The ESPON project 'Territorial scenarios for the Baltic Sea Region (BT 2050)', initiated by VASAB countries, started in November 2018 and will last until October 2019. The  objective is to develop territorial scenarios for the BSR to contribute to cooperation between BSR countries on territorial development, increase evidence based on the territorial dimension of the EU Strategy for the BSR, as well as be beneficial to EU Member States’ policy making.

VASAB has initiated the Young Planners’ Contest “Liveable Places and Spaces of Tomorrow” to bring together young professionals, give them a chance to create a network of next generation planners, and provide them with an opportunity to express their expectations and perspective of the future of the Baltic Sea Region.

After intensive and fruitful collaboration BSR countries agreed on coherent approach for MSP output data structure. The BSR MSP Data Expert subgroup had elaborated "The Guidelines on transboundary MSP output data structure" that were agreed by the joint HELCOM-VASAB MSP Working Group in its 17th meeting on 14-15 November 2018 in Riga.

The 7th Baltic LINes project partner meeting took place on 13 – 14 November 2018 in Riga, Latvia. This was the last meeting before the final conference on 13 – 14 February 2019 in Hamburg, Germany.

Talented young students and professionals from around the Baltic Sea are invited to join the Young Planners Contest “Livable places and spaces of tomorrow”.

From 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019, Latvia presided over the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS). Latvia also chaired VASAB Committee on Spatial Planning and Development of the Baltic Sea Region (CSPD/BSR) – a steering body of this cooperation.