Baltic foreign ministers to discuss EU strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

On 20 May Baltic state foreign ministers will exchange views on an emerging strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, the progress of its elaboration, and expected priorities. The meeting will be attended by Colin Wolfe, Head of the Territorial Co-operation Unit of the Regional Policy Directorate-General of the European Commission (EC), which has been entrusted with the task of preparing the strategy.

The idea about the need of such a document surfaced on 15 November 2005, when the European Parliament presented the EC with the report EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, in which the EC was asked to draw up a strategy. 

On 13 July 2007, at a meeting of the Council of the Baltic Sea States foreign ministers in Malmo, Sweden, the officials expressed support for the preparation of such a document. On 14 December the European Council reached agreement on the development of the strategy, which should be presented by the European Commission by June 2009.

Latvia has voiced support for the document and intends to take active part in its elaboration before the EC presents a draft project for the strategy.

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