Baltic Sea Region and Union for the Mediterranean: two different EU policies

1
Baltic Sea Region and Union for the
Mediterranean two different EU policies?

• Janis Kapustans,
• Vidzeme University College

2
Quantitative differences

• Mediterranean region the largest and the
  longest regional meeting
• Union for the Mediterranean 39 governments
• 27 members of EU 12 Southern Mediterranean
  states
• (Global Mediterranean Policy 1972 Paris
  summit)
• Baltic Sea Region 11 governments
• 8 members of EU 3 non-EU countries Iceland,
  Norway (both closely connected to EU) and the
  Russian Federation

3
Similar tendencies

• Wide differences in level of economic development
  among member states within both regions
• Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Finland Iceland,
  Norway strong economic powers
• Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania Russia
  comparatively lower economic powers
• France, Italy Israel - strong economic powers
• Algeria, Turkey etc. - comparatively lower
  economic powers

4
Risks of antagonism and potential for conflicts

• More - Mediterranean region
• Israel - Palestinian authority, Syria
• North-South division former colonial rulers and
  colonies
• Less - Baltic Sea region
• Russia - Baltic states, Poland

5
Main objectives and activities areas Barcelona
Declaration

• main objectives of the partnership to build an
  area of peace, security and shared prosperity
• activities in
• 1) political area
• 2) economic/financial area
• 3) cultural/social sector
• 4) migration sector

6
Paris Summit - main projects of the Union for the
Mediterranean

• environmental and energy problems - proposals for
  the de-pollution of the Mediterranean the
  development of solar energy and water management
• infrastructure and transport deficit through
  joint civil protection programmes and the
  development of maritime highways
• economic development challenges - actions to
  support small and medium enterprises
• social development challenges - support
  programmes for higher education and research

7
EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region - four main
objectives

• to improve the environmental state of the Baltic
  Sea Region and especially of the Sea
• to make the Baltic Sea Region a more prosperous
  place by supporting balanced economic development
  across the Region helping the region to fully
  implement EU legislation, especially single
  market rules
• region needs better transport links and to
  improve an energy security with interconnected
  electricity grids and gas pipelines
• to make the Baltic Sea Region a safer and more
  secure place, for instance by reinforcing
  cooperation between Member States through
  EUROPOL.

8
Lobbying actors within EU

• Union for the Mediterranean
• France (EU Presidency second half of 2008),
  Spain
• Baltic Sea Region Germany Swedish EU
  Presidency (second half of 2009)

9
In place of conclusions

• Union for the Mediterranean
• free trade area until 2010?
• EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region
• new impetus for the regional development?