Draft, 12/10/12

Draft, 12/10/12 Joint Statement of the 18th Baltic Council On 9 November 2012 in Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania, the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers convened for the 18th Baltic Council to discuss the development of the Baltic energy market, joint measures and projects enhancing economic growth, creation of a single digital market and joint health-care projects, as well as to evaluate progress on the priorities set for 2012 and to define the objectives for 2013. Regular coordination of positions and actions has helped the Baltic States to attain our main foreign and security policy goals. Significant efforts were devoted to facilitating economic integration, promoting a common financial market and intensifying political contacts; it is essential to streamline economic cooperation among the Baltic States in order to develop an economically integrated region. The Baltic Council underlines the need for active and comprehensive cooperation among the Baltic States on all levels and in a great variety of fields, especially by implementing joint transport infrastructure and market creating strategic energy projects. Despite economic difficulties in certain countries of the euro area, the Baltic economies keep growing strongly. In order to maintain financial stability and economic development, the Baltic States will continue to implement a responsible financial policy oriented towards stability and economic recovery. The Baltic Council declares the following: - Priorities of the EU budget will be aligned with the goals of growth-enhancing EU policies. With regard to the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework for 2014–2020, the Baltic States express their concerns about the Cohesion Policy allocations for those countries which from 2008 to 2010 have experienced lower GDP growth in comparison to the EU average. With regard to the Common Agricultural Policy, the Baltic States insist that a minimum threshold be set for direct payments for countries which even in the case of the convergence proposed by the European Commission will receive less than the EU average. - Targeted development of innovative science and technology is one of the cornerstones for sustainable economic development. Cooperation among the Baltic States in the area of research and innovation will strengthen the capacity of the region and increase its competitiveness in the global market. Through joint efforts the Baltic Innovative Research and Technology Infrastructure (BIRTI) project can become one of the platforms for the cross border cooperation between three Baltic States. - The Baltic States will effectively coordinate advocacy of their interests in the European Union. The Baltic States will use the existing cooperation formats in order to better harmonise their positions regarding topical items on the EU agenda. Each Baltic State will soon assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and thus it is necessary to strengthen coordination of activities in this regard. As one of the areas of better coordination, we welcome the Action plan for Deepened Cooperation of Border Control and Customs Authorities of EU Baltic States which was approved on 20th September 2012 by the Prime Ministers of the Baltic States. - The Baltic States are committed to work on implementing the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan (BEMIP), which over last years has served as a framework for Baltic cooperation in the area of energy and as an example of promoting cooperation in other EU regions. The Baltic States will continue working intensively on priority regional electricity interconnection and gas infrastructure projects by using the potential of European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility to implement these projects. - The Baltic States will continue their work on defining a coordinated and regional approach to addressing energy security issues. Visaginas NPP is an important project that will improve regional energy security. Its energy security benefits, economic profitability and the highest standards for nuclear safety will serve as the basis for further development of the project. The final decision shall be made by the Parliament and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. - The Baltic States fully support implementation of Rail Baltica and other transport infrastructure projects in the Baltic States. The Rail Baltica project will facilitate development of Baltic transport infrastructure, as well as enable its full integration into the European transport networks. - Cooperation in joint health-care projects is highly appreciated. The Task Force on Health accomplished the work in fulfilling its mandate given during the meeting of the Baltic Council of Ministers on 21 September 2010 in Riga. The Baltic States will continue the exchange of expertise and mutual cooperation on the level of specialists in various fields of interest as well as consider widening cooperation among the Baltic States in the health-care area. The Baltic Council defines the following joint priorities for cooperation in 2013: 1) Increase of competitiveness and improvement of business environment in the region; 2) Energy, transport and infrastructure; 3) Strengthening of cooperation with the Nordic countries. The 19th Baltic Council will be held during the Latvian presidency on 28–29 November 2013 in Riga, Republic of Latvia. Paulius SAUDARGAS President of the Baltic Assembly Audronius AŽUBALIS Chairman of the Cooperation Council of the Baltic Council of Ministers Vilnius, 9 November 2012