Finland takes over the presidency of the Baltic Sea Council from Germany

The German presidency of the Baltic Council, which concluded recently, was marked by a strong focus on expanding offshore wind energy, addressing the challenge of munitions clearance in the Baltic Sea, and encouraging youth engagement in shaping responses to Europe's challenges.

During the presidency, the Baltic Council members committed to increasing offshore wind power capacity in the Baltic Sea sevenfold by 2030. This ambitious goal is part of Germany's broader strategy to transition towards renewable energy sources.

However, the highlight of the German presidency was undoubtedly the focus on the clearance of munitions in the Baltic Sea. Around 400,000 tons of conventional World War II munitions and another 40,000 tons of chemical warfare agents are on the floor of the Baltic Sea, posing a significant challenge and threat to both humans and the environment. In response, a 100 million euro immediate program was launched during the German presidency for the clearance of munitions in the North and Baltic Seas.

The challenge of clearing munitions in the Baltic Sea can only be solved through cross-border and international cooperation. Recognising this, the Baltic Council meeting in Wismar, under German presidency, recognised the clearance of munitions in the Baltic Sea as a regional problem requiring collective action for the first time.

In addition to these efforts, the German presidency also placed special emphasis on youth engagement. The establishment of the Baltic Sea Region Youth Forum (BSRYF) was advocated by the Federal Foreign Office to encourage youth participation in shaping responses to Europe's challenges. The BSRYF event was organised in preparation for the foreign ministers' meeting in Wismar.

The "CBSS Youth Ministerial," organised by the Federal Foreign Office and BSRYF, brought together 30 young people from Baltic Sea Council states for a project workshop on societal resilience in Berlin from May 21 to 25, 2023. During the event, young adults developed concrete project ideas on combating disinformation, stronger involvement of young people in civil protection, and prevention and recognition of human trafficking.

Five young participants from the "CBSS Youth Ministerial" presented their results to the foreign ministers in Wismar during the Baltic Council meeting. The German presidency successfully re-established the Baltic Council as a platform for trust-building exchange on politically current topics.

The Baltic Council, a cooperation format with Russia, was a key focus of the German presidency. However, in May 2022, Russia withdrew from the Baltic Council. Despite this, the remaining members of the Baltic Council agreed that the forum is still necessary for political dialogue and practical cooperation.

The European states involved in the "CBSS Youth Ministerial" event in May 2023 included Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, and Russia. The meeting focused on resilience, renewable energy, and the removal of munitions in the Baltic Sea.

In addition to the "CBSS Youth Ministerial," the Federal Foreign Office, in collaboration with Denmark, organised the Baltic Offshore Wind Forum in May 2023. Attended by participants from politics, administration, business, and civil society across Baltic Council states, the forum aimed to discuss and drive forward the expansion of offshore wind energy in the region.

The German presidency was shaped by the consequences of Russian aggression in Ukraine. Despite this, the focus on renewable energy, munitions clearance, and youth engagement demonstrates Germany's commitment to addressing regional challenges and fostering cooperation within the Baltic Council. The Baltic Sea Youth Dialogue (BSYD) took place in Hamburg in November 2022, focusing on civil protection, further highlighting Germany's dedication to these issues.