In April 2005, ScanBalt and the Baltic Development Forum began a partnership. An element of this is that ScanBalt becomes a stakeholder in the Baltic Sea Initiative 2010.

Vision
The Baltic Sea Initiative (BSI) is a network of networks, working to promote competitiveness and sustainable growth in the Baltic Sea Region in accordance to BSI values. The Baltic Sea Initiative is also a forum for discussions of the challenges and possibilities for improving competitiveness in the region.

Values
The Baltic Sea Initiative will work in a decentralized and transparent way. Sustainability, democracy and market economy are basic principles underlying the work of the BSI. Further more equality, respect and trust are core values for fruitful interaction in a large network. The development of BSI requires that these values are respected and that all involved parties are gaining while working together towards common goals.

Mechanisms
The character of the Baltic Sea Initiative is a network of networks connecting interesting and ambitious networks within the Baltic Sea Region. The BSI is a structure open to all stakeholders whishing to contribute actively.

The stakeholders will report on their activities and results to the core group. Stakeholders should try to make common use of activities organised by each other. Invitations for conferences etc. should be forwarded on a generous basis. Stakeholders will meet at least once a year in connection with the BDF annual summit to discuss initiatives and priorities etc.

A core group of stakeholders will take the responsibility to keep stakeholders together. Members of the group will be rotated, after two years, preferably half of the group at the time, in order to secure a broad involvement of stakeholders. The group should be open ended. Each organisation in the core group should appoint one person for their representation as well as a substitute. One of the members of the group will take the responsibility to overlook the work of the group as a whole. Each member of the core group should at least be able to take the responsibility for a major workshop.

The representation of the core group members should preferably reflect the diversity of the region, not leaving “black holes”. The core group will define priority themes after discussions with stakeholders in order to make the work of BSI focused and valuable for participants.
At least two major workshops will be organised by the core group per year. All stakeholders will be invited, even though it is suggested that workshops should be theme-oriented.

Participants in workshops pay their own travel expenses, hotel costs, participation fee etc. The future direction on the BSI cooperation is presented at the BDF summit or other relevant forum.
Results of the workshops will be digested by the core group and – where possible – turned into concrete action proposals directed to governments, EU, industry, academia etc. The core group takes the responsibility for actions being presented to relevant decision makers.
Each stakeholder takes upon itself to brand its relevant activities as part of the Baltic Sea Initiative.

Read more about the Baltic Sea Initiative 2010 here.