Norwegian regions are actively involved through different Baltic Sea organisations, through participation in cross-border and transnational cooperation programmes (Interreg) and by taking part in projects as well as in bilateral cooperation measures.
Through participation in the Let’s Communicate project Eastern Norway County Network (ENCN) wants to promote the EUSBSR in Norway and to increase the cooperation and involvement of Norwegian actors into the strategy implementation. Among others through the work of PACs and HACs and in project development.
Survey for Policy Area and Horizontal Action Coordinators
ENCN is at the moment cooperating closely with HA Neighbours to conduct a survey among PACs/HACs to map the participation of Norway in their work as well as their interest to involve Norwegian actors in Steering Groups and Flagships in the future. Questions are, as we speak, being submitted to PACs and HACs via e-mail. The same procedure will be used to map the interest of Norwegian Ministries, Agencies, and other actors regarding a more active involvement in the EUSBSR structures.
Based on the feedback received from EUSBSR actors and Norwegian actors – HA Neighbours and ENCN will facilitate matchmaking contacts via digital platforms. The goal is to strengthen the interrelation between the EUSBSR and Norway, to develop networks and to lay ground for more intensive cooperation.
ENCN’s ambitions with its participation in the Let’s Communicate project are:
- Better awareness of the BSR cooperation options as well as results and impacts – highlighting stories and good practises.
- Norwegian line Ministries and/or National Agencies actively involved in the work of PAC/HAC’s under the EUSBSR. Especially in Steering Groups and Flagship processes.
- Continued involvement of Norway in the Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme as an active partner in the 2021 – 2027 programme - facilitating Norwegian stakeholder’s participation in concrete project activities post 2020.
“We hope that all PACs and HACs will respond positively to our initiative and send their feedback to our questions and be part of the dialogue with Norwegian actors,” says Juhani Ailio from HA Neighbours and Ann Irene Saeternes from ENCN.
“Let’s talk to your neighbour!” in Brussels
Together with the European Commission DG Regio, the Norwegian Mission to the EU and BSSSC, Eastern Norway County Network is planning an event in Norway House in Brussels in the autumn 2020 under the headline “Let’s talk to your neighbour!” The focus will be on Norwegian participation in the EUSBSR and in Baltic Sea Cooperation in general. The objective is to raise awareness about partner countries involvement in macro regional strategies – in this case the EUSBSR. We hope to be able to carry out this event prior to the Annual Forum in Turku in October.
For more information see the Norwegian web-page for the EUSBSR https://interreg.no/ostersjostrategien/
Eastern Norway County Network (ENCN) is one of the partners in the Let’s Communicate! project that functions as the EUSBSR Communication Point.