proposal to practical project"
The participants agreed that the major threats to the Baltic Sea are eutrophication, overfishing and chemical pollution. All of these threats are caused by human behaviour. The Baltic Sea has nine coastal states, which are all currently facing the similar problems regarding the environmental state of the Baltic Sea and are actively looking for solutions, some more than others. Therefore, regional cooperation is the right instrument for joint actions and initiatives where all countries can learn from other's successes. Although all participants recognised the importance of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan, there was a painful awareness that it will not save the Baltic Sea. However, implementation of the Action Plan will improve the environmental status in all parts of the Baltic Sea and increase the environmental responsibility of the Member States. The key-words for successful implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan are integration and outreach. Stakeholder involvement is crucial; a strong commitment is needed from industry, agriculture, the general public and other interest groups. 15 February 2008, Reykjavik. Round table discussion "Tourism - chances and challenges. Sustainability and Competitiveness: contradictory or compatible?"
The round table discussion was opened by Professor V. Steingrube of the University of Greifswald, who pointed out that the Baltic region is the first in the world to have sustainable development as a common aim. The formation of a tourism sector working group under the aegis of Baltic 21 was in response to a gap in information, co-operation and co-ordination. During the seminar it was highlighted that, as regards sustainable tourism, an important instrument is the promotion of corporate social responsibility. At present, Europe accounts for 46% of the world tourism market. The most popular motives for tourism are the sea, health tourism, recreation, nature. For the successful development of the tourism sector human resources, natural assets and effective marketing are vital. The most serious risk is the destruction of objects of cultural value due to the commercial nature of tourism. Development of sustainable tourism is complicated, because it involves many stakeholders. These days tourism has become both the cause as well as the casualty of current and anticipated environmental problems. Possibly the solution is a change in society's values, to achieve a balance between the business development of tourism and the preservation of the environment.
7 February 2008, Oslo. Policy of energy and social welfare in the Baltic Sea region – what are the options? Opening the discussion, Tora Aasland, the Norwegian Minister of Research and Higher Education, highlighted that energy and climate as well as health and welfare are among the major priority directions in Norwegian science. Science takes a special role in the development of new technologies in the energy sector, focusing on two aspects – renewable energy resources and energy efficiency. Norway has the ambition of being the leader in the advancement of environmentally friendly technologies, in particular in the oil and gas sector, as well as in the development of carbon capture and storage and offshore wind turbines. Main challenges:
17 January 2008 Stockholm. Round table discussion The Baltic Sea Region in Europe The Latvian Foreign Minister, Maris Riekstins, opened the discussion, highlighting the chief priorities of regional co-operarion: the environment, energy, economics and education. He pointed out that in order to ensure the development of competitiveness in the region it is essential to focus on the development of human resources, with investment in education, science and the creative industries. The president of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, Peter Egard, emphasised that it is necessary to coordinate state actions within the EU, because the region has common interests, including in the business sector. Trade and investment barriers are still an unresolved issue. The aim of regional co-operation is to be an example to other EU states with a functioning domestic market. University of Latvia professor Zanete Ozolina expressed the view that, when resolving problems, a more interdisciplinary approach is required, for example, environmental issues have economic, security and cultural aspects. The competitiveness potential of the region has not yet been exhausted, because only 27 of the 500 fastest growing enterprises in Europe are from the Baltic Sea Region.
13 December 2007, St Petersburg. Round table discussion: Russia in the Baltic Sea region: its Role, Opportunities, and Prospects. Opening the discussion, Latvia's Consul-General in St Petersburg, Iveta Sers, emphasised that Russia is a significant strategic partner for the Baltic Sea states, not only in the Baltic Sea Region, but also in the European Union. It was also emphasised that St Petersburg is unequivocally a part of the Baltic Sea Region; it is the biggest metropolis in the region, and has since the 17th century served as Russia's "Window on Europe". However, development of co-operation necessitates greater mutual trust. The economy and culture were mentioned during the discussion as uniting elements for the region; while energy, environmental protection, and global warming were noted as the biggest challenges. It was likewise emphasised that consideration will have to be given in the future to the functionality of co-operation and increasing the value added component. 23 November 2007, Helsinki. Round Table Discussion: Minority Languages Policy in Europe. In the round table discussion Minority Languages Policy in Europe, which took place in Helsinki University, the main conclusion was that nowadays minority languages are confronted by numerous challenges: they are subject to competition from the more powerful major languages, which have a greater economic value; there is a risk of the official state language losing its status as the basic language in universities, as there is an ever-increasing trend towards multilingualism in the higher education system, in order to attract students and teaching staff. Also emphasised was the significance, role, and influence of culture, art, the media, and the introduction of new technology and the creation of new terminology, in language development. For this reason governments should devote particular attention to the protection of minority languages and their "healthy" development.
5 November 2007, Tallinn. Round Table Discussion: Research and Competitiveness in Higher Education Technology Discussed in the round table discussion Research and Competitiveness in Higher Education Technology were the challenges and opportunities offered by the application of new technology in education and science. Janis Grevins, Director of the Riga Business School and the moderator of this discussion, particularly noted the Baltic Academic Network project as one of the practical instruments for reducing the "digital gap", which presently divides the Baltic states from the scientific and research data transmission networks of the Nordic states and the rest of the world. At the conclusion of the conference, the significance of the newly formed ad hoc working group on science infrastructure in the Baltic Sea Region, as part of the CBSS framework, was emphasised. | |||||
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