Council of the Baltic Sea States

Stockholm ( Sweden)

English

March 6, 1992 in Copenhagen ( Denmark)

The CBSS (English Council of the Baltic Sea States, CBSS) is on 6 March 1992 in Copenhagen ( Denmark) International Organization founded with the goal of economic, political, cultural and environmental cooperation between the Baltic countries as well as Norway and Iceland. As initiators, the then Foreign Minister of Germany and Denmark, Hans -Dietrich Genscher and Uffe Ellemann -Jensen apply.

The Council shall have a Secretariat in Stockholm (Sweden). Current Director, Jan Lundin from Sweden.

Tasks

Led to the creation of the CBSS was the transformation of the economic area Baltic Sea since the end of the East- West conflict. After several decades of economic and social isolation from other states bordering on the Baltic thus have the opportunity for joint cooperation and exchange - both economic and a cultural level.

The CBSS has also the objective to serve the good of the entire region by all the synergy potentials are exploited optimally between the states. In addition to economic and political cooperation between the Baltic Sea also has goals in the environmental field in mind, the transport infrastructure is to be improved through cooperation and joint campaigns to promote tourism in some of the former states of the Soviet Union. Since the EU Presidency and the European Commission participate in the Council meetings, relations with Western Europe can be strengthened and improved, which is certainly in the course of EU enlargement for the Baltic states of great benefit. With the establishment of the CBSS an important contribution to the European policy of the future 21st century has been made, because from now on you no longer, many of the former Soviet states to the " enemy image " of the West include, but start with the EU a friendly and in-depth cooperation. In the Copenhagen Declaration, these common goals were adopted on 5 March 1992.

Members

Member of the Baltic Council are Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the European Commission.

The membership of Norway, but especially likes Islands, surprising at first sight, since it is not here at the Baltic Sea. However, it must not be forgotten that the Nordic countries are closely connected with each other for decades. Thus, Norway and Iceland are next to Denmark, Finland and Sweden, members of the Nordic Council and the Nordic Passport Union. This close relationship can be regarded as a reason that the two non- Baltic Sea are also members of the Baltic Sea.

Observer status to enjoy France, Great Britain, Netherlands, Italy, Slovakia, Ukraine and the United States.