Draft, 09/12/02

Draft, 09/12/02 DECISION On the Reforms of the Baltic Assembly The Baltic Assembly, taking into account the integration of the Baltic States into the European Union and NATO, underlining the essential significance and benefit of the Baltic States’ co-operation in an enlarged Europe, considering it necessary to introduce a new structure and adopt a new strategy of the Baltic Assembly in the new international situation in order to demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in addressing adequately and efficiently the challenges and issues that emerge over time, decides the following: 1) to start a one-year presidency of the Baltic Assembly on 1 January 2003 with Lithuania as the presiding country; 2) to approve structural reforms of the Baltic Assembly and to start the implementation of these reforms during 2003; 3) to intensify the reform process for improving co-operation between the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers; 4) to further intensify co-operation with the Nordic Council and the Benelux Interparliamentary Consultative Council by defining the strategy and content of practical co-operation. Riga, 14 December 2002