Relevance of the Baltic Sea region BSR for the EU and Russia

1
Relevance of the Baltic Sea region (BSR) for the
EU and Russia

• Toms Rostoks
• University of Latvia
• toms.rostoks_at_lu.lv

2
Changing context

• Major recent transformations in the BSR
• EU enlargement Baltic Sea has almost become an
  inland lake of the EU
• Changing Russia more affluent Russia means more
  equal relations between the EU and Russia

3
Turbulent times for regional cooperation?

• Reforming the CBSS
• Changes in ND policy (2006)
• Towards a Baltic Sea Strategy
• ? What would be the impact of these developments
  on the region and on the EU-Russia relations?

4
BSR and EU-Russia relations - I

• What perspectives for the region?
• Region as a transit route oil, gas and consumer
  goods
• Region in its own right virtues and problems of
  the region
• ? There is a dynamic interplay between these two
  interpretations of BSRs importance as a place
  between the EU and Russia

5
BSR and EU-Russia relations - II

• Two-level or two-speed cooperation?
• EU-Russia cooperation is there, but does it work
  beyond energy and trade?
• Is regional cooperation between the EU and Russia
  more successful?
• ? Should the EU really go for low-key cooperation
  and try to influence Russias North-Western
  regions?

6
An obvious way forward?

• Getting Russia involved but how much?
• No doubt about the necessity to get Russia
  involved in the BSR cooperation (CBSS, ND)
• A separate cooperation framework for the BSRs EU
  members integration (BSS)