In the 2009 Action Plan 15 priority areas represented the main areas where the Strategy could contribute to improvements. To ease analysis, the priority areas were further divided into four thematic ‘pillars’.

Coordination of each priority area was allocated to a Member State, and the implementation was to be done in close contact with the European Commission, involving a multitude of stakeholders like regional and local authorities, intergovernmental and non-governmental bodies (cf. AP 2009, p. 3).

The Action Plan explained in the detailed actions, through which the priority areas were to be implemented. It also presented examples of flagship projects with high significance for the implementation of the actions.

In addition to the priority areas, the Action Plan proposed 10 horizontal actions, which were to contribute to the development of territorial cohesion. The 2009 Action Plan also highlighted the importance of constructive cooperation with external partners in the region, in particular Russia (AP 2009, p. 3).

Priority Areas divided into pillars:

To make the Baltic Sea Region an environmentally sustainable place

1. To reduce nutrient inputs to the sea to acceptable levels
2. To preserve natural zones and biodiversity, including fisheries
3. To reduce the use and impact of hazardous substances
4. To become a model region for clean shipping
5. To mitigate and adapt to climate change

To make the Baltic Sea Region a prosperous place

1. To remove hindrances to the internal market in the Baltic Sea Region including to improve cooperation in the customs and tax area
2. To exploit the full potential of the region in research and innovation
3. Implementing the Small Business Act: to promote entrepreneurship, strengthen SMEs and increase the efficient use of human resources
4. To reinforce sustainability of agriculture, forestry and fisheries

To make the Baltic Sea Region an accessible and attractive place

1. To improve the access to, and the efficiency and security of the energy markets
2. To improve internal and external transport links
3. To maintain and reinforce attractiveness of the Baltic Sea Region in particular through education, tourism and health

To make the Baltic Sea Region a safe and secure place

1. To become a leading region in maritime safety and security
2. To reinforce protection from major emergencies at sea and on land
3. To decrease the volume of, and harm done by, cross border crime

Horizontal actions

• Align available funding and policies to the priorities and actions of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region
• Cooperate on the transposition of EU Directives
• Develop integrated maritime governance structures in the Baltic Sea region
• Become a pilot project in implementing the Marine Strategy Framework Directive
• Encourage the use of Maritime Spatial Planning in all Member States around the Baltic Sea and develop a common approach for cross-border cooperation
• Develop and complete Land-based Spatial Planning
• Transform successful pilot and demonstration projects into full-scale actions
• Use research as a base for policy decisions
• Define and implement the Baltic Sea basin component of the European Marine Observation Data Network (EMODNET) and improve socio-economic data
• Build a regional identity

The European Commission proposed to set measurable indicators and targets for each objective. To reflect these changes, the Action Plan was updated in 2013, in line with the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy.

Like its predecessor, this updated Action Plan structured the work of the Strategy by Priority Areas and Horizontal Actions and presented detailed actions and flagships projects, through which the objectives would be achieved. In addition, this Action Plan introduced a governance structure (cf. AP 2013, p. 11) for the Strategy, including descriptions of the roles and responsibilities of the main implementing actors. As before, the Priority Areas and Horizontal Actions were to be coordinated by the Member States, although the update also allowed the task to be appointed to other bodies (cf. AP 2013, p. 9).

With this update, the number of Priority Areas was increased from 15 to 17, while the number of Horizontal Actions was decreased from ten to five. In addition, the 2013 Action Plan organised the Priority Areas and Horizontal Actions according to the three overall objectives, as opposed to the four pillars of the 2009 Action Plan. It also added climate change as a cross-cutting horizontal consideration (cf. AP 2013, p. 10) to be adequately included in the implementation of the objectives, sub-objectives, priority areas, horizontal actions and flagship projects of the Action Plan.

Objectives and sub-objectives

1. Save the Sea

• Clear water in the sea
• Rich and healthy wildlife
• Clean and safe shipping
• Better cooperation

2. Connect the Region

• Good transport conditions
• Reliable energy markets
• Connecting people in the region
• Better cooperation in fighting cross-border crime

3. Increase Prosperity

• EUSBSR as a frontrunner for deepening and fulfilling the single market
• EUSBSR contributing to the implementation of Europe 2020 Strategy
• Improved global competitiveness of the Baltic Sea Region
• Climate change adaptation, risk prevention and management

Priority Areas

• PA Agri – Reinforcing sustainability of agriculture, forestry and fisheries
• PA Bio – Preserving natural zones and biodiversity, including fisheries
• PA Crime – Fighting cross-border crime
• PA Culture – Developing and promoting the common culture and cultural identity
• PA Education – Developing innovative education and youth
• PA Energy – Improving the access to, and the efficiency and security of the energy markets
• PA Hazards – Reducing the use and impact of hazardous substances
• PA Health – Improving and promoting people’s health, including its social aspects
• PA Innovation – Exploiting the full potential of the region in research and innovation
• PA Internal Market – Removing hindrances to the internal market
• PA Nutri – Reducing nutrient inputs to the sea to acceptable levels
• PA Safe – To become a leading region in maritime safety and security
• PA Secure – Protection from emergencies and accidents on land
• PA Ship – Becoming a model region for clean shipping
• PA SME – Promote entrepreneurship and strengthen the growth of SMEs
• PA Tourism – Reinforcing cohesiveness of the macro-region through tourism
• PA Transport – Improving internal and external transport links

Horizontal Actions

• HA Involve – Strengthening multi-level governance including involving civil society, business and academia
• HA Neighbours – To increase the co-operation with neighbouring countries to tackle joint challenges in the Baltic Sea region
• HA Promo – Boosting joint promotion and regional identity building actions
• HA Spatial Planning – Encouraging the use of Maritime and Land-based Spatial Planning in all Member States around the Baltic Sea and develop a common approach for cross-border cooperation
• HA Sustainable development and bio-economy

The 2015 Action Plan was more streamlined and focused, with the previous 17 Priority Areas converted to 13 Policy Areas, and the number of Horizontal Actions decreased from five to four. Like its predecessor, the 2015 Action Plan presented detailed actions and flagships projects, through which the objectives would be achieved, as well as the governance of the Strategy(AP 2015, p. 10). With this update, the Action Plan also came to include a chapter on the role of regional organisations (cf. AP 2015, p. 20).

Alongside climate change, the 2015 Action Plan added sustainable development as a cross-cutting horizontal consideration to be adequately included in the implementation of the objectives, sub-objectives, priority areas, horizontal actions and flagship projects (cf. AP 2015, p. 9). In addition, this Action Plan highlighted the importance of ensuring that environmental considerations are adequately taken into account in flagship proposals (cf. AP 2015, p. 9).

In March 2017, the Action Plan was revised yet another time with a number of technical updates and corrections, including a a revised Policy Area Transport chapter and the inclusion of a new action on the integration of refugees in Policy Area Education. In addition, a new section on the procedure to follow in the case of change of thematic coordinators was included in the governance chapter.

Objectives and sub-objectives

1. Save the Sea

• Clear water in the sea
• Rich and healthy wildlife
• Clean and safe shipping
• Better cooperation

2. Connect the Region

• Good transport conditions
• Reliable energy markets
• Connecting people in the region
• Better cooperation in fighting cross-border crime

3. Increase Prosperity

• Baltic Sea region as a frontrunner for deepening and fulfilling the single market
• EUSBSR contributing to the implementation of Europe 2020 Strategy
• Improved global competitiveness of the Baltic Sea region
• Climate change adaptation, risk prevention and management

Policy Areas

• PA Bioeconomy – Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
• PA Culture – Culture & creative sectors
• PA Education – Education, research and employability
• PA Energy – BEMIP Action Plan (for competitive, secure and sustainable energy)
• PA Hazards – Reducing the use and impact of hazardous substances
• PA Health – Improving and promoting people’s health, including its social aspects
• PA Innovation – Exploiting the full potential of the region in research, innovation and SME, utilising the Digital Single Market as a source for attracting talents and investments
• PA Nutri – Reducing nutrient inputs to the sea to acceptable levels
• PA Safe – To become a leading region in maritime safety and security
• PA Secure – Protection from land-based emergencies, accidents and cross-border crime
• PA Ship – Becoming a model region for clean shipping
• PA Tourism – Reinforcing cohesiveness of the macro-region through tourism
• PA Transport – Improving internal and external transport links (AP 2015) / Facilitating a sustainable and efficient transport system in the Baltic Sea Region (AP 2017)

Horizontal Actions

• HA Capacity – Capacity building and involvement
• HA Climate
• HA Neighbours – Creating added value to the Baltic Sea cooperation by working with neighbouring countries and regions
• HA Spatial Planning – Encouraging the use of maritime and land-based spatial planning in all Member States around the Baltic Sea and develop a common approach for cross-border cooperation

The European Commission approved this Action Plan on 17 February 2021 which aimed to boost the transnational cooperation in the Baltic Region towards a more efficient recovery from the covid-19 pandemic. The 2021 Action Plan strived for a green and digital transition, making best use of the #NextGenerationEU recovery package and aligning policies with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

This Action Plan was also to guide investments under the 2021-2027 Cohesion policy-programming period and to  involve young people in the governance process. Also a simplified coordination and management system was introduced as well as a reduction in the number of actions –  from 73 to 44, structured under 14 Policy Areas – and a Trio of Presidencies to promote coherence and continuity. Finally, the Baltic Sea Strategy Point was established to coordinate capacity building and knowledge sharing, and improve the communication capacity.