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MINUTES FROM THE 16TH MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE UNION OF THE BALTIC
CITIES
Stockholm, Sweden, 25 January 1997 INTRODUCTION The 16th meeting of the
Executive Board of the Union of the Baltic Cities was held on the 25th of
January 1997 in the City of Stockholm, Sweden, upon the invitation of Mr
Mats Hulth, Lord Mayor of the City of Stockholm. The meeting was attended by
the members of the UBC Executive Board, chairmen of Union's working
Commissions, representatives of applying cities and invited guests. Opening of the meeting and adoption of the Agenda. The 16th meeting of the UBC
Executive Board was opened by Mr Anders Engström, the President of the
Union. Mr Engström greeted all participants and wished them a successful
meeting. The welcome words were given
by Mr Dag Larsson, Deputy Mayor of Stockholm, who wished all delegates a
pleasant stay and fruitful conference in Stockholm. Mr Larsson introduced
the participants with basic information concerning the city of Stockholm. Subsequently the participants
shortly introduced themselves. Election of two persons who, together with the President,
will check the minutes. Mrs Hjördis Höglund from
Sundsvall and Mr Dag Larsson from Stockholm were elected to check the
minutes. New UBC Member Cities. Mr
Paweł Żaboklicki, UBC Secretary General informed the Executive
Board about new applications for Union Membership submitted by the cities
of: Kemi (Finland), Kolding (Denmark), Malmö (Sweden), Oxelösund (Sweden),
Pori (Finland). The following representatives
of applying cities made introductions of their towns: Mr Jorma Virtanen, Deputy
Mayor, Kemi Mrs Lis Lykke Skov,
Chairwoman of Town-Twinning Committee, Kolding Mr Ilmar Reepalu, Mayor, Malmö Mr Christer Wargert, City
Manager, Oxelösund Mr Aulis Laaksonen, Deputy
Mayor, Pori Decision: The Board decided to accept
above cities as the Members of the Union of the Baltic Cities and wished
them successful cooperation with other UBC members. The number of Union
member cities reached the figure of 69. Additionally, Mr Sven-Olof
Lindfors, Chairman of the Executive Board in the city of Mariehamn, made
short presentation about his city. Mariehamn has been accepted as UBC
member at the last Executive Board meeting in Pärnu. Mr Kari Salmi, Mayor of the
City of Lahti (Finland) informed, that Lahti will make a decision to join
UBC in February/March 1997. Reports from working Commissions. Commission on Communication. The report from the
Commission on Communication was submitted by Mr Lars Malmborg from Kalmar,
chairman of the Commission. Mr Malmborg informed about the establishing of
Baltic Sea Alliance - a platform for communication for key Baltic
organisations. Decision: The Board took note of the
report and appointed Mr Lars Malmborg as UBC representative to Baltic
Sea Alliance. Commission on Culture. The report from the
Commission on Culture was submitted by Mr Sławomir Szafrański from Szczecin, chairman of the Commission and Mr Olov
Gibson from Visby. Decision: The Board took note of the
report. Commission on Environment. The report from the
Commission on Environment was submitted by Mr Mikko Jokinen from Turku,
co-chairman of the Commission. Mr Esko Sorakunnas, UBC
Environmental Coordinator introduced the first issue of UBC Environmental
Bulletin. Additionally, Mr Anders
Engström and Mr Peter Gavelin from Sundsvall reported from the
Conferences of Ministers of Environment and Spatial Planning held in
Stockholm on 20-22 October 1996. The Ministers made a decision to work out
the Agenda 21 for the Baltic Sea Region. To fulfill this task, a
Senior Officials group was appointed. Apart from 10 Baltic countries also
the European Commission, financial institutions, UBC, Helcom,
International Chamber of Commerce and some NGO's were invited to the
Senior Officials group. Decision: The Board took note of the
report. The Board declared UBC's
active involvement in the creation of Agenda 21 for the BSR and
appointed Mr Peter Gavelin from Sundsvall to represent the Union in the
Senior Officials group. Commission on Social Affairs. The report from the
Commission on Social Affairs was submitted by Mr Ulrich Bauermeister from
Rostock, chairman of the Commission. Mr Bauermeister reminded, that
Commission will organize a conference on Labour Market and Social
Policy in the BSR to be held in Rostock, on 6-7 March 1997 and once
again invited all member cities to participate in the event. Additionally, Mr Carl-Einar Jorgensen,
chairman of Social Hansa reported from two conferences in which UBC was
also involved: -
Conference The Elderly and the Society held in
Copenhagen, on 20-25 September 1996, -
Basic-Start-Conference held in Lübeck, on 6 December
1996. Mr Jorgensen proposed to
strengthen the cooperation between Social Hansa and UBC Commission on
Social Affairs. Decision: The Board took note of the
Commission's report and encouraged the member cities to take part in
Rostock conference. The Board recommended the
Commission to develop further cooperation with Social Hansa. Commission on Sport. The report from the
Commission on Sport was submitted by Mr Zdzisław Urla from Gdynia, chairman of the Commission. Decision: The Board took note of the
report. Commission on Tourism. The report from the
Commission on Tourism was submitted by Mr Leif Nilsson from Kalmar,
chairman of the Commission. Decision: The Board took note of the
report. Commission on Transportation. The report from the
Commission on Transportation was submitted by Mr Włodzimierz Machczyński, representative of the Commission from
Gdańsk. Mr Machczyński informed, that the city
of Gdańsk decided to allocate
certain resources to establish small secretariat of the Commission. Mrs Sylvia Gourova from
Kaliningrad informed about short-sea shipping project involving
Kaliningrad, Gdańsk, Rostock and Szczecin,
financed by Ecos-Ouverture. Decision: The Board took note of the
report. The Board encouraged the
Commission to put more attention on city-related transportation problems
i.e. increasing city traffic, public transport, city transport means and
routes. Proposal to establish UBC Commission on (Urban) Planning. Mr Jussi Kauto, Head of
Planning Office in Helsinki put forward a proposal to set up new UBC
Commission on Urban/Spatial Planning. Apart from the exchange of
experiences between member cities in the field of physical planing, the
new Commission would complement at the local level the work carried out by
VASAB 2010. Decision: The Board expressed the
opinion, that Union of the Baltic Cities should become active in the field
of urban and spatial planning. The Board decided to appoint
a working group consisting of Helsinki, Malmö, St.Petersburg, Umeå (and
Elbląg if interested), which task
shall be to work out the best model for UBC involvement in this field. Report from the UBC Project Manager. Mr Juhan Janusson, UBC
Project Manager submitted report describing his work since XV Executive
Board Meeting in Pärnu. Project Manager also informed
about the budgets and deadlines of EU programmes concerning the BSR such
as ECOS-OUVERTURE, BSPF, INTERREG IIC. Mr Janusson emphasized, that
following the demands of various parties including UBC the ECOS-OUVERTURE
changed some of its rules making the programme more flexible. Decision: The Board took note of the
report. Mrs Cay Sevon from Turku
informed the meeting about the DIRECTORIA V - an event to be
organised by the European Commission in Strasbourg, on 24-26 February
1997. DIRECTORIA V shall give opportunity to meet partners for EU
Programmes (OUVERTURE II and RECITE II) and to initiate potential projects
under experts guidelines. Additionally, point 10.3 of
the Agenda i.e. INTERREG IIC and PHARE/TACIS countries was taken up. At
the last UBC Executive Board meeting in Pärnu the Board discussed
potentials of joint projects within INTERREG IIC (EU countries) and PHARE/TACIS
programmes (non-EU countries). Having in mind above Mr
Anders Engström proposed that the UBC Board member cities from Estonia,
Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia will send letters to the
governments of their countries urging them to earmark certain resources
within respectively PHARE/TACIS programmes for joint projects with
INTERREG IIC. Decision: The Board commissioned UBC
Executive Board member cities from mentioned countries to send proposed
letters. Information from the Secretary. UBC Baltic Cities Bulletin. Mr
Paweł Żaboklicki referred to the XV UBC Executive Board meeting
in Pärnu when the Board discussed the ways to develop UBC newsletter -
Union's major communication and marketing tool. The Board decided to
appoint the Editorial Board to be responsible for planning, development
and production of the newsletter. The Editorial Board met on 8-10 November
1996 at the UBC Secretariat in Gdańsk and worked out the strategy for UBC newsletter named Baltic
Cities Bulletin (BCB) i.e. contents, layout, target groups, production
plan for 1997 etc. The Editorial Board made also a practical work - text
preparation and edition - of the first issue of BCB. The new bulletin was printed
and distributed (3000 copies) to all member cities and various Baltic and
European institutions in December 1996. The Editorial Board decided, that
in 1997 three issues of BCB will be published. Decision: The Board expressed its
satisfaction from the work of BCB Editorial Board and urged it to
continue its efforts. Financial report for the year
1996. Secretary
Paweł Żaboklicki submitted UBC financial report for 1996.
According to the Executive Board recommendation apart from UBC income and
expenditure the report includes extra contributions from member cities in
1996 (mainly costs of Commissions secretariats) as well as UBC projects
with external funding. Decision: The Board adopted the report. Additionally, Mr Olaf P.
Christensen from Aarhus put forward a proposal to investigate
possibilities to support the work of UBC President with annual financial
contribution. Decision: The Board authorized Mr Olaf
P. Christensen and Mr Michael Bouteiller, UBC Vice-President to make an
investigation in question and submit a concrete proposal to the next
meeting of UBC Executive Board. UBC-Gdańsk
agreement on UBC Secretariat. Mr Andrzej Jankowski
Secretary of the City of Gdańsk, on behalf of Mr Tomasz Posadzki, Mayor of the City of
Gdańsk,
informed that the City of Gdańsk is ready to maintain and finance UBC Secretariat in
Gdańsk in
the Green Gate for another period. Decision: The Board welcomed the offer
of the City of Gdańsk and decided to recommend the next UBC General
Conference to maintain the UBC Secretariat in Gdańsk in the Green Gate. IV UBC General
Conference, Gdańsk, 12-13 September 1997. Status of preparations. Mr
Paweł Żaboklicki reminded, that according to the decision of
Executive Board made in Pärnu, the IV UBC General Conference in Gdańsk will be a Baltic Sea
Cooperation Forum during which major actors of Baltic cooperation
shall discuss the future of the Baltic Sea Region. Mr
Żaboklicki informed that all preparations to the IV UBC
General Conference are going well and the City of Gdańsk is warmly expecting the
representatives of all 69 UBC member cities to come to Gdańsk on 12-13 September 1997. Decision: The Board took note of the
report and encouraged all member cities to be represented at the IV UBC
General Conference in Gdańsk. Other matters. Agenda 21 for the Baltic Sea
Region. This point of the Agenda was
treated under point 4.3. Spatial Planning in the Baltic Sea Region. This point of the Agenda was
not treated due to the absence of Mr Bo Löwendahl, Member of VASAB 2010
Committee on Spatial Development who was requested to introduce the
subject. Interreg II C and Phare/Tacis countries. This point of the Agenda was
treated under point 6. UBC publicity. Ms Sonja Hilavuo, chairman of
UBC Task Force for Public Relations and Communication introduced further
ideas on UBC Baltic Cities Bulletin development as well as some new
initiatives regarding UBC publicity. Ms Hilavuo informed, that Task Force
members will be provided with an action plan on UBC publicity
strengthening. Decision: The Board took note of the
report. Information on IV UBC Women's Conference in Kalmar. Mrs Hjördis Höglund from
Sundsvall submitted report on the activities of UBC Women's
Network and invited representatives of all interested member cities to
participate in the IV UBC Women's Conference, to be held in Kalmar
in association with Nordic Women Week, 20-25 May 1997. Mrs Höglund
encouraged those member cities which have not yet appointed their
representatives to the UBC Women's Network to do so. Decision: The Board took note of the
report. UBC role in local business promotion - the seminar. Mr Anders Engström
maintained the proposal submitted at the XV UBC Executive Board Meeting in
Pärnu, to organize, jointly with BCCA, the seminar on UBC role in
local business promotion, to be held in Kalmar, in association with
8th Hansa Business Days, 22-23 April 1997. Decision: The Board authorized the
cities of Kalmar and Turku and the Project Manager to proceed, in
connection with UBC Secretariat, with seminar organization. Reports from conferences attended by Union's
representatives. The following delegates
submitted reports from the conferences and meetings where they represented
the Union of the Baltic Cities: -
Conference "The Elderly and the Society", Copenhagen,
20-25 Sept. 1996 - the report was submitted under point 4.4. -
IV Conference on Baltic Sea States Subregional Cooperation, Vaasa,
17-18 October 1996 - reported by Mr Anders Engström. -
Conferences of Ministers of Environment and Spatial Planning,
Stockholm, 20-22 Oct. 1996 - the report was submitted under point 4.3. -
II European Conference on Sustainable Cities, Lisbon, 6-8 October
1996 - reported by Mr Paweł Żaboklicki and Mr Mikko Jokinen. -
Global Cities 21 Meeting, Lisbon, 8-9 October 1996 - reported by Mr
Mikko Jokinen. -
"Highway to sustainability", Copenhagen, 18-19 November
1996 - reported by Mr Carl Nielsen. -
Basic-Start-Conference, Lübeck, 6 December 1996 - the report was
submitted under point 4.4. -
WHO Baltic Healthy Cities Meeting, Turku, 23-24 January 1997 -
reported by Mrs Cay Sevon. Matters submitted at the meeting. *
Mr Anders Engström informed, that Mr Jaak Tamm has retired as a Mayor of
the City of Tallinn and thus has asked to be relieved from the position of
UBC Vice-President. The Board expressed its
gratitude to Mr Jaak Tamm for his substantial contribution to the work for
the Union of the Baltic Cities. *
Mr
Juhan Janusson informed, that on 9-11 October 1997, the conference for
industrial designers from Nordic and Baltic countries will be held in
Kalmar. The organizers asked the UBC to support this event. Decision: The Board decided to give UBC
support to the conference. *
Mr
Anders Engström recommended the Executive Board member cities to organize,
before the next General Conference, national meetings of Union members to
discuss UBC matters. Next Meeting of the Executive
Board. Mr Ingmar Ljones, Mayor of
the City of Bergen maintained the proposal of Bergen to host the XVII
meeting of the UBC Executive Board and proposed the date 7th of June 1997. Decision: The Board accepted the
proposal of the city of Bergen and decided to hold its next meeting in
Bergen, on the 7th of June 1997. Closing of the Meeting. The Chairman of the Meeting,
Mr Anders Engström expressed his thanks to the City of Stockholm for
hosting the delegation and closed the XVI Meeting of the Executive Board
of the Union of the Baltic Cities. Mr Anders Engström
Mr Paweł Żaboklicki Chairman Secretary Mrs Hjördis Höglund
Mr Dag Larsson
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