Euroregion Baltic Executive Board met in Brussels on 6-7 November 2024. The two-day meeting kicked off with a debate attended by MEP Jacek Protas and MEP Janusz Lewandowski emphasising the importance of regional collaboration in driving the EU’s growth and resilience. The discussion highlighted successful cross-border platforms like Euroregion Baltic in the context of ever more complicated geopolitical situation in Europe.
Special attention was given to ongoing discussions on the relevance and future direction of Cohesion Policy. Euroregion Baltic stressed the importance of EU’s partnership with regional and local authorities in strengthening cohesion and growth policy and the regions’ central role. This collaborative approach ensures that all stakeholders are involved in the decision-making process, leading to more comprehensive and inclusive policies.
We may not forget the fundemental principles enhrined in the Treaty on European Union, including the principle of subsidiarity that ensures that decisions are made as close to the citizens as possible, empowering local and regional authorities to address issues more effectively. This avoids unnecessary centralisation and ensures that policies are tailored to the specific needs of different regions.
During internal part of the meeting the Executive Board also discussed issues related to the cooperation. The Board decided to annex Euroregion Baltics strategic document: ERB 2030 Agenda with more specific goals and guidance for a new ERB secretariat once the application process for the status of a European Groupings for Territorial Cooperation is finalised. The document also defines how we define Euroregion Baltic in our external communications.
Opening speech by ERB President, Rene Jaramillo