The Baltic Sea is a special region in many ways. It is one of the busiest maritime areas in the world, it is also one of the largest brackish water areas in the world and has a very sensitive and unusual combination of freshwater and ocean species, and it is surrounded by nine countries which all work hard on holistic regional collaboration.

Most of us have probably thought about the question in the title. For this reason, "Let’s communicate!" project wanted to address this particular question in one of the seminars at the EUSBSR Annual Forum. The seminar highlighted some common challenges stakeholders had identified in a survey conducted by the project and aimed at showing through concrete examples that challenges can be solved. In addition, the seminar was an opportunity to plan the communications of the upcoming 10th Anniversary of the EUSBSR.

In April, new Flagships were approved in the National Coordinators' meeting. We asked two of the newly approved Flagships what the status means to them.

The 2nd CBSS Baltic Sea Science Day was an integral part of the 5th Baltic University Programme Rectors´ Conference. The overall gathering demonstrated that sustainability and prosperity of the Baltic Sea Region is being developed on the basis of an inclusive dialogue on research-intensive sectors. Baltic University Programme is committed to align such efforts with UN Sustainable Development Goals. In this regard the CBSS Baltic 2030 Action Plan comes to the fore as the key reference point in the Baltic Sea Region setting. Baltic Science Network findings testify that functional proximity requires extensive discussions among research experts on their niche profiles and potential…

Pharmaceutical residues create an environmental problem in the Baltic Sea. Cooperation is essential to reduce emissions, but how to bring stakeholders and projects together? An EUSBSR flagship Baltic Sea Pharma platform offers one solution. The platform and PA Hazard's work to reduce pharmaceuticals have been acknowledged by HELCOM Ministerial Declaration in March 2018. Policy Area Hazards coordinators Jenny Hedman and Maxi Nachtigall were interviewed by the Communication Point of the EUSBSR.