The Baltic Sea Area as a European Region

Centrum Balticum acts at three levels

Centrum Balticum is a European think-tank focusing on the Baltic Sea region. The key themes are the Baltic Sea as a pilot area for the strengthening of European mega-regions and boosting up the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Centrum Balticum pays attention to the external dimension of the Strategy and its relation to the areas part of the Baltic Sea region but outside the Union. Security and economic issues are essential for the cooperation in the Baltic Sea region as well. The Centre wants to sustain debates and arguments that help to encourage the Baltic Sea region to speak with one voice and to channel the single voice into action.

Centrum Balticum is a national actor. It aims at shaping the Finnish Baltic Sea policy and offers its expertise for policy formulation and implementation. It brings together Finnish Baltic Sea region actors, and facilitates cooperation among them. The flagship of activities is the annual national Baltic Sea Forum.

The regional dimension is a natural field of activity for Centrum Balticum. Protection of the Finnish Archipelago Sea and improving the state of its waters make up their own comprehensive entity. The regional aspect is also seen in the cooperation and joint projects with actors from Southwest Finland and Finnish West Coast. The City of Turku is a close partner to Centrum Balticum.

An added dimension is to accommodate non-EU Members to regional cooperation. Cooperation with adjacent regions of Russia and Russia as a Baltic Sea actor are on the agenda of the Centrum Balticum.