Baltic Sea Cooperation
Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) and the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) Secretariat co-coordinate the Police Area (PA) Secure in the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR).
MSB also is a member of the PA Secure Steering Group, which is the strategic body of one of the thirteen policy areas in the EUSBSR PA Secure and its Steering Group were founded in 2013, and consists of members from all eight EU countries in the Baltic Sea Region, along with the Union of the Baltic Cities – Safe Cities Commission, the CBSS’ expert group Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings (TF-THB) and the Children at Risk unit at the CBSS Secretariat. The steering group meets twice a year to discuss priorities and strategic actions in the fields of civil protection and law enforcement.
The Steering Group also supports international projects, which help to share expertise and best practices in civil protection among the countries. The most successful and innovative projects and processes that can be useful for the whole macro-region are nominated by the Steering Group for a EUSBSR Flagship status. During its existence, the EUSBSR has resulted in 120 Flagship projects.
The rationale behind Policy Area Secure is that cooperation between countries and actors in the Baltic Sea Region – facing common challenges that can be solved jointly – can save lives, prevent economic losses and contribute to making the region safer and more prosperous for people to live in. PA Secure acts in a holistic societal security paradigm that focuses on risk reduction management related to all threats, regardless whether their origins are natural disasters, man-made disasters or organized crime. PA Secure strives for building long-lasting professional relationships and to create a common security culture in the Baltic Sea Region.