Joint HELCOM/VASAB, OSPAR and ICES Workshop on Multi-Disciplinary Case Studies of Maritime Spatial Planning (WKMCMSP) took place on 2-4 November 2011 in Lisbon, Portugal. Report of the Workshop is available here.

The Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS) consisting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of 11 Baltic Sea Region countries and a member of the European Union at the 16th Ministerial Session on 7 June 2011 in Oslo have noted with appreciation the work of VASAB and HELCOM on maritime spatial planning and the adoption of the Baltic Sea Broad-Scale Maritime Spatial Planning Principles.

See attached Declaration of the 16th CBSS Ministerial Session: Declaration

On 17 November 2010 the Committee of Senior Officials of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) "accepted placing VASAB under the CBSS umbrella". The CBSS decision concluded a process of re-defining cooperation framework between the CBSS and VASAB, initiated by the CBSS Elsinore Declaration of 4 June 2009 and appreciated by the VASAB Vilnius Declaration of 16 October 2009.

The Strategy (EUSBSR) has several Horizontal Actions (HA) focused on specific aspects in order to respond to the regional needs. VASAB is HA leader of two actions.

HA "Develop and complete Land-based Spatial Planning"

This HA ensures coherence between actions and maintaining an integrated approach. Without a clear picture of the region, and an awareness of sensitive areas, population and economic pressures and other factors, sustainable development is not feasible.