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On 18 September in Stockholm, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Asta Skaisgirytė-Liauškienė took part in ministerial conference on the European Union’s Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. The conference was inaugurated by Sweden’s Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Minister for EU Affairs Cecilia Malmström. Estonia’s President Toomas Ilves, European Commissioner for Regional Policy Paweł Samecki, Vice-President of the European Parliament Diana Wallis, President of the European Investment Bank and representatives of regional organizations also participated in the conference.

Participants of the conference noted that the Baltic Sea region was unique not only because of the opportunities it provided, but also because of its serious challenges, that all the EU countries faced together: problems of the ecosystem, existing bureaucratic obstacles to the free movement of persons, lack of energy and transport infrastructure connections, the unexplored scientific and innovation potential.

According to Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lithuania and some other EU countries have already begun intensive consultations on the important projects in the fields of innovations, transport, scientific and academic cooperation, thus aiming to benefit from the possibilities provided by the Strategy.

In the words of Vice-Minister A.Skaisgirytė-Liauškienė, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region provides basis for improving human welfare, enhancing competitiveness and increasing integration of the region.

"Despite the differences between the EU countries, this Strategy will become an example for other regions", the Vice-Minister said.

The conference adopted a joint declaration, which expressed the consensus of 27 EU states that the Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region was a priority for all EU, and therefore all the countries encouraged the European Council to approve the strategy in October this year.