Action Plan - Working document accompanying the Communication concerning the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

This Action Plan comprises 13 policy areas and 4 horizontal actions, which represent the main areas where the EUSBSR can contribute to improvements, either by tackling the main challenges or by seising key opportunities of the region. Typically, one Member State coordinates each policy area or horizontal action, and they work on its implementation in close contact with the Commission and all stakeholders, i.e. other Member States, regional and local authorities, inter-governmental and non-governmental bodies. Other bodies may also be nominated to coordinate an area or action. They need to ensure that the Action Plan is consistent with all EU policies, and in particular Europe 2020 Strategy as well as the Integrated Maritime Policy, with its Blue Growth strategy and its Sustainable Blue Growth Agenda for the Baltic Sea Region,7 and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) objective to reach good environmental status by 2020 and sustainable growth in the region. Furthermore, they need to ensure the integration of the horizontal principle of sustainable development in the Action Plan and that environmental considerations are adequately taken into account in the flagship proposals.