The BSPC Working Group on Integrated Maritime Policy, especially infrastructure and logistics, will aim at elaborating joint BSPC policy recommendations within this policy area.

The Working Group is chaired by Mr Jochen Schulte, MP, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

The Working Group held its inaugural meeting in Rostock on 21-22 January, in the premises of the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency. The Working Group was briefed on, i.a., maritime spatial planning, Baltic sea port development, and research on maritime infrastructure. The Group also had the opportunity to get a demonstration of the Marine Simulation Centre in Warnemünde.

The second meeting of the Working Group was held on 15-16 April in the premises of the European Parliament and the Committee of the Regions in Brussels. Members of the European Parliament and representatives of the EU Commission and the Committee of the regions gave presentations and opinions on issues such as EU Integrated Maritime Policy, maritime transport, Trans-European Networks and cooperation between EU and Russia on maritime affairs. The European Ports Organization and the European Community Shipowners Association were also represented at the meeting, and informed about their views on port infrastructure, maritime traffic and emissions, and short sea shipping. 

Environmental, economic and other perspectives on shipping were at the centre of the agenda for the third meeting of the BSPC WG on Integrated Maritime Policy in Copenhagen on 15 June. The meeting, which was led by WG Vice Chair Ms Lisbeth Grönfeldt Bergmann, included presentations by Mr Niels Bjørn Mortensen, A P Møller-Mærsk Group, Mr Jan Fritz Hansen, Danish Ship Owners Association, Ms Raimunda Liutkeviciene, CBSS Expert Group on Maritime Policy, Ms Jaqueline McGlade, European Environment Agency, and Mr Francis Zacharie and Mr Bjarke Bøtcher, Danish Maritime Safety Administration. The meeting also discussed and fine-tuned the WG's political recommendations to its mid-way report at the 19th BSPC in Mariehamn 29-31 August.

The presentations from the meetings and other background material can be retrieved from Related Information.

Points of Contact for the Working Group:

Mr Gerald Gutzeit
Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Internationale Angelegenheiten/Ostseekooperation
Lennéstraße 1
D-19053 Schwerin
Telefon: +49 385 525.2760
Telefax: +49 385 525.2759
mailto:intaff@landtag-mv.de

Mr Jan Widberg
Head of BSPC Secretariat
C/o Nordic Council
Store Strandstraede 18
DK-1255 Copenhagen
Denmark
+45 24 699446
jw@norden.org