Spatial planning can be defined as the coordination of practices and policies affecting spatial organization. Spatial planning includes all levels of land use planning including urban planning, regional planning, national spatial plans, and in the European Union regional and international levels.

At the National Coordinators' online meeting on 29-30 June 2020 Capacity 4MSP project under Horizontal Action Spatial Planning was granted a Flagship status. Let’s get to know Capacity 4MSP and see what the project brings to the EUSBSR.

In order to implement EUSBSR successfully capacity building for actors involved in the implementation of the Strategy is needed so that they are able to navigate in the multilevel governance system of the region, identify and address gaps within thematic areas.

As defined in EUSBSR Action Plan, flagship is frequently the result of a policy discussion within a policy area or horizontal action. It fleshes out the ambition to achieve EUSBSR objectives in a specified field. Flagships in form of project and processes are being implemented by EUSBSR countries in cooperation with their non-EU neighbours.

Harry S. Truman once said: “All will concede that in order to have good neighbours, we must also be good neighbours. That applies in every field of human endeavour.” In the framework of Baltic Sea Region and EUSBSR we can also talk about importance of good neighbourhood.

What do you think when you think about the Baltic Sea? Its beautiful landscape and unique archipelago? Pollution and environmental problems? Maybe its coastline is the place you call home?

Today, litter is a common problem all over the world. And, the Baltic Sea region does not make an exception. However, acknowledging that the challenge is common can lead to think of joint solutions and how to tackle the problem together. This is the approach taken in Wastless Karelias, a cross-border project between Finland and Russia that share the same kind of problems on both sides of the border.

Current impacts of climate change are evident also in the Baltic Sea Region and are expected to emerge in the future. Let's take a closer look at how EUSBSR works with climate and what the climate change means to the region.

The actions of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region are implemented by means of Flagships. Flagships demonstrate the progress of the Strategy, and may serve as pilot examples for desired action in a given field. In May, five new flagships were approved in the National Coordinators' meeting. We contacted the projects and asked what the status means to them.

The 10^th EUSBSR Annual Forum is approaching. As always, the Forum is full of interesting seminars to choose from. This year, seminars and discussions are linked to the main theme of circular economy. To make it slightly easier for you to get to know the programme, this post lists the seminars organized by the EUSBSR Policy Areas and Horizontal Actions.