Conference on transfrontier cooperation in Europe: Examples from the High North and the Baltic Sea
Tromsø, Norway, 3 July 2007
Speech by Halvdan SKARD, President of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Minister,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am very pleased to welcome you in Tromsø and very satisfied that the Congress made both the organisation of this conference and its venue possible. I would like to thank you all for being here today, especially our speakers, this Conference being the very first one organised by the Congress at such a high latitude in Europe.
The origin of this conference is the follow up of the previous initiative of the Congress in the Adriatic Sea with the creation of a Euroregion – and 3 Conferences in the Black Sea Region, last year in Constanta (Romania) and Samsun (Turkey) and last week in Odessa (Ukraine) with a view to promoting interregional cooperation in a very sensitive area of Europe.
The plan to hold a Conference in the North of Europe is to be understood as the continuation of these Conferences in other parts of Europe, around semi-closed seas. I am confident that the already long experience of cooperation in the Baltic Sea and in the High North of Europe will be very valuable to all of you.
The Norwegian Government has defined the Northern regions as Norway’s most important strategic development area. The background for this focus is the development of the geopolitical situation, together with the technological development which made larger areas accessible for the active exploration of resources.
The geographical area of the High North comprises in this context the Barents region including Northwest Russia, Northern Finland, Northern Sweden and Northern Norway as well as the Barents Sea.
The overriding goal of the Government’s policy is to ensure sustainable growth and development in the northern regions. This involves the implementation of measures so that the inhabitants in the north can develop vital local communities.
The High North Policy is also about harnessing the potential of international cooperation in the development of natural resources, management of the environment and research through closer contact with our Russian neighbours and European and North American partners. The ocean north of the Norwegian mainland contains considerable resources, both renewable fishing stocks and fossil energy reserves. These resources represent a wide range of economic possibilities. The Norwegian Government aims to develop a comprehensive policy for the northern areas, in which national and foreign policy issues relevant for the northern areas are considered in a holistic manner.
If the citizens of municipal and regional authorities in the Northern regions are to be considered as important actors in the development of the High North, local and regional policies must be visible and show active and responsible engagement in the development of society. The northern regional policy is formed through active regional partnerships where cooperation between and among municipal and regional authorities is crucial.
Ladies and gentlemen, may I stress that Russia is in a unique position in relation to many of the issues concerning the northern areas, both on the international, national and regional level. Close cooperation with Russia would increase the possibilities for the development of the northern areas. Strengthened cooperation with Northwest Russia, North Sweden and North Finland should be a main objective in order to establish positive cross border development in the northern regions.
The people-to-people cooperation with its main focus on culture, indigenous people, youth and health should be the core of the international cooperation. One example of this is the established Barents Cooperation.
The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS) has established a Northern Regions Project in order to promote the participation of its members, municipal and regional authorities in the north, as active democratic actors in the development of the northern areas. The main goal of the project is to be an active driving force in order to secure democracy and human rights in the northern areas.
The regional authorities in Archangelsk Oblast have asked KS, in cooperation with the Norwegian Regional Authorities of Finnmark and Troms, for assistance in the development of a local government association in the Archangelsk region, and to participate in a programme for exchange of experience and knowledge about democratic processes. This cooperation project will have democratic development as a central theme.
Furthermore, KS will encourage municipal and regional authorities in the North to improve utilization of available means in the development of their communities. Through mutual experience, harvested from international cooperation between neighbours and municipal sectors in the North Calotte area and the Barents region, the objective is bilateral motivation for increased cooperation in the north.
The Council of Europe, and the Congress in particular, has played an active role in several semi-closed seas, first in the Adriatic Sea and more recently around the Black Sea. In the High North of Europe there are possibilities for focusing on additional aspects of transfrontier cooperation at regional level.
First of all, the Congress can stimulate local and regional political representatives to participate more actively in several fields: education and research, environmental and resource management, security and crisis management, energy, fishing, tourism and other business development, health, culture and gender equality. The national associations of local and regional authorities can give their support and promote such cooperation among their members.
Secondly, the Congress of the Council of Europe can share the positive experiences of cooperation collected throughout Europe to the northern regions.
Thirdly, the Council of Europe can gain experience from cross border cooperation in the northern regions, which can be useful for regional cooperation projects in other parts of Europe.
May I recall in this context that the Congress of the Council of Europe is preparing a report on transfrontier cooperation in Europe for the next Plenary Session in May 2008. Needless to say that the Rapporteur, Mr Lambertz, who is present at this Conference, will introduce the experience of High North of Europe in his report. This will be a follow-up of the Information Report presented at the Chamber of Regions in May 2004 by Helena PIHLAJASAARI (from Finland on “the contribution of Regions to the European Union Northern Dimension concept”).
During this Conference, we will have the opportunity to exchange experiences on both sides. The representative of the Congress will present the situation of the new Euro regions after the creation of the Adriatic Euroregion established in Pula (Croatia) in June 2006, the results of the 3 Conferences on the project of a Black Sea Euroregion and the fields of activities selected for this platform of cooperation after the Conference in Odessa, Ukraine, which took place on 25th and 26th of June 2007.
I do hope that the Tromsø Conference will allow the Congress to improve its knowledge of regional cooperation around the Baltic Sea and in the High North regions. Exchange of experiences between the Adriatic Euroregion (already operational), the Black Sea Euroregion (still in discussion) and associations that already exist in the Baltic Sea and in the High North can create important synergies and opportunities of a fruitful cooperation.
Ladies and gentlemen,
My wish is that this Conference will provide a unique opportunity to exchange experiences of cross-border cooperation first around the Baltic Sea and in the High North and also in the Adriatic and Black Sea regions. We intend to explore how local and regional authorities can contribute to improving the quality of life of the people who live in these areas.
I am convinced that synergies between the Council of Europe’s activities on this new generation of Euroregions and the High North and Baltic Sea initiatives could be created.
Our experts will also clarify the state of juridical instruments aimed at promoting transfrontier cooperation in the framework of the Council of Europe and of the European Union.