From the Polish National Coordinator on the last day of the Polish Presidency

Dear EUSBSR Stakeholders,

It’s my pleasure and honor to address these words to you in my capacity of the Chair of the National Coordinators Group, on the last day of the Polish Presidency at the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea region. Poland took over the Presidency in a challenging time, continuing the efforts that had been made by Latvian presidency, to strengthen our region and make it more resilient. The Baltic Sea region has become the arena of far-reaching and disruptive geopolitical changes. The aggression of Russia against Ukraine, represents a breakthrough and its effects will continue to alter the political reality in the region for a long time to come.

Due to political and security changes the importance of the Baltic Sea basin is visibly increasing. EUSBSR members face common threats and respond to them together, being like-minded in numerous spheres. Support to Ukraine become a solid cement for our regional cooperation. The Strategy has definitely contributed to strengthening the security and stability in the region, as well as the resilience of states and societies. It has created strong regional links and effective networks that resulted in a real enhancement of mutual trust and understanding. This is exactly what allows us today to face threats and challenges with a sense of community. Thank you for being a part of this process.

The Polish Presidency remained committed to ensuring efficient implementation of the three overall objectives of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region: “Save the Sea”, “Connect the Region” and “Increase Prosperity”. We did our best – supported by DG REGIO, INTERREG BSR and BSP – to ensure the smooth update of the EUSBSR Action Plan to tailor the document to current challenges faced by the Baltic Sea region and to the needs of the Strategy’s stakeholders. With satisfaction we closed the first important stage of work on updating the Action Plan. Our years’ work brought a lot of foods for thought. Strengthened  cooperation with all PAs in various formulas, including individual meetings between PACs and NCs, confirmed that all PAs valuably contribute to the Strategy and its goals.

The discussion also highlighted that to create a better response to the dynamically changing geopolitical situation, non-schematic solutions and activities are welcomed, also in the area of cooperation with Ukraine, as well as in the crucial sphere of including youth perspective into the work of every PA, on a very practical level. The role of regular consultations with relevant EU institutions has also been recognized. 

The Polish Presidency attached great importance to securing the inclusive nature of cooperation within the Strategy, to continuing a well-functioning governance and to ensure measurability of the Strategy’s actions, as well as to enhance external communication and visibility of the Strategy – supported by BSP at every stage. The Chair of the National Coordinators Group actively participated in important events such as the Annual Forum in Visby or Interreg BSR Programme Conference in Tampere. Poland has already started preparations to organize the Annual Forum in Sopot, October 2025. I hope to meet you all there, enjoying beautiful Polish autumn at the sea side.

The raising importance of the EUSBSR has been proved by the growing interest in enhancing the cooperation within the Strategy by numerous regional stakeholders. Also Norway has recently declared an official will to engage into the EUSBSR at national level. Concluding a discussion on strengthening the engagement of Ukraine in the BSR cooperation, a letter signed by the Polish Presidency with a message from EUSBSR countries towards Ukrainian stakeholders has been addressed to relevant Ukrainian entities. I would like to convey my best wishes to Estonian colleagues taking over the Presidency on July 1st. I’m happy that the work on priorities established by the Polish Presidency will be continued.

Katarzyna Barcikowska
National Coordinator, Poland