A
Action Plan: In order to ensure that the Strategy is not merely a formal document, concrete and visible actions are required to solve the challenges identified in the Baltic Sea Region. The Action Plan is the document that sets out document that sets out a sequence of actvities to be performed in order for the Strategy to succeed.
Alignment of Funding: Given that the Strategy is based on the principle of “no new funding”, the alignment of available funding sources operating in the region with the Strategy's objectives is essential for the success of the Strategy. The Member States and the bodies in charge of the implementation of the programmes and financial instruments are encouraged to allocate sufficient funding to contribute to the implementation of the Action Plan. Alignment of funding would also serve to avoid duplication of efforts in the Strategy’s implementation, is promoting synergies and complementarities.
Alignment of Policies: Alignment of relevant EU, national and sub-regional policies with the Strategy is crucial for its success. The cooperation and interaction between the main actors and stakeholders of the Strategy and the policy-makers shall be strengthened in order to achieve the desired accordance between sector and regional development policies.
Alignment of Institutions: Following the principle of “no new institutions” more efficient and closer cooperation between existing institutions within the country and among those over the national borders shall be established. The Strategy is aiming at more effective and efficient use of existing institutional structures and existing human resources for its implementation.
C
Cross-border Cooperation programme: EU regional programme that manages projects with partners from different states sharing the border area.
E
ERDF: The European Regional Development Fund helps reduce imbalances within the EU territory. It supports programmes addressing regional development, economic change, enhanced competitiveness and territorial cooperation throughout the EU.
ETC: European Territorial Cooperation is the third objective of the Cohesion Policy. It is financed by the ERDF. Its aim is to promote cooperation in Europe as well as address challenges faced by the EU. This objective has three strands: cross-border cooperation, transnational cooperation and interregional cooperation.
ENPI: European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument aims at reinforcing cooperation between EU member states and countries along the external border of the European Union.
F
Flagships: The actions of the Strategy are implemented by means of Flagships. Flagships demonstrate the progress of the Strategy, and may serve as pilot examples for desired action in a given field. A Flagship is frequently the result of a policy discussion and decision among the actors and stakeholders within a Policy Area. It translates the desire and ambition of a Policy Area in a specified field of action. Once approved, a Flagship is listed in the Action Plan.
H
Horizontal Action: Horizontal Action by its nature is an action equally important and having an impact on more than one or all Policy Areas within the Strategy. Horizontal Actions the same as Policy Areas brings together different actors and modes of cooperation for a targeted action. Broad spectrum of stakeholders is involved in the implementation. Their setup and quantity can be modified during their revision or renewal.
I
Interregional cooperation: cooperation in the field of policy making, research and technical support.
M
Macro-region: a macro-region encompasses communities and regions from different countries which have common or complementary assets, are facing common challenges and have common objectives.
Multi-level governance: many interactive authority structures in a political system with interconnected institutions.
O
Objectives of the Strategy: The revised Strategy (2013) is based on three objectives: to save the sea, to connect the region and to increase prosperity in the region.
P
Policy Area: Policy Area brings together different actors and modes of cooperation for a targeted action. The individual Policy Area’s are responsive to the varied content and institutional build-up in different topics (from environment to competitiveness). Inside the PAs, different coordination mechanisms may thus be warranted.
Policy Area relies on the expertise and support from relevant institutions in the Member States as well as relevant services of the European Commission, different council formations in the EU, regional organisations and other institutions. Policy Area can be perceived as an intermediate layer between the EU and a Member State meant to deal with issues of macro-regional value and best addressed on this level.
Policy Areas are by nature administrative units meant for better resource management in the region. Their setup and quantity can be modified during their revision or renewal.
T
Transnational cooperation: cooperation of regions from different countries in broader areas (Baltic Sea, Mediterranean, Central Europe etc.).