Diritto Pubblico Comparato ed Europeo

Sommario

1. Introduction. – 2. Characteristics and historical background of the Baltic Sea Region. – 3. Political co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region. – 4. Field co-operation. – 5. Non governmental co-operation. – 6. Cross border co-operation in the BSR. – 7. Northern dimension initiative. – 7.1. The Northern Dimension geographical area. – 7.2. Administrative framework and financing instruments. – 8. Role of the decentralized co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region.

Abstract

This article deals with the characteristics, the historical background and the institutional organizations of the Baltic Sea Co-operation. First of all it analyses the political co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region at the different levels it is carried out: state, regional and local one. Particularly it goes into the history and the working of the Baltic organizations, the organizations which focus on concrete domains (energy, environment, etc.), the youth co-operation and the non governmental co-operation. Finally it emphasizes the fundamentals turning points in the evolution of the entire Baltic Sea region as the fall of the iron curtain and the setting-up and the strengthening of the European Union.