The VASAB Committee on Spatial Planning and Development of the Baltic Sea Region (VASAB CSPD/BSR) is chaired by Germany from 1 January 2022 to 30 June 2023. 

Mr. Daniel Meltzian from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community will chair the VASAB CSPD/BSR meetings.

The German chairmanship of the VASAB CSPD/BSR will finish the work on the update of the “Long-term Perspective for the Territorial Development of the Baltic Sea Region (LTP)” that was successfully started by the Lithuanian chairmanship, and will particularly focus on involving stakeholders in the discussion on application and implementation of the new LTP. The role of VASAB as the Spatial Planning policy area coordinator in the context of the related EU macro-regional strategy and the new narrative introduced by the Territorial Agenda 2030, are key in this respect.

A second major element of the German chairmanship is the implementation of a summer school at the University of Greifswald in August 2022. This project aims to introduce the next generation of planners to Baltic Sea cooperation and provide them with the opportunity to network and formulate their perspectives on the future of the Baltic Sea region.

The German chairmanship will conclude with an international conference on spatial planning in the Baltic Sea Region in spring 2023, at which the LTP will be officially adopted.

Germany has taken over the chairmanship from Lithuania. The next chairing country after Germany will be Finland from 2023-2024.