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Mission for VASAB co-operation - Challenges for spatial policies
Spatial planning is increasingly acknowledged as an interactive, interdisciplinary and democratic instrument to promote sustainable and balanced spatial development and spatial cohesion in the Baltic Sea Region. National governments and PAN-Baltic organisations should use this instrument more actively in promotion of integration and competitiveness of the BSR.
EU enlargement will have considerable spatial impacts for the whole region. Therefore, co-operation in the framework of VASAB has to contribute to defining the main spatial development needs for integration of the BSR territory and to initiate necessary actions; special attention should be dedicated to impacts caused by borders between present and future EU member states and their neighbouring countries and regions, such as North-western Russia and regions of Belarus and co-operation should be intensified.
Transnational co-operation on spatial planning and development is a strategic approach to foster integration, competitiveness and sustainability around the Baltic Sea. BSR INTERREG III B and PHARE CBC programmes were drawn up in close association with the revised VASAB 2010 Plus strategy of the Ministers responsible for spatial planning and development. The implementation of this strategy and priorities through the programmes of INTERREG, PHARE as well as TACIS are a main common challenge for the present decade.
We are:- Intergovernmental multilateral co-operation of 11 countries of the Baltic Sea Region in spatial planning and development.
- Focused on implementation of Vision and Strategies on Spatial Development of the BSR adopted by the Ministers responsible for Spatial Planning and Development in the BSR.
- The scope and directions of VASAB work is determined by participating countries. We work constantly with INTERREG to implement our ideas.
On 22 January 2007 VASAB Secretariat was officially opened in Riga
Latvian Minister of Regional Development and Local Government Mr. Aigars Stokenbergs, Deputy State Secretary of the Polish Regional Development Ministry Mr. Janusz Mikula and VASAB CSD Chairman Mr. Olle Lundgren, as well as diplomatic representatives of VASAB member countries participated at the opening ceremony of VASAB Secretariat.
Mr. Janusz Mikula underlined that VASAB has significant challenges ahead and expressed confidence that efforts of all participating countries will be joined to work out long term perspective of the Baltic Sea Region. He handed over the symbolic key of the Secretariat to Mr. Aigars Stokenbergs.
Mr. Stokenbergs stressed that Latvia would ensure full-fledged participation of all ten Baltic Sea Region countries in order to facilitate spatial integration of the Baltic Sea Region. Latvian priority would also be strengthening the role of spatial planning in society and in public administration. Determined and sustainable development that fits into the values and interests of the society can only be achieved if there is common understanding for the need of qualitative, effective and well-discussed spatial planning.
Secretariat of VASAB has been transferred from Gdansk to Riga and its new team is ready to support actively the goals of Baltic Sea Region cooperation. Our new address:
Elizabetes street 19,
Riga, LV- 1010 , Latvia
Tel.: + 371 67350630
Fax.: + 371 67350626
E-mail: info@vasab.org
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