Director General Grzegorz Poznański’s statement at the 2021 HELCOM Ministerial Meeting

Statement of the Director General of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) Permanent International Secretariat

HELCOM Ministerial Meeting, Lubeck, 20.11.2021

Dear Ministers, Commissioner, Excellencies, Friends of the Baltic Sea,

Congratulations on adoption of ambitious, updated HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan! We enter a true decade of action – with strategic plans and visions adopted – like is the case of the CBSS Vilnius II Declaration and CBSS Action Plan or ongoing update of VASAB long-term perspective. Goals are clear, and we must jointly get to implement what is the best for the future of the Baltic Sea Region.

The CBSS – as a long-standing strategic partner of the HELCOM – puts at your disposal what we have the best. Presidencies of Norwegian Presidency of the CBSS are very much in line with the HELCOM goals and objectives. Our well-checked Expert Groups (in EG on Sustainable Development and EG on Sustainable Maritime Economy we already enjoy important inputs and collaboration with HELCOM), networks of stakeholders and partners – including on subregional and local levels (like BSSSC, UBC and CPMR-BSC), academia, and business. And our youth networks – especially the Baltic Sea Youth Platform – are important venues of generating strong voice and involvement of young generation. These networks are also ready to work on HELCOM environmental goals.

In already mentioned CBSS Vilnius Declaration the Foreign Ministers agreed i.a. “to maintain the overall objective of the Region to become one of the most sustainable, prosperous, innovative and competitive regions in the world using the strengths of the Council of the Baltic Sea States and other Baltic Sea regional cooperation frameworks” – such as HELCOM!

One of examples of possible synergies between our organisations is HELCOM Science Agenda and CBSS SRIA. More than ever we need science-based policies. We will also look for possible collaborations in preparations for the CBSS Annual Awards for Young Scientists.

As I said at the outset – coming decade is going to be a decade of action. And in this action we all have to be involved – all Baltic Sea Region international organisations, governments, sub-regional and local levels, science and business partners and youth. Together – in synergy and close collaboration, I am confident, we will be able to achieve strategic goals set by the CBSS and by HELCOM!

Thank you for your attention!